Brought to you by Bake’n Joy.

Baked goods are still enjoying a renaissance in the convenience market, especially as food manufacturers launch new and innovative products. Instances of baked goods in c-stores have increased 9% year-over-year, according to Technomic’s MenuMonitor.

According to Technomic’s 2017 CSP Foodservice Handbook, some of the more popular items being sold in c-stores include bagels and donuts, and 45% of consumers say they would be likely to order hot/warm breads if they were available.

With consumer interest in baked goods rising, here’s how c-stores can boost sales of these items.

Muffins on the rise

At c-stores specifically, there’s great opportunity to offer a range of baked goods for interested consumers. Items like donuts, pastries, bagels, English muffins and muffins are key.

For retailers who want to see a bump in baked goods sales, offering a variety of muffins may help. Technomic’s MenuMonitor reports that the top five flavors of muffins within c-stores are blueberry, chocolate chip, banana, berry and chocolate, in that order. It seems old standby favorites are still today’s go-to, so retailers should be sure to stock those flavors over new or trending ones.

Snacking habits

Baked goods are seeing a boost in sales throughout the day as more consumers look for indulgent treats and quick, handheld snacks.

Snacking in general is up; Technomic’s 2016 Snacking Occasion report finds that 83% of consumers have a snack at least once a day, with 54% reporting having a snack two to three times a day. According to the report, 42% of consumers replace breakfast with a snack, while 55% do the same for lunch. That said, the most popular time for snacking is in the afternoon—that’s when 79% say they typically have one, followed by the evening, when 48% are reaching for a snack. Here too, muffins are seeing a steady resurgence; in that same report, 47% of consumers say they purchase muffins for a snack at least occasionally, up from 42% in 2014. This could be perhaps because they are highly portable.

The most popular time for muffin purchases is the morning, with 73% of consumers saying that’s when they buy them for a snack.  As for where consumers are purchasing muffins, 60% say they are purchasing at retail locations such as c-stores—retailers have a big opportunity to capitalize on that. Freshness is key, so keep freshly baked muffins stocked throughout the day. Toppings like icing or streusel further entice customers to make a purchase. Insist on quality baked goods for repeat sales.

Encourage purchasing

Bundling boosts bakery case sales, too. According to Technomic’s 2016 Bakery & Coffee Café report, 41% of consumers say that food and beverage  combo offers encourage them to order a food item—retailers can take that knowledge and easily apply it to the c-store. Grab-n-go food options also drive purchases, with 34% saying that would encourage them to buy food as well. Packaged baked goods like muffins and pastries are an appealing convenience item for the busy consumer who wants a quick bite to go.

Long thought of as a morning-only meal, baked goods—from bagels to muffins to pastries and more—continue to see growth during all times of the day and by all types of c-store users. The key to growing and maintaining sales momentum is to provide variety, freshness and quality baked goods along with sales-inducing strategies that appeal to today’s busy consumer.