How Far Do Roller-Grill Hot Dogs Travel? (Atlas Obscura)

Posted to Atlas Obscura by Cara Giaimo

One writer's account of just how far a hot dog might travel–if it wasn't limited to a roller grill.

"Taking the official Hot Dog Distance Calculation, with MRT standing for maximum roller time:

(hot dog circumference) * (roller speed) * (MRT) = distance traveled

And plugging in the relevant data:

7.9 cm / rot * 7.53 rot / min * 202 min = 12016.37 cm = .074 miles

The longest-traveled hot dog yet recorded in Massachusetts has gone .074 miles. If it were moving down a track rather than in place, its lifespan would have taken it from the starting line to a little past the first curve."

4 Ways to Diversity Roller-Grill Options (CSP)

Posted to CSP Daily News

"According to Technomic’s 2016 Generational Consumer Trend Report, powered by Ignite, Gen Z represents about 15% of the population and is composed of people aged 23 and under—a significant portion of people who patronize c-stores. Older Gen Zers rely heavily on foodservice, so it’s important for c-stores to feature items that Gen Zers crave.
"According to the Technomic report, 32% of Gen Zers say they would like to eat food cooked at home more often, but they just don’t have the time to do so. For these consumers, it’s important that they have a variety of healthy, satisfying options to choose from when they’re on the go."

Serving What Your Customers Want (CSP Daily News)

Posted to CSPDailyNews.com by Ruiz Foods

New and varied roller grill offerings are important to consumers, study finds.

"While made-to-order foods are trending in c-stores, many consumers are looking for tasty options that they can pick up quick and eat on the go—between classes, on the way to a job, etc. Roller grill options are key to driving foodservice growth."

[Read more at CSPDailyNews.com]

Merchandise Your Roller Grill to Tout New Products (Convenience Store News)

By Rob Ramsey, posted to CSNews.com

While not rocket science by any means, introducing new products on your roller grill does require some thought and planning. Roller grills have become standard platforms in the convenience channel, capable of offering consumers new choices next to reliable standbys with relative ease.

Continue reading at CSNews.com

Oscar Mayer Has Ditched Some Controversial Ingredients From Its Hot Dogs (Fortune.com)

Posted to Fortune.com by John Kell

… [The] food manufacturer has reformulated Oscar Mayer's popular hot dogs by removing artificial preservatives and ditching added nitrates and nitrites. Kraft Heinz has proclaimed it is the first national hot dog maker to make the switch.
"We are making radical changes to every single one of our dogs," Greg Guidotti, head of marketing at Oscar Mayer, told Fortune in an interview. "We are going to get better dogs into your hands."

Read more at Fortune

Robotic Hot Dog Dispenser at Fort Wayne's Maker Faire

A robotic hot dog dispenser was shown off at the 2014 Maker Faire in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sadly, it doesn't appear as though the device has gone mass-market. 

Oscar Mayer Pumpkin Pancake Sausage

Roller grill offering satisfies demand for convenient, on-the-go protein.

[Posted to Convenience Store News]

Oscar Mayer rolled out a new flavor appropriate for any daypart. 

The Oscar Mayer Pumpkin Pancake Sausage is the newest roller grill innovation from the Oscar Mayer brand. Capitalizing on the seasonal flavor craze, Pumpkin Pancake Sausage features a classic Oscar Mayer sausage wrapped in a flavorful, pumpkin spice pancake. 

Read more at CSNews.com.

How to Make Unique Roller Grill Offerings Sizzle

In a growing number of c-stores, roller grills have come a long way from being an entry-level hot dog tool. Now they serve as a provider of a wide variety of innovative meals and snack foods.

[Posted to Convenience Store Decisions by Marilyn Odesser-Torpey]

Article rightly points to the low-labor (not no-labor) tactic that successful operators should be taking with their roller grill set up in order to the most value out of it, and keep it appealing to customers - all day, every day. 

Some retailers continue to view the roller grill as a no-labor option to establish a foodservice presence. But, in reality, it requires a dedicated portion of labor to keep it clean, stocked and rotated throughout the day and to do sampling, Miller said. And while hot dogs may be the standard fare, customers have also come to expect to find a wider assortment of high quality products on the roller grill.

Read more at cstoredecisions.com.