Convenience in 2026: Five inspirational format advances to learn from
Updated: 14 hours ago
Across our global research and safari programme, we share five of the most impactful convenience formats we’ve visited this year.
1. 7-Eleven ANZAC station, Melbourne, Australia
When it comes to global leaders in convenience, Australia is perhaps not the first market that comes to mind. But during our visit we saw and heard a lot to suggest there’s a strong appetite and ambition to become one.
And that’s probably best demonstrated through the development of 7-Eleven Australia right now. Recently acquired (2024) by the Japanese 7-Eleven parent, there’s a lot under way in terms of format, proposition and range development that points to a growing role in the convenience and overall food-to-go sector.
There’s a recognition that the future is about more - and better - food missions. And a real desire to test how this can develop, perhaps best evidenced in the development of its Japanese icons range, bringing best-selling Japanese lines like nigiri, sushi and gyoza to an Australian audience. But this is just part of the overall range development, not least with hot food a continuing area for development.
What we took away was a strong focus on food & drink convenience missions and a real desire to continue developing ranges to better meet these missions.
2. AH to go, Amsterdam Centraal, Netherlands
A longstanding staple on our Amsterdam safari programmes, this 2015 store has been remodelled significantly in 2026.
The store is located in a high footfall location within the Amsterdam Centraal station complex.
In several ways it is a microcosm of how food retail overall has shifted over the past decade. The redesign has made the store easier to operate, easier to shop, more suited to supplier focused retail media and more open overall, enabling shoppers to more easily see the whole range from across the store – and especially on entry.
Another change is at the checkout - this is an entirely self-checkout store. As for specific categories, bakery has an important role and position in the store, but interestingly hot food has been taken out. The overall range of food-to-go options however is very strong, including many healthier and global options, and it comes across as a highly compelling food-to-go destination.
3. Heart of England Co-op, Warwick, UK
The Irish model is a key reference point in food-to-go led convenience retailing. And we see a lot of potential for retailers in other markets to learn and develop from the core principles that have supported food-to-go growth in convenience in Ireland. In mainland Britain, the biggest success story around this is Scotmid Co-operative, where food-to-go has been a major sales and growth contributor over recent years. And others, too, are looking at this space, for example Heart of England Co-operative, which has developed enormously in food-to-go over the past year, supported by extensive Irish inspiration.
The food-to-go programme has been building strongly over the past year across existing stores and, since August, in new stores as well, with the opening of its Warwick town centre store. An in-store coffee shop, Bewitched, which it operates under franchise, is part of this, but the key element lies in the development of its own food-to-go counter, covering missions across key day parts and into the evening.
What’s also interesting within this is the focus on sweet treats and inbetween missions within its food-to-go proposition. The range here is nicely differentiated - two things we took away were the ability to personalise your toppings on pancakes and the wider emphasis on working with local suppliers to deliver uniqueness and local relevance.
4. SPAR Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, Ireland
Dublin has long been home to some exceptional convenience concepts. And this latest SPAR format from Thomas Ennis at 138 Lower Baggot Street takes the proposition further.
It's a stunning store that, in this format, has been years in the making. This store has been part of Thomas Ennis’ Dublin estate since 2012, so there was a good knowledge of the location and trading history to build on when developing the new look and feel. It's also a short walk away from another of his stores on Merrion Row.
Refurbished earlier this year, it benefits from an upgraded and broadened food-to-go proposition. Multiple food-to-go counters prominently display and showcase the breadth of cuisines and products on offer, and evoke a mini food hall feel.
Asian street food and sushi, rotisserie chicken and fresh serve-over salad bar (also serving juices and açai bowls) are all available through the counter offer, as well as the deli sandwich bar, which also offered an extensive breakfast offer at the time of our visit last month.
The quality fit out and focus on excellent retailing principles, combined with the breadth of range, makes this an exceptional food-to-go destination across many different missions.
This store demonstrates what can be done with a convenience store if a retailer is committed to great food quality, customer experience and operational excellence. We’re very much looking forward to returning as part of our 12 November Dublin safari (you can come too, click here or get in touch direct to book).
5. Meadow Lane, Tribeca, New York
A different take on the convenience store concept, but with recognisable similarities in its core focus on impulse items, prepared food, snacks and coffee. And one we’d say that provides a lot of inspiration as to one part of the future of convenience.
And there's a fascinating back story- the story of the creation of the concept was heavily documented online concept, primarily through TikTok, with key decisions documented and followers helping to decide the focus of the offer. Quality prepared foods lie at the heart of what it seeks to provide its customers with.
Located in Manhattan's Tribeca, Meadow Lane opened in November last year, already with a significant buzz around it, generated through social media. The approximately 2,000 sq ft (200 sq m) format combines prepared foods with coffee and pastries, curated groceries, fresh produce and flowers. And of course merch.
With a core young and affluent customer base, the store was reported to be annualising sales of $13m earlier this year. It’s also been suggested it has an average transaction of over $40.
The healthier focus is definitely present in the thinking and the ranging in-store. But the range picks up neatly on key trends more broadly - protein for example evidences itself in chicken sales. Focused on but not restricted to hot chicken tenders in a self serve hot hold unit, chicken reportedly accounts for a massive 25% of total store sales.
What links these formats together?
We see several aspects to this:
1. A focus on customer understanding that continues to evolve. An appreciation of who your customer is and what they could use your store for is vital.
2. Creating a great experience in-store and being clear on what that means for your customers in that specific locations at different times of the day or night.
3. Delivering differentiated food-to-go. Variety within this is also an important consideration, but get the core offer right first.
4. Building the operations alongside the proposition, rather than have one leading the other, is the recipe for success. And including all other functions in this proposition development process, for example property, HR and marketing, will give a far better chance of longer term success.
If you’re interested in the evolution of global convenience and the food-to-go opportunity it holds, get in touch gavin@foodfuturesinsights.com.
Join us in Dublin on 12 November click here .
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