27 Fast-Growing, Must-Stock Products Convenience Stores are Missing Out On
There are few bigger profit opportunities for independent retailers than healthier snacks and drinks.
In recent years, wave after wave of new and challenger brands have come to market, fighting for your shelf space. With so many new products out there, it can be difficult to know what the must-stock products are.
At Epicurium, our job is to make this simple. We have identified the healthier food and drink products that work in convenience stores and can drive your sales and profits.
Looking at our bestselling lines, we have identified 27 key products from nine leading brands that are must-stocks for independent retailers.
Stores that stock the top 50 products from Epicurium generate £319 in sales per week – or £16,606 per year. This equates to profits of £96 per week or £5,013 per year. Can you really afford to be missing out on stocking these leading lines?
1.
Must-stock Products from Huel: Chocolate, Vanilla, Salted Caramel 500ml
RRP: £3.50
PoR: 29%
Case size: 8
Where to stock: Impulse soft drinks, near food to go
Huel has been a runaway success for Epicurium, with the brand claiming eight of our top 10 bestselling lines overall in the past three months. Styled as a ‘complete meal replacement’, Huel’s ready-to-drink range offers all 26 essential vitamins alongside a balance of carbohydrates, fat, protein, and fibre. The brand is backed by several by influencers, such as Dragon’s Den’s Steven Bartlett.
Retailers who stock the top three lines – Chocolate, Vanilla, and Salted Caramel – sell around £34.50 of stock per week, with £10 profit. The brand is flying at Epicurium, where we’ve sold nearly 30,000 cases in just three months. Additional flavours among our topsellers include Strawberries & Cream, Iced Coffee Caramel, Banana, Berry, and Cinnamon Swirl.
2.
Must-stock Products from Vita-Coco: Vita Coco Coconut Water – Pure 330ml
RRP: £1.69
PoR: 23%
Case size: 12
Where to stock: Impulse soft drinks, next to juices and healthier options
Epicurium’s eighth bestselling single line over the past three months was Vita Coco. The brand burst onto the market in 2004 and became the #1 bestselling coconut water in Tetra Pak. Today, the brand places the sustainability of coconut farming at its heart, committing to distributing 10 million seedlings and trees to communities around the world by 2030.
Retailers who stock the product can expect to sell £3.38 worth of stock a week, with a 23% profit on return.
3.
Must-stock Products from Tray bakes: All Butter Flapjack, Cinder Road, Honeycomb Crunch, Dark Chocolate Brownie and Caramel Shortcake.
RRP: £1.70-£1.80
PoR: 29%– 41%
Case size: 12
Where to stock: With food-to-go items
Based in Cumbria’s Lake District, Traybakes are a range of individually wrapped bars that retailers can offer as an impulse buy or as a sweet treat within lunch meal deals.
Ten of the brand’s lines makes up Epicurium’s top products. While Dark Chocolate Brownie, Caramel Shortcake and All Butter Flapjack mark our three biggest sellers in terms of total cases sold, the fastest rates of sales in retail are All Butter Flapjack, Honeycomb Crunch and Dark Chocolate Brownie.
Meanwhile, the brand’s variation in RRP means All Butter Flapjack, Cinder Road and Honeycomb Crunch are the most valuable. Biscuit Tiffin, Paradise Flapjack, Granola Bar, Salted Caramel Brownie and Peppermint Crunch complete the range.
All Butter Flapjack and Paradise Flapjack offer the biggest PoR out of any of Epicurium’s top 50 bestsellers at 41%. All Butter Flapjack is also the fast-selling line of our top 50 with a rate of sale of 5.9 units per week.
Retailers stocking all 10 lines in impulse locations around the store could generate £86 per week in sales, with £27.68 in profit.
4.
Must-stock Products from Urban Fruit: Magnificent Mango, Smashing Strawberry, Perfect Pineapple 35g
RRP: £1.15
PoR: 27%
Case size: 14
Where to stock: Healthier snacking section, kids snacking, impulse areas such as on the counter
A trio of snack packs from Urban Fruit make up Epicurium’s 13th, 26th and 38th bestselling lines. The brand’s ‘gently baked’ fruit packs offer consumers a convenient way to get more fruit into their diets. The range offers a twist on standard dried fruit – usually restricted to prunes, raisins, and dates – and is a great way for retailers to give their shoppers a healthier option when buying an on-the-go snack.
Retailers stocking the three top sellers can expect to sell eight packs a week and generate £9.06 in sales.
5.
Must-stock Products from Wat Kitchen: Chicken in Teriyaki Sauce, Chicken in Chilli & Thai Basil Sauce
RRP: £2.04
PoR: 27%
Case Size: 6
Where to stock: Evening ready meals or lunch food-to-go range
Retailers looking to add a vibrant offering to their ready meals should consider these two bestsellers from Wat Kitchen. The product can be ready to eat in just 2 minutes 30 seconds. They can be stored at room temperature, making it a great solution for retailers with limited chiller space, and are made with fresh ingredients.
Retailers stocking these two lines can expect to generate sales of £5.47 a week.
6.
Must-stock Products From Propercorn: Sweet & Salty 30g, Lightly Sea Salted 20g
RRP: £1
PoR: 34%
Case size: 24
Where to stock: Healthier snacking bays and alongside single bags of crisps
Propercorn has gone from strength to strength since it launched in 2011. Naturally flavoured, gluten-free and vegan, the launches meet several health trends and priorities for consumers. While the brand has also extended into Chips and Crisps, it is the two core flavours of popcorn that rank among our top 50 sellers – with Sweet & Salty at #17 and Lightly Sea Salted at #49.
Most recently the brand has partnered with the Barbie Movie to give customers the chance to ‘Win a trip to California’.
7.
Must-stock Products from Grenade: Peanut Nutter, Oreo, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel
RRP: £2.85
PoR: 32%
Case size: 12
Where to stock: Impulse snack locations, with confectionery singles or food to go
Grenade exploded into the protein bar market in 2010 and quickly amassed a range of flavours such as Peanut Nutter and Birthday Cake. Although 25% of the brand’s sales come from online, it grew a strong presence in retail, with convenience stores and multiples driving sales. In 2021, the brand was acquired by Mondelez, paving the way for brand fusions such as Oreo, which at £13.99 is our most valuable single line in our top 50 list. It is also the most profitable, generating £4.48 in profit per week for each store stocking.
8.
Must-stock Products from Barebells: Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry 330ml
RRP: £2.55
PoR: 25%
Case size: 8
Where to stock: Impulse soft drinks, near food to go
While Barebells is perhaps more commonly seen in protein bar form, with listings in Co-op and Waitrose among others, it is its Milkshakes that rank in our top 50 lines. Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry rank at #22, #35 and #47 respectively. Retailers stocking all three lines could generate £18.71 in sales per week with profit of £4.68
Retailers stocking all three lines could generate £18.71 in sales per week with profit of £4.68.
9.
Must-stock Products from Kind: Dark Chocolate, Nuts & Sea Salt; Almond & Coconut; Caramel, Almond & Sea Salt; Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate
RRP: £1.60
PoR: 30%
Case size: 12
Where to stock: With food to go or impulse snack locations. Next to confectionery singles
Four variants of KIND bars rank as the top #25, #27, #34 and #44 products that Epicurium stocks. Nuts are the main ingredient of KIND bars, which are high in unsaturated fats, contributing to normal blood cholesterol levels. The brand is also a partner of England’s Lionesses football team.
Products You Should Also Consider
The brands above represent the top 27 must-stock Products Epicurium offer, as well as others further down the list but still in the top 50. Special shoutouts also need to go to Jimmy’s Iced Coffee Flat White Extra Shot; Itsu – which has five products in our top 50; Metcalfe’s Ricecakes; Cheesies and VITHIT.
Ordering Must-Stock Products With Epicurium
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