Handheld Meal Options Are Trending
The shift to in-home and hybrid workdays has had a surprising impact on consumer eating habits. A Foodservice IP Consumer Survey1 conducted in December 2023 revealed remote and hybrid workers are buying more handheld and convenient food items than they were before, with a 35% or higher increase in sandwich purchases across all-day eating occasions.1 Most notably, breakfast sandwich purchases were up by 44%, and handheld dinner purchases were up 39%.1
In addition, on-the-go consumers continue to gravitate toward snacking during the day, with nearly three-quarters swapping out a traditional meal with a snack at least once a week.2 Many food service and hospitality professionals are already using this trend to boost sales, with half of operators seeing increased snack sales over the last year.2
Convenient foods like Nestlé Professional Solutions’ Hot Pockets® sandwiches are the perfect way to stock your grab & go station, snack counter, hot bar or micromarket with the on-the-go options your customers are looking for.
H2: The Hot Pockets® Difference
Over half of consumers say that ease of eating on the go is one of the most important attributes they look for in foodservice snacks.3 As a handheld snack, Hot Pockets® are the perfect, easy meal solution for both you and your customers.
- A trusted brand customers recognize: Leverage the power of working with a brand your customers already know and love. 95% of consumers are familiar with Hot Pockets, and 79% have tried them.³ These are snacks customers come back for.
- Meals for every occasion: Stocking your grab & go inventory with Hot Pockets® is an easy way to cater to a wide range of customer preferences, with a tasty snack for nearly every meal occasion. Take advantage of all-day sales opportunities with breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night snacking options — all from one supplier.
- Easy to stock: Hot Pockets® sandwiches come individually wrapped and ready to go right from the box to your shelves, making them an excellent solution for every operator. Not only are these products quick to put on the shelves, but a 12-month frozen shelf life means you can stock more at a time without worrying about food waste.
H2: Flavor Variety Matters
While consumers might make trade-offs to save time (67% say the ability to get their food quickly is either important or extremely important)¹, exciting flavor and nutritional options remain top decision-makers. When choosing a handheld sandwich type, 75% of consumers list cravings for particular flavors and ingredients as a key purchase factor.¹
Hot Pockets® offer an excellent solution for providing the quality and trending flavors that resonate with your customers. Here are a few trending SKUs:
- Pizza Stix®: Eighty percent of consumers say they like or love pepperoni, so it's no surprise that this is a top-selling flavor.5 Ideal for hot bars and c-store applications, Hot Pockets Pizza Stix® are the ultimate on-the-go snack, packed with a proven blend of pepperoni-flavored pizza topping, real cheese, and zesty tomato sauce.
- Sausage, Egg & Cheese: Nearly 60% of consumers prefer the convenience of eating breakfast out of home.2 Make mornings work harder for your business with the deliciously simple breakfast Hot Pockets® your customers will love.
- Buffalo-Style Chicken: Nearly 90% of Gen Z consumers love Buffalo flavor.4 This trending snack, made with white meat chicken, reduced fat cheddar cheese and a fiery Buffalo-style sauce in a crispy crust will bring the heat to your snacking sales.
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H2: Meet Demand for On-the-Go Snacking With Hot Pockets®
Over a quarter of consumers report purchasing sandwiches away from home more often than they did a year ago, listing ease of eating on the go and quicker service as their top purchase motivators.1
As consumer demand for convenient, on-the-go foods continues to grow, introducing Hot Pockets® to your food service operation is a smart way to meet this need and drive profits. Nestlé Professional Solutions makes it easy to stock up — place your order for wholesale and bulk orders directly online.
And don’t forget to check out the other line of Grab & Go Solutions from trusted brands including Stouffer’s®, DiGiorno®, Lean Cuisine®, Life Cuisine®, and Sweet Earth®, to further expand your grab & go lineup and appeal to a broader range of customer preferences.
1) Source: Foodservice IP Consumer Survey
2) Source: Datassential Snacking Keynote 2023
3) Source: Technomic’s Q1 C-Store Consumer Market Brief, 2024
4) Source: Datassential FLAVOR, Hot Pockets, 2024
5) Source: Datassential Snap Food Profile, 2024
