Wawa, Hy-Vee Mull the Future of Food

CHICAGO–With rapid changes taking place in foodservice, leaders from the restaurant, convenience retail and grocery store segments shared their insights on the future of food and their respective industries this week at the National Restaurant Association Show.

Wawa is reinventing the traditional c-store model for food, said Chris Gheysens, president and CEO of the 850-store chain, noting that the company is focusing on a food-to-go mindset by meeting the need-state of today’s on-the-go consumers inside the store as wells as the last-mile “I want it now” consumers who prefer delivery. “Traditional convenience is important,” he said, “but convenience is not residing within your four walls,” he said.

At Hy-Vee Inc., the 90-year-old brand has a diverse portfolio that includes 155 convenience stores. Randy Edeker, chairman, president and CEO of the West Des Moines, Iowa-based grocer, said that the company has been in foodservice since the late 1960s and is responding to the food-away-from-home trend by providing meal kits and prepared meal solutions. The retailer is also raising the bar on the quality of foods found in a c-store format, such as fresh-prepared sushi. (See more on Hy-Vee at the NACS Show during the Ideas 2 Go general session on Oct. 3)

Gheysens and Edeker both shared that execution is challenging in their respective retail environments, especially as each brand continues to grow and solve the complexities of their foodservice offers at scale and evolve their menu options, digital strategies and methods of delivery. “It’s the little things that can kill you,” said Edeker.

The growth of foodservice within the convenience store channel has not gone unnoticed among other food segments. John Cywinski, president of Applebee’s, noted that the rapid pace at which both convenience and grocery have evolved their business models within the food space is eye-opening for restaurants but also a win for consumers. “We all compete for share of stomach, and what’s coming from Hy-Vee and Wawa with breakfast, lunch and dinner 24-hours a day is impressive,” he said.

At the expo, US Foods hosted a panel discussion led by award-winning chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson, on the power of mentorship featuring chefs from Chicago, Colorado Springs and Madison, Wisconsin, who each shared how mentorship helps others “make it” in the food industry.

First, they described that mentorship is not like opening a door but something that one may realize was happening over time. As for what mentorship “looks like,” it’s being accessible, sharing your story and guiding employees through the business’s culture. It’s also about being there for employees as they take the next step in their culinary journey, even if they leave.

The chefs agreed that in a labor environment where hiring and retention is a challenge, attitude matters: Hire for mindset, train for skillset.

The 2020 National Restaurant Association Show will take place May 16-19 at McCormick Place in Chicago.