H-E-B rebrands convenience stores as Fresh Bites
- H-E-B is rebranding its convenience stores.
- The first to get the new Fresh Bites branding is a new location in Leander, Texas.
- The chains dozen locations will also get the new branding starting this year.
H-E-B has debuted a new convenience store format, H-E-B Fresh Bites, with a new location in Leander, Texas.
The store opened on April 17, according to a release, and it’s located adjacent to the grocer’s H-E-B store on Ronald Reagan Blvd. H-E-B said shoppers can expect on-the-go meals, produce, and other prepared and convenient meal options.
The Leander Fresh Bites location also has a True Texas Tacos restaurant inside, H-E-B’s in-store restaurant concept. It is the second H-E-B convenience store to get the restaurant after the Texas chain debuted it in 2018.
Another H-E-B convenience store is currently undergoing renovations. That store, located in Lytle, Texas, will reopen as a Fresh Bites store in the “coming weeks” and will also gain a True Texas Tacos restaurant, according to the release. H-E-B said the rest of its dozen convenience stores would eventually get the Fresh Bites format.
The updates will start this year, though H-E-B did not specify a time frame for converting its existing c-stores. Some of those locations will also get a True Texas Tacos restaurant, according to the release.
“At H-E-B, we’re always looking to provide Texans convenient ways to get their hands on quality, fresh foods that are good for them,” said Scott Campbell, H-E-B convenience store operations manager, in the release. “With the introduction of H-E-B Fresh Bites, we’re bringing the freshest products to our customers who are on the go but want a better alternative to traditional convenience store snacks.”
The release said Fresh Bites stores will offer food and beverage products including:
- Produce
- Salads
- Sandwiches
- Sushi
- Meat and cheese snacks
- Fresh juices
- Kombucha
- Items from H-E-B’s Select Ingredients private label
- Soft drink fountains
- Beer and wine
- Snacks
- Meal options
C-store chains have focused on modernizing their offerings in the face of mergers and changing consumer demand, as Retail Leader Pro previously noted. For many convenience chains, that modernization involves more restaurants and prepared foods. TravelCenters of America earlier this year debuted a new Fork & Compass concept as part of its renewed focus on restaurants. Oklahoma-based Jiffy Trip this year opened a location in Arkansas that featured its comfort food restaurant concept, Retail Leader reported. Similarly, Love’s Travel Stops is planning a $1 billion renovation across 200 stores that involves adding new restaurant concepts.