Oser Communications Group

1 1 December 2018 SNACKING NEWS Jimmy Dean Brand Redefines the Sandwich According to Merriam-Webster.com, a sandwich is: "two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between." The Jimmy Dean ® brand believes that def- inition is stale. Americans' culinary pref- erences are evolving, with more than one in three Americans vowing to eat less bread in the new year. In fact, a recent study by Kelton Global found that half of Americans have eaten a breadless sand- wich. Jimmy Dean brand is calling on Ameri- cans to help get all sandwiches a seat at the dictionary's proverbial kitchen table and to update the definition of sandwich to rep- resent both bread and breadless options, as the company introduces its Jimmy Dean Delights Egg'wich, a breadless breakfast. Made with savory, breakfast sausage and cheese packed between two real egg frit- tatas, this breakfast sandwich contains be- tween 13-14 grams of protein per serving with no artificial colors or flavors. The new breakfast option is made without all the carbohydrates from bread and it's ready from the microwave in less than two minutes. "Just as we adapt and introduce new products to meet changing preferences, we felt it was only right to call on the diction- ary to reevaluate the definition of a sand- wich to ensure it is representative of how people eat today," said Steve Silzer, Mar- keting Director for Jimmy Dean brand. "We believe a sandwich is still a sandwich without bread. In fact, the new Jimmy Dean Delights Egg'wich is the perfect ex- ample of a breadless sandwich where two egg frittatas hold together savory, break- fast sausage and cheese." Jimmy Dean Delights Egg'wich are available in three varieties. Broccoli Cheese is a chicken sausage and cheese between broccoli and cheese egg frittata; Bacon, Spinach, Onion is a turkey sausage and cheese between bacon, spinach, caramelized onion and parmesan egg frit- tata; and Ham, Peppers, Mushroom has turkey sausage and cheese between ham, bell peppers, mushroom, bacon and onion egg frittata. All varieties are available in four-count packages in the frozen protein breakfast section of grocery stores nationwide. To learn more, about them, visit www.jimmy dean.com. n Sheetz Inc. Owes Success to Enterprising Teen BY ROBIN MATHER Bob Sheetz's father may have been sur- prised when the teenager asked his dad to sell him one of the family's dairy stores in Altoona, Pennsylvania, back in 1952. But he went ahead and sold a store to his son, and today, Sheetz Inc., is a company with more than 580 convenience stores in six states. Sheetz employs more than 18,000 people, says Nick Ruffner, Public Relations Manager for the company. Joe Sheetz is now President and Chief Execu- tive Officer of the company and just fin- ished a year as chairman of the board of directors for NACS, the trade association for convenience stores. Sheetz opens 20 to 30 stores a year in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland, Ruffner says, and each new store means 30 to 35 new employees. "There are no plans for further expansion outside those states – we have plenty of room for expansion there." The average Sheetz store is about 6,000 square feet, with inside and outside seating and 10 to 12 fueling locations outside. Food Came First Sheetz is perhaps best known for its food. "When the stores were first created, they were highly centered around the deli counter," Ruffner says. "As time went by, that went toward a smaller menu." In 1986, however, Earl Springer, the manager of a Sheetz in Williamsport, Maryland, set up a system where people could order food made to order. Springer's customers filled out little slips of paper, dropped them into a basket, and the kitchen crew prepared their requests on the spot. That system worked, but in the mid-90s, Ruffner says, Sheetz became the first in the convenience store industry to imple- ment a touch-screen ordering kiosk. Today, customers can order both food and Sheetz Brothers Coffee, including spe- cialty drinks such as mochas or lattes, through the kiosks. They can also order online at www.orderz.sheetz.com, for im- mediate pickup or pickup several hours later. "Our motto is to give the customers what they want, how they want it, when they want it," Ruffner says. For customer Holly Rosborough of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, that might be a car wash, some lottery tickets and a sandwich. "I like Sheetz because they are convenient. I like the assortment of grocery items they carry, especially the bottled drinks," she says. "Sheetz is a nice all-around stop for food/grocery items, gas, and those lottery tickets. I've purchased sandwiches there, and they are decent." The Importance of Variety "We're committed to variety in snacks and drinks in the same way that we're committed to made- to-order and Sheetz Brother Coffee," says Ruffner. "Va- riety is highly important to us. Our stores carry a cou- ple of hundred types of bev- erages and snacks." That variety shows up in the kinds of snacks that each store displays, says Tom Rosenberger, Snack Sales Manager for Sheetz. "Overall, we are seeing growth in non-chocolate chewy candy and bagged candy," he says. "Both are expected to grow in 2019. Another area of growth is healthy, or bet- ter-for-you, snacks, which have seen slow but steady growth." Rosenberger says the company's top sellers include Frito-Lay, Reese's, M&M, Snickers and Hershey products, with Men- tos, Icebreakers and Wrigley making up the top gum brands. "We've also seen a major growth in sales of Kinder Joy prod- ucts, and we look for more growth in 2019," he says. Rosenberger's tips for snack retailers in- clude careful inventory control so popular products stay in stock. He also suggests trying new items and targeted ship- pers, or dis- plays, to prompt more impulse pick-up of snacks. Put those new items, and sea- sonal items, near checkouts, he says, and en- courage vendors to "go loud and proud" on new and seasonal offers. Sheetz's '3 Cs' "Sheetz prides itself on providing its cus- tomers with fast and friendly service, and delivering quality products in clean and convenient locations," says Joe Sheetz. He uses the "3 Cs" to describe what makes Sheetz so successful. They are "customers, culture and community," he says. That means giving customers what they want, of course, but it also means cre- ating a workplace culture that will attract and retain the employees who serve those customers. As for community, Sheetz puts its money where its mouth is. An employee- run charity, Sheetz for Kidz, was founded 25 years ago. It purchases clothes, toys and other items for local children during the holiday season and has raised more than $21 million. n

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