Menu Innovation: Introduce New Items, But Keep the Classics Too

A recent report from CFVG looked at how retailers can vamp up their menu.

June 20, 2025

Developing your menu to include both familiar items and unique ones could be the recipe for bringing in new customers and keeping others coming back, according to the Convenience Foodservice Vision Group (CFVG) Report “Menu Vision: Blending Tradition With Trend.”

Strategic approaches to menu expansion using existing ingredient combinations enables rapid innovation without operational complexity and is a great way to dip your toes into menu expansion while maintaining competitive prices, according to the report.

CFVG member Derek Thurston, director of foodservice at Cliffs Local Market, said, "We're going to go after the dirty soda trend from the angle of, 'Hey, you don’t have to pay six, seven bucks at a specialty shop. Come on into Cliff’s and make up your own soda.'"

CFVG said that the most important takeaways from the report include:

  • C-Store Menuing and Trends: Datassential's research emphasized the importance of balancing traditional offerings with trend-forward items to meet evolving consumer expectations. Presenter Claire Conaghan, trendologist and associate director for publications at Datassential, encouraged convenience retailers to leverage data, understand generational and regional preferences, and focus innovation during lunch and later dayparts, all while ensuring new items remain grounded in familiarity to maximize broad appeal.
  • Trends and Innovation in Menu Development: Successful menu innovation requires finding the right balance between familiar items and new elements, suggesting operators should add "one weird thing" to recognizable bases. From flat croissants and dirty sodas to pizza, retailers are capitalizing on emerging trends.
  • Cold Brew Energizes Sales: Cold brew coffee has emerged as a significant traffic driver with strong profitability metrics for convenience retailers.
  • Operational Challenges and Menu Simplification: Retailers are focusing on strategic menu development that leverages existing ingredients in new combinations to balance innovation with operational efficiency.
  • GLP-1 Drugs and Health Trends: The growing use of GLP-1 medications is creating shifts in consumer preferences toward protein-forward options, potentially affecting both foodservice and center store offerings.