15 Most Profitable Convenience Store Items

With a typical profit margin of 5-10%, convenience stores are within the average range for profitability in the foodservice industry. If you want to make your c-store even more lucrative, stocking it with the right products is key. To help you choose the best money-makers, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 most profitable convenience store items that’ll help your business succeed.

Fountain Drinks

Oversized sodas and gigantic slushies are associated with gas stations and quick marts for a reason: fountain drinks are some of the most profitable convenience store items. Be sure to maximize your money-making potential by placing the fountain machine in a high-traffic area, along with implementing promotions like BOGO deals or happy hour discounts.

Hot Coffee

A CSPDailyNews.com article quotes a convenience store manager who states that fountain drinks and coffee are the two highest margin products in her store. Considering the low cost and high demand, make sure you always have fresh, hot coffee available for people who need an energy boost when they’re on-the-go.

Prepared Foods

C-stores should take inspiration from the most profitable supermarket items and make prepared foods part of their business model. People are willing to pay for speed and convenience, so make sure to charge accordingly for pizza slices, hot dogs, packaged salads and other foods. If you want to boost sales, put the display case near the entrance or another highly-visible area.

Packaged Beverages

Although dispensed beverages are great money-makers, bottled and canned drinks can be some of the most profitable convenience store items, too. From bottled water and iced tea to energy drinks and premium sodas, customers will spend a bit more for a cold drink when they’re away from home. Even if you mostly stock well-known brands, supporting a few smaller ones can make your c-store a go-to retailer for people on the hunt for hard-to-find products.

Alcoholic Beverages

In recent years, alcoholic beverages like beer, malt beverages and hard cider have come to make up about 20% of sales in some convenience stores. If local laws permit the sale of alcohol, be sure to capitalize on this demand by carrying wine, spirits and other adult beverages in your c-store: customers will be willing to pay a premium for ice-cold beer and similar options.

Milk & Dairy

When people run out of eggs while baking or start craving ice cream at 1:00 a.m., a trip to the nearest quick mart is the perfect solution: that’s why dairy products are so profitable for c-stores. In addition to charging a higher markup, design your convenience store’s layout so that milk and eggs are in the back: if customers have to walk through the store, something else may catch their eye along the way, leading to more sales.

Tobacco Products

In spite of taxes and regulations, tobacco products are still some of the most profitable convenience store items. In fact, an NACS Magazine article states that cigarette sales in convenience stores account for 27.7% of revenue and 11.04% of profits. If you want to expand your tobacco offerings, don’t forget about chewing tobacco, cigars and accessories like lighters.

Bagged Ice

With production costs ranging from $0.25 to $0.35 and sale prices hovering around $1.50 to $3.00 per bag, there’s no doubt that ice is profitable. Aside from placing your ice machine or bin in a highly-trafficked area, make sure to promote your bagged ice on social media or with in-store signage during the summer months in order to increase your revenue-making potential.

Packaged Snacks

Data from Statista.com shows that profit margins for salty snacks can be over 40%, explaining why gas stations and corner markets are often filled with packaged snacks like crackers, nuts and pretzels. In addition to savory options, don’t forget to stock your c-store with sweet treats like snack cakes and hand pies as well so you can appeal to a wider market.

Candy & Gum

Sweets like chocolate bars, hard candies and assorted suckers can be very lucrative for c-stores. The lack of moisture and amount of sugar give them a long shelf-life, reducing losses from spoilage and thus increasing profits: just make sure you include at least a few sugar-free alternatives to appeal to health-conscious consumers.

Pantry Necessities

Whether they’re in need of canned soup and sandwich bread or peanut butter and cooking oil, people will pay for the convenience of getting a pantry staple at their corner market. If you’re near an ethnic enclave, you might want to take inspiration from New York city bodegas and offer special products for those consumers that other grocery stores don’t carry.

Toiletries & Beauty

Considering that c-store health and beauty care products can have a 50% profit margin, it makes good business sense to offer a wide selection of toothpaste, sunscreen, shaving cream, lipstick and other options. If you own a gas station convenience store, travel-size toiletries can be very lucrative because people who forget something at home will be willing to pay a higher markup for a smaller size when they’re on the road.

Over-the-Counter Medications

When people aren’t feeling their best, they want treatment ASAP: that’s why they’re willing to pay a bit more for the convenience of getting what they need at a mini mart. As with other products, placement is key, so consider putting cough syrup, pain killers and other over-the-counter medications in point-of-sale displays near the checkout counter to increase the likelihood of impulse purchases.

Lottery Tickets

According to Success-Systems.com, lottery tickets are some of the most profitable items sold in convenience stores. Not only do stores profit 5-6% on every ticket, but they also receive a commission if they sell the winning ticket. In addition, 95% of customers who buy a lottery ticket buy something else as well, increasing the business’ revenue even more.

Automotive Products

Since many convenience stores are part of gas stations, it makes sense for them to carry car-related items. From motor oil for routine maintenance to tire sealant for emergency repairs, people are willing to pay more for convenience when they’re in need. Some products will sell better than others, so you might have to do some trial-and-error to find the best money-makers for your specific location.