A New Player in C-Store Foodservice Equipment

Simpsonville, S.C. -- Foodservice equipment manufacturer BKI-Worldwide recently announced an initiative to expand beyond its current retail business and further penetrate the convenience store market.

The move is based on the recent growth of branded food programs in the convenience store industry, growth that has been reported at 18 percent since 2000 by a recent industry study. These "prepared on site" foodservice areas have proven to be the most profitable areas of convenience stores, contributing an average of 53 percent margin, compared to single-digit margins on more traditional c-store offerings.

"We feel like BKI has much to offer the c-store market," said Randy Karns, president of BKI-Worldwide. "BKI is known for offering tough, durable equipment that's easy to use, and we're confident that our products will stand up extremely well to the demands of the c-store environment."

BKI begins its launch into the c-store market with equipment support for the Charley Biggs Chicken 'N' Sauce branded food program for convenience stores. Charley Biggs is a trademark of Equitythink Inc. LLC.

"We believe the c-store market holds tremendous promise for BKI," said Karns. "Our products and our philosophy of doing business, along with the continuing growth of the industry, make this a winning combination."