Convenience stores were built around one simple proposition: give consumers what they need, when they need it. But what consumers need from their local c-store is changing, and today’s shoppers increasingly expect convenience to extend beyond fuel and grab-and-go essentials. Now, c-store shoppers want to include products that support their daily wellness routines.
For retailers, this shift represents an opportunity to rethink what belongs on the shelf.
Functional beverages and botanical wellness products are emerging as natural extensions of traditional c-store offerings. Consumers are looking for products that fit into busy lifestyles without requiring an extra stop at a specialty retailer or health store. For c-stores, meeting that demand can create new occasions for purchase while giving customers more reasons to make the store part of their everyday routine.
One category rising to meet that demand for consumers is functional beverages. These products are offering solutions to the needs of today’s consumers, whether that’s a boost of energy, enhanced focus or support for managing stress. These products have strong potential to become part of consumers’ routines, according to third-party consumer perception research conducted for VIVAZEN® the nation’s leading botanical wellness company.
In a 21-day at-home study conducted in partnership with MoreBetter, participants tracked their energy, productivity and focus for seven days without the VIVAZEN® Energy + Focus Shot, followed by 14 days using the product and completing daily surveys. During the product-use period, participants reported a 25% improvement in daily energy levels, while 66% reported having more drive and 61% reported increased focus. 63% also reported feeling less fatigue throughout the day.
The growing body of real-world evidence in this field continues providing retailers with crucial insight into how consumers are incorporating functional wellness products into their daily routines. As the category grows, consumers and retailers should feel confident in the products available on the market. Retailers bear the responsibility of stocking their aisles with products that meet quality standards and comply with applicable laws. At the same time, consumers want clarity about the products they purchase.
With that in mind, VIVAZEN® recently launched the Safe Shelves Initiative to help retailers and consumers identify legal, high-quality botanical products, equipping retailers and consumers with resources and information to distinguish legal botanical products from illegal synthetic drugs, including 7-OH, in line with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's recent scheduling actions. People will be able to find educational materials, certificates of analysis and a growing database of products independently tested for illegal synthetic drugs to make informed decisions and reduce the potential harm of deceptive products.
The Safe Shelves Initiative is moving to set a safety standard for the functional botanicals industry as a whole by applying the same high-quality standards VIVAZEN® holds its own products to, including manufacturing in a GMP-certified facility, as well as undergoing double laboratory testing and a 10-step quality assurance process. The goal is to remove any uncertainty about product legitimacy and efficacy before they make it onto shelves and into the hands of consumers.
As people continue searching for ways to incorporate functional wellness into their everyday life, convenience stores are uniquely set up to meet consumers' demand for botanical products, like VIVAZEN®.
