This article is brought to you by Stone Gate Foods.

In 2024, the national foodservice leakage rate (the percentage of shoppers who plan to purchase quick-service food within 30 minutes of their convenience store visit) rose to 28.7%, a 1.2 percentage point increase from 27.5% in 2023, according to the NACS State of the Industry Report® of 2024 Data. Of those consumers, 37.9% planned to buy food elsewhere due to a lack of appealing menu options.

“Foodservice options that span times and categories can help retailers cater to a wider variety of customers,” said Jake Revak, marketing manager at Stone Gate Foods. And offering diverse options can not only help draw customers in, it can keep them from buying food elsewhere.

The company’s Tater Kegs, a stuffed tater with a variety of flavors, “are a versatile option that draws in the customer,” Revak said. “First, they’re drawn in just by the name: What are Tater Kegs? Then, they find a hot, grab-and-go option with a variety of flavors that can be a meal or a snack.”

The eight flavor options emulate the taste of familiar meals and classic appetizers, including inspiration from loaded baked potatoes to Buffalo chicken wings.

The snackability of the Tater Kegs is another reason it performs well, Revak noted. He cited data from Circana that showed 37% of consumers in 2024 were looking for quick bites instead of larger meals. “Our packaging fits three to five Tater Kegs, so it’s perfect for either a snack or a meal.”

With their 1.5-ounce size, high protein from meat and cheese and flavor stuffed on the inside, the concept is also designed to stand alone.

“We made this product so that it has enough flavor so that you don’t need to have a dipping sauce or anything with it,” said Revak. “It makes them pretty simple for somebody to grab and go.”

This is the second part of a two-part series on Stone Gate Foods. Read part one here, and learn more about Stone Gate Foods here.