4 LEGACY, COMMUNITY, AND GROWTH: HOT SPOT CONVENIENCE STORES
5 ANSWERS, INSIGHTS, AND SIMPLE WAYS TO SELL MORE PIZZA
6 2025 STORE PARTNER SURVEY RESULTS
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It’s no longer just about price; it’s about convenience, quality, and trust in the brand serving them.
Americans’ love for pizza hasn’t changed, but how and where they choose to buy from has. Today’s consumers are more intentional, carefully considering value, portion size, and overall experience. With the average cheese pizza price up roughly 22% over the past five years, consumers are rethinking what “value” truly means. It’s no longer just about price; it’s about convenience, quality, and trust in the brand serving them.
This shift presents a significant opportunity for Hunt Brothers® Pizza Store Partners. Consumers are gravitating toward pizza options that feel familiar, accessible, and connected to their local community. By offering a high-quality, affordable pizza from a convenience store (c-store) they already know and trust, you can meet consumers where they are, without compromising.
Hunt Brothers Pizza empowers c-stores to become a true part of their community by delivering a branded pizza program that resonates with local preferences, builds loyalty, and keeps customers coming back. Through simplicity, consistency, and a customer-first approach, you are well-positioned to succeed in an evolving c-store foodservice landscape, one where meaningful experience, not just price points, drive long-term growth.
Social Media Corner
SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVES REAL STORE VISITS.
Convenience Store News stated that 66% of social media users said they visited a store because of a social media post from a retailer. Local-focused content with clear calls-to-action can turn online engagement into foot traffic. By showcasing what your store offers and letting your personality shine through, customers get a sense of what to expect before they walk in. When your social presence feels consistent with the in-store experience, it builds familiarity, trust, and confidence to visit.
Social media is also a way to build relationships with customers through engagement and one-on-one conversations. Focus on local customers, the people most likely to visit your store. You don’t need to go viral to be effective. Answer common questions, share local stories, and show why your store is valuable. Short-form videos or reels are a fast, engaging way to showcase products, your store’s atmosphere, or a local moment. It’s also a great way to jump into current social media trends.
Start small: Post one short video this week that high your store’s personality and value to your community and include a simple call-to-action (CTA).
Examples of CTAs you could use are:
• “Stop in today”
• “Call ahead to order at (XXX) XXX-XXXX)”
• “Comment your favorite pizza topping!”
You also have access to the Pizza Portal, which offers graphics of Hunt Brothers® Pizza products for your use. Scan the QR code below to view available assets in the Pizza Portal.
Focus on local customers, the people most likely to visit your store. You don’t need to go viral to be effective.
WHY FOODSERVICE MATTERS
Foodservice continues to be one of the strongest profit opportunities for c-stores. While overall foodservice sales in c-stores have grown approximately 5%–6% over the past two years, much of that growth has been driven by price increases rather than increased traffic. Inflation remains a concern for consumers, which reinforces the importance of offering foodservice programs that deliver strong margins without adding operational complexity.
5-6%
Foodservice Growth
As competition from quick service restaurants (QSR) intensifies, foodservice items that are well-known, consistently executed, and frequently purchased will set your store apart from others. This is where your Hunt Brothers® Pizza program sets you apart from the competition. Hunt Brothers Pizza meets that need with a nationally recognized brand, a simple and reliable program, and a product consumers already trust. Rather than competing on endless menu variety, our program allows you to win by delivering consistent quality, value, and simplicity.
Data shows that nearly 30% of customers visit c-stores for specific items but leave to purchase food elsewhere, often due to perceived lack of confidence in food quality.
Hunt Brothers Pizza helps close that gap by giving retailers a branded pizza offering that customers actively seek out, turning foodservice into a true destination rather than an after thought.
By providing a turnkey pizza program with no additional labor requirements and strong profit potential, Hunt Brothers Pizza helps store partners combat inflation, compete with QSRs, and maximize foodservice as a sustainable profit center.
*This data came from NACS State of the Industry 2025.
Legacy, Community, and Growth
CONVENIENCE STORES
In convenience retail, the most enduring businesses are built on more than transactions; they are built on people, purpose, and a commitment to serving their communities. For this family-owned operation spanning North and South Carolina, that philosophy has guided every chapter of their journey. The inspiration behind the Hot Spot business traces back to their father, R. L. Jordan, who built the company from the ground up after World War II. Growing up immersed in the business, the next generation learned early that convenience retail is ultimately about serving people well. Today, carrying on that legacy is both a responsibility and an honor.
Hot Spot has come a long way from its beginnings as a small country store. Over time, it has grown into a network of modern, state-of-the-art fueling and c-store locations across North and South Carolina. Along the way, the company has expanded foodservice offerings, embraced branded concepts, and continuously updated stores to meet evolving customer expectations, all while staying true to its core values. We asked what they enjoy most about running their stores, and the answer was simple: the people. Their store is a true community hub, and creating a clean, fast, and friendly environment is a point of pride. From familiar faces stopping in as part of their daily routine to team members who help bring the experience to life, those relationships are what make the work rewarding.
What sets their stores apart is a combination of innovation and consistency. From pioneering self-service gasoline to thoughtfully adding branded food programs, the team is always looking for ways to do things better. Their journey with Hunt Brothers® Pizza began when they acquired a c-store that already featured the program. After seeing firsthand how foodservice could drive traffic and boost sales, they decided to introduce Hunt Brothers Pizza in additional locations to test its broader impact, and the results spoke for themselves.
Hunt Brothers Pizza provided clear guidance, training, and ongoing support, making it easy to integrate into existing
operations. That simplicity gave the team confidence to expand the program across multiple locations, proving to be a strong traffic driver. Customers come in specifically for food, and once inside, often make additional purchases. The program has become a reliable contributor to increased sales and customer frequency.
When asked about the biggest benefit of partnering with Hunt Brothers Pizza, the answer is clear: a trusted, proven foodservice partner. The program delivers a quality branded food option without the complexity and overhead of a full quick-service restaurant. “Support has been consistent and reliable, from training and marketing to ongoing communication. Hunt Brothers Pizza understands the c-store business and operates as a true partner, not just a vendor.” Says Sonya Crocker, the Hottie’s Kitchen Supervisor.
Looking back, their proudest achievement has been successfully expanding Hunt Brothers Pizza across additional stores in North and South Carolina. These milestones reflect not only the strength of the partnership but also the dedication of their team and the value of choosing a foodservice program that aligns with their business.
For store owners evaluating branded foodservice programs, their guidance is rooted in experience: choose a partner that understands your operation and your customers. Look for simplicity, strong support, and alignment with your long-term goals. For this family-owned chain, Hunt Brothers Pizza has proven that the right foodservice program doesn’t complicate operations, but rather enhances them, strengthens community connections, and fuels sustainable growth.
Answers, Insights, and Simple Ways to Sell More Pizza
“WHEN CONSUMERS SEE IT, RECOGNIZE IT, AND TRUST IT, THEY BUY IT, WHICH INCREASES YOUR SALES.”
Why does point-of-purchase (POP) Matter? In today’s convenience store, every consumer interaction matters, even before they pull into the parking lot. With consumers making fast decisions, POP marketing plays a critical role in turning awareness into action and visits into sales. Hunt Brothers® Pizza knows POP is more than just signage. We design our POP to guide consumers from the road to the pump, through the store, and ultimately to the pizza shoppe and warmer.
One of the most powerful marketing zones is outside the store:
• Roadside signage tells consumers Hunt Brothers Pizza is inside.
• A bright banner or lit sign shows that a nationally branded, trusted food option is available at your store.
You have the #1 branded pizza program in the c-store industry at your location, which means you immediately have a leg up on your competition. For consumers, awareness changes behavior: they stop instead of driving past, they choose your location over a competitor, or they arrive already thinking about pizza. Roadside signage turns your pizza program into a destination.
Once inside, repetition is key. Consumers rarely buy after just one impression. That’s why our POP strategy focuses on multiple touchpoints across key store zones:
• Entry and door signage
• Counter POP to prompt impulse decisions
• Foodservice and beverage signage to promote pizza
• Cooler and combo messaging encourage consumers to build their baskets
When consumers see it, recognize it, and trust it, they buy it, which increases your sales.
Hunt Brothers Pizza supports our Store Partners with national advertising and high-visibility partnerships that extend far beyond the store. When two national brands come together, like our co-branded partnership with Coca-Cola®, it makes it easy for consumers to build a complete meal that they can trust. Industry insights indicate that foodservice, when combined with other high-margin categories like packaged beverages, creates a larger basket size. More than one-third of consumers who purchased packaged beverages also bought prepared food on the same trip.
Industry data shows that foodservice is the fastest growth driver for c-stores, with operational consistency as the key to execution. Keeping Hunks in the warmer, ready to serve, equals more money in your pocket. The most successful Hunt Brothers Pizza locations understand that marketing and operations go hand in hand by consistently having Hunks in the warmer, ensuring that when consumers see the messaging in store, the product is there to meet their expectations. When signage creates demand and execution fulfills it, the result is a seamless experience for the consumer and stronger sales for your store.
*This data came from NACS State of the Industry 2025.
2025 STORE PARTNER SURVEY RESULTS
Our 2025 Store Partner survey reinforces the strength of the Hunt Brothers® Pizza program and highlights where we can continue to support your success. The data below represents the Store Partners who completed surveys throughout 2025 Hunks & Bites issues.
An overwhelming 73% of Store Partners say they are extremely satisfied with both the program and their profits, and 75% rate the level of communication and support they receive as exceptional.
80% of Store Partners say they would recommend Hunt Brothers Pizza to another c-store owner, reinforcing the trust, value, and results our program delivers every day.
Simplicity (22%), profit potential (20%), and brand reputation (20%) remain the top reasons partners choose Hunt Brothers Pizza: indicating that our turnkey approach continues to stand out, even as 52% of respondents considered options outside the pizza category before partnering with us.
Looking ahead, Store Partners told us they want additional support in marketing (37%) and sales (36%), with in-store signage and displays (32%), digital marketing tools (30%), and new LTO promotions (24%) cited as key drivers of future growth.
Fresh pizza availability remains critical, with 66% saying pizza Fresh pizza availability remains critical, with 66% saying pizza in the warmer helps drive sales. Limited-time offers continue to perform well, with Store Partner’s reporting Chicken Bacon Ranch as their top seller, followed closely by Buffalo Chicken Pizza.
Most importantly, 80% of Store Partners say they would recommend Hunt Brothers Pizza to another c-store owner, reinforcing the trust, value, and results our program delivers every day.
