Page 46 - Demo

HEALTHY OPTIONS IS THERE SPACE FOR 44 CONVENIENCE WORLD SEP/OCT, 2020 IN CONVENIENCE? The sweet freezer aisle in P&C, probably the last frontier of defiance against the clamour for better for you ranges, is facing the onslaught of market forces. By Emily Devon. Ashopper stops by the local petrol station, fills up on fuel, and walks towards the cashier, but can’t resist glancing through the frost- layered freezer doors with bright coloured boxes behind. ‘Ah just one ice cream can’t hurt’, the shopper thinks, and opens a door to see two types of chocolate ice cream, with the difference being that one box has a label advising the product contains ‘less sugar’. Which one do you think he or she will choose? In this day and age, the shopper will absolutely choose the ‘less sugar’ option. If you don’t believe me, then believe the numbers. IBISWorld says revenue from the ‘health snack food’ production industry is expected to have grown at an annualised 2.7 per cent over the five years to 2019-20, to be worth $1.9 billion (IBISWorld, 2020. ‘Health snack food production in Australia: Industry trends 2015-2020’). The research also shows that the industry’s revenue has been boosted by rising health consciousness and increased participation in gyms and fitness centres over the period. This raises the question: is convenience ready for ‘better for you’ dessert options? Shadi Hajj, Manager of a Top Juice store in Sydney, is adamant that the health trend will never go away. He takes pride in offering fresh, convenient, healthy snacks and treats for his community. Despite this involving added time and effort, he says providing healthy options is “worth the challenges”. “I came from the motor industry,” he said. “I didn’t feel like I was giving someone something that’s good for them.” Mr Hajj is a strong advocate for businesses doing what they can to provide healthier options, even in the convenience space, and even when it comes to the dessert category. He says he will always attempt to provide the ‘better for you’ option, catering to demand that has increased steadily over the past few years. South Australia based convenience store network OTR was asked if nice cream