Dive Brief:
- McLane Company has launched a national commissary program for convenience retailers across the U.S., the distributor announced this week.
- The commissary is part of McLane’s Central Eats program, which features pre-packaged, grab-and-go cold items like subs, sliders, salads and fruit cups. C-store retailers using the program will have access to many of these products through the commissary, as well as snack trays, veggie cups, oatmeal, parfaits and more.
- The commissary could become a haven for c-store retailers as the industry faces foodservice supply chain challenges with prices continuing to rise and tariffs looming.
Dive Insight:
McLane, which has serviced the convenience retailing industry since the 1960s, leveled up its offerings nearly two years ago when it debuted McLane Fresh, an expanded retail foodservice program specifically designed for convenience stores. The program was created to meet consumers’ growing expectations for healthy, quality food at convenience stores, and the Central Eats line was at the center of that push.
Now, the company is taking McLane Fresh a step further with its new commissary, where all Central Eats products are prepared fresh and individually wrapped to have a seven-day shelf life, according to the announcement. The commissary supports both large and small c-store operators with “flexible piece-pick ordering,” which reduces waste and enables customization by location.
Retailers can receive commissary items alongside their regular McLane deliveries, the company said.
“The program is built around what today’s consumer expects—fresh, flavorful food—and what operators need: safety, efficiency and simplicity,” said Jon Cox, McLane’s vice president of retail foodservice. “We’re proud to help our customers grow their grab-and-go business with a program that’s easy to implement and built for success.”
One retailer already using the commissary is EG America, parent company of over 1,500 c-stores under brands like Cumberland Farms, TurkeyHill and TomThumb. The program has allowed the convenience retailer to scale its foodservice offerings and add more high-quality grab-and-go items, Brian Ferguson, chief marketing officer for EG America, said in the announcement.
“This program is helping us elevate our foodservice strategy and drive growth across our stores,” he said in a statement.
