BP is piloting bespoke, made-to-order, breakfast and lunches under its Wild Bean Cafe banner at 10 of its 313 company-owned sites.
Having fine-tuned the concept at two stores – at Snodland in Kent and Finchley in North London - the energy giant plans to try it out at another 10 sites, including two in Essex – Wickford and Chelmsford – which went live this month, and eight others which will come on board by the end of April.
The menu is a bit more upmarket than you would normally find in a forecourt food to go offer, with choices including an avocado, halloumi and egg bap, and a crispy herby chicken burger.
The idea is that customers can personalise their orders, which are made in front of them, by for instance choosing rye or white bread for a fish finger sandwich, or requesting a runny egg yolk in their bap, or switching up mild mustard mayo for spicy gochujang ketchup, says the company.
BP says that its new offer, which will be offered alongside its Wild Bean Cafe heat-to-eat range, drove double digit sales increases of food to go in its ’proof of concept’ sites. It says that the initiative supports its drive for convenience growth by giving customers ”on-the-move, tasty, made-to-order hot food options and quality coffee”.
Its VP convenience Europe Jo Hayward believes that food for now will be highly relevant as motorists make the transition to electric vehicles and have more dwell time on forecourt sites.
“We have been serving customers on the move for decades and are committed to meeting their evolving needs,” says Hayward. “As the energy transition progresses, we anticipate shifts in consumer behaviour, with customers spending more time on our forecourts charging electric vehicles. Our research has told us that these customers want great quality, tasty fresh food options and hot drinks when on the go - and that’s what we are giving them, when and where they want it.”
The other eight cafes planned to take the new offer by the end of April, are at BP’s Cranford, Oaktree, Rowley Mile, Godstone Road, Ewell, Haberden, Stonebridge and Breakspear Way retail sites.
Customers who visit the stores with the new offer, says BP, will benefit from a variety of promotions, including breakfast and lunch, food and hot drinks bundles and a sweet treat deal. BPme loyalty card users will also enjoy special offers, including five times bonus points when they purchase the new made-to-order Wild Bean Cafe range.
