Pros And Cons Of Selling Fresh Produce At Your Convenience Store

Posted on: 3 May 2019

When you're in charge of managing the inventory at a local convenience store, it's always a good idea to think about what items are worthwhile to add. Given the focus that many people have on eating healthy, it can be a good idea to sell a small amount of fresh produce at your location. Before you move forward with this idea, here are some pros and cons that you can evaluate.

Pro: You're Contributing To Your Neighbors' Health

It's always a good feeling to know that you're helping people to be healthier, and offering fresh produce at your convenience store is one way that you can accomplish this goal. When you stock fresh produce, you can be confident that some customers will visit your location with the mindset of buying a snack — and perhaps an unhealthy one — and then decide to pick up an apple, an orange, or a small container or berries instead of a candy bar or a bag of chips.

Con: It Can Be Difficult To Change Habits

While you might love the idea of people in your community choosing to live healthier by picking up fresh produce at your convenience store, it's worth remembering that it can be difficult for some people to change their habits. For example, someone who stops by your location with his or her mind set on buying a soda and a bag of chips might struggle to spontaneously change his or her mind and choose some fresh fruit instead. If customers aren't changing their habits and buying the produce, you might struggle to sell it.

Pro: You Can Support Local Growers

Depending on where you live, there might be a thriving agricultural industry locally. When possible, it's ideal for local vendors to support local growers, so you may be able to work out an arrangement to buy a certain volume of apples or berries from a local grower to sell at your convenience store. Or, in the fall, you might have a local grower drop off fresh corn that local residents can buy on their way home from work.

Con: Storage May Be An Issue

Fresh produce tends to last longer when it's refrigerated, but you may want to keep it out in an easy-to-notice area of your convenience store so that people see it. This can present some logistics challenges. For example, you might decide to move the produce to your refrigerators before you close for the night, and then move these items back to the main area of your store once you open in the morning.

For more information, contact companies like Instant Inventory Service.

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