Rustlers, the £109.1m chilled ready meals brand,[1] is helping small- and medium-sized stores drive food-to-go sales and profits with the launch of a new small footprint unit.
Designed to be a low-risk, low-commitment food-to-go solution, the units contain a digital screen for advertising, alongside the pre-programmed microwave featured in previous versions.
Stores that introduce the machines in store before the end of the year will receive a free Rustlers food-to-go launch kit**. These kits include one fridge full of stock, one light-box shop sign and access to social media support materials to help retailers advertise they have hot food available in store.
Machines are priced from just £2,500 and finance options are available. Retailers will see the machines pay for themselves with just one sale per day*.
The units are easy to set up, straightforward to clean and are powered by just a single plug socket. All Rustlers Cook In The Box products are microwaved in packaging, minimising the risk of spills. The units also contain a small chiller underneath, which can store eight cases of Rustlers’ Cook in The Box bestsellers, saving valuable stockroom space and ensuring a straightforward shopper experience.
The machines can be used with all Rustlers’ Cook in The Box products – The Supreme Cheese Melt Burger, Peri Peri Chicken Tenders and All Day Breakfast Sausage Muffin – which contain patented cooking technology that ensures the product is cooked perfectly crispy.
Commenting on the launch, Ross Davison, head of convenience at Rustlers, said: “With 51% of Rustlers consumed at lunchtime, the brand is already synonymous with being a market leader in quick food solutions on the move. The launch of our new food-to-go unit and Launch Kit demonstrates our commitment to helping smaller stores win their fair share of the growing lunchtime opportunity.”
The machines are currently rolling out in Welcome stores across the country, following a successful trial in the group’s Marchwood store in the New Forest. Mike Fitton, head of franchise operations for Welcome, said: “The unit is easy for customers and staff to use. The machine is pre-programmed, and staff just have to clean it once a day. Because the products are microwaved in packaging, we rarely get spills, but staff are trained to be on the lookout to avoid allergens being spread.
“For us, Rustlers is always the go-to for burgers. If you just want a plug-and-play option to start serving food to go, then no one else offers a service like they do.”
Retailers are urged to position the machines next to any other food-to-go concessions they offer, ideally at the front of store.
Store owners who are interested in buying a new Rustlers food-to-go unit, or receiving a food-to-go Launch Kit to drive sales from a unit they already have should email foodtogo@kepak.com
*Subject to lease approval
**First 100 customers in 2024
[1] Source: Nielsen Total Micro-Snacking, 52 & 12WE 28th October 2023
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