Foodservice Favorites: The C-Store Food & Beverage Innovations That Won Big in 2025

Every year, CStore Decisions’ Hot New Products Contest highlights the most innovative new products across the convenience-store landscape. Manufacturers submit their latest launches, and a panel of seasoned c-store retailers evaluates them based on flavor, quality, packaging, operational ease, and overall sales potential. With nearly 150 entries competing this year, the Foodservice category stood out as one of the most exciting areas — packed with bold flavors, labor-saving formats, and crave-worthy items designed to drive traffic and margins in 2025.

Foodservice isn’t just an add-on for c-stores anymore — it’s a core revenue engine. From handheld heat-and-eat snacks to premium pizzas and protein-packed chicken items, today’s foodservice innovations give retailers more ways than ever to attract hungry customers and boost profitability throughout the day.

Below is a breakdown of the 2025 winners and how they can strengthen your in-store offering.

FOODSERVICE / PIZZA: Comfort Food With Brand Power

Gold: Hunt Brothers Pizza — BBQ Chicken Pizza

Silver: Kellanova — Cheez-It Pizza

Bronze: Core-Mark International — Ultimo! Pizza

Pizza continues to be one of the most reliable and profitable categories in c-store foodservice. This year’s winners combine comfort flavors with brand-driven excitement, giving stores easy menu wins across lunch, dinner, and late-night dayparts.

Retailer Insight: The Cheez-It Pizza is a standout draw — co-branded items give you immediate built-in recognition and trial. BBQ Chicken Pizza offers traditional comfort with broad appeal, while Ultimo! gives stores a dependable classic.

Store-Level Tip: Feature limited-time pizzas on digital menus or with simple in-store signage. Even small visibility boosts can increase slice and whole-pie sales.

FOODSERVICE / CHICKEN: Labor-Saving Innovation Meets Big Flavor

Gold: Tyson Foods — Tyson Red Label Fully Cooked Authentically Crispy Original Chicken Breast Filets

Gold: McLane Co. — HiBird

Silver: Tyson Foods — Tyson Gluten Free Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Tenderloins

Bronze: Krispy Krunchy Chicken — Chicken Nuggets

Chicken continues its reign as one of the top-selling foodservice proteins in convenience retail — and this year’s winners speak directly to labor concerns and consistency challenges facing operators.

Retailer Insight: Tyson’s fully cooked, crispy chicken delivers restaurant-quality texture with no back-of-house complexity. Gluten-free tenderloins meet growing dietary needs, while HiBird and Krispy Krunchy Chicken offer versatile, craveable formats.

Store-Level Tip: Consider building a simple “Crispy Chicken Sandwich or Basket” station using these products — a small menu addition that often produces outsized returns.

FOODSERVICE / HISPANIC FOODS: On-the-Go Heat With High Repeat Potential

Gold: Ruiz Food Products Inc. — Spicy Chipotle Chicken Tornados

Silver: Ruiz Food Products Inc. — Stuff’d Nachos

Silver: E.A. Sween — Cuban Style Sandwich

Bronze: Ajinomoto Foods — Posada Spicy Elote Mini Empanada

Hispanic flavors continue to rise in foodservice, especially handheld, high-flavor items that shoppers can eat without slowing down.

Retailer Insight: Ruiz Foods dominates this space for a reason: bold flavor, perfect portability, and strong repeat sales. The Cuban Style Sandwich adds variety with familiar, satisfying profile.

Store-Level Tip: Promote these during afternoon and late-night snack missions. Pairing them with a fountain drink bundle can substantially increase unit movement.

GENERAL FOODSERVICE: Flavor Innovation & Operational Efficiency

Gold: Garner Foods — Texas Pete 2-Ounce Plastic Mini-Bottles

Gold: Chobani — Chobani 20-Grams Protein

Silver: Ajinomoto Foods — Golden Tiger Spinach Artichoke Potsticker

Bronze: Johnsonville — Ultimate Hot Honey Sausage

This category highlights products that enhance your overall menu — whether through flavor boosts, high-protein add-ons, or new appetizers and sides.

Retailer Insight: Texas Pete mini-bottles let customers personalize their meals with no mess, Chobani’s high-protein cups fuel morning traffic, and Johnsonville’s Hot Honey sausage taps into sweet-heat trends that are exploding nationwide.

Store-Level Tip: Place high-protein items near coffee or breakfast bars, and use mini hot-sauce bottles as an upsell near sandwiches or chicken programs.

ICE CREAM & MILKSHAKES: Frozen Fun With Serious Appeal

Gold: smoodi — Cookies & Cream Milkshake

Silver: Kellanova — Eggo Ice Cream Sandwiches

Bronze: Kellanova — Pop-Tarts Ice Cream Sandwiches

The frozen category is having a major moment — especially items that transform nostalgic brands into indulgent desserts.

Retailer Insight: These products bring both fun and convenience. Ice cream sandwiches tied to Eggo and Pop-Tarts catch the eye quickly and perform well as impulse add-ons.

Store-Level Tip: Place novelty frozen items near eye level in the freezer section — visibility is key to increasing grab-and-go dessert sales.

CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES: Energy + Flavor Variety

Gold: Celsius — Retro Vibe

Silver: Celsius — Fizz-Free Dragonfruit Lime

Bronze: Red Diamond Coffee & Tea — Red Diamond Iced Coffee

Bronze: Throne Sport Coffee — Premium Charged Lattes

Energy beverages continue to evolve beyond carbonation and into coffee hybrids, functional blends, and smoother drinking experiences.

Retailer Insight: Celsius continues expanding its audience with both sparkling and non-sparkling options. Red Diamond and Throne add premium cold-coffee choices for shoppers wanting caffeine without energy-drink intensity.

Store-Level Tip: Place non-carbonated energy options near cold-brew and iced coffee for easy comparison — shoppers often trade up when flavors are bold and visible.

BEVERAGES: Bold Flavor Mashups & On-the-Go Refreshment

Gold: The Coca-Cola Co. — Sprite + Tea

Silver: smoodi — Spicy Mangonada Smoothie

Bronze: BeatBox Beverages — Blueberry Lemonade Exclusive SHAQ Flavor

Flavor mashups and experiential beverages continue gaining traction, especially among younger consumers.

Retailer Insight: Sprite + Tea is a standout innovation combining two familiar beverage styles. Mangonada flavors are trending heavily in the U.S., while BeatBox brings bold branding and social-media-friendly appeal.

Store-Level Tip: Promote limited-time or unusual beverage flavors with “Try Me!” tags — curiosity drives conversion.

BEVERAGE ACCESSORIES & ADD-ONS: Easy Upsells for Higher Margin

Gold: BobazzaToGo/Teazzers — BobbazzaToGo Boba Straw

Silver: Rich Products — Rich’s All-In-One Creamer

Bronze: Zing Zang LLC — Cocktail Rimmer

Add-ons boost customization and, more importantly, margins — with minimal labor impact.

Retailer Insight: Boba continues trending upward, especially with younger demographics. Rich’s All-In-One Creamer streamlines self-serve coffee operations and reduces waste.

Store-Level Tip: Place add-ons directly beside beverage dispensers so shoppers discover them naturally.

Key Foodservice Trends Retailers Should Watch in 2026

• Handheld heat is huge. Spicy, savory Hispanic foods dominate sales.
• Labor-saving chicken formats are in demand. Fully cooked, crispy solutions win big.
• Co-branded items generate buzz. Cheez-It Pizza is a standout example.
• High-protein options support morning and afternoon traffic.
• Frozen novelties are trending again — especially nostalgic brands.

Final Takeaway for C-Store Operators

The 2025 Hot New Products winners show just how fast foodservice is growing — and how much shoppers are willing to try bold new flavors from their favorite c-stores. By bringing in a mix of comfort classics, spicy handhelds, premium proteins, and flavor-forward beverages, retailers can boost traffic, grow ticket size, and stand out from competitors.

Free eBook: Planning a Retail Store Layout

Free Store Design Service (DGS Retail)

Gondola Shelving Configurator