Store Brands in the Wild

1/20/2022

Doing the Foxtrot

Store Brands in the Wild steps into the modern convenience chain that is growing its private label assortment to more than 200 items this year.

Dan Ochwat

The modern c-store experience is alive and well at Foxtrot, a company looking to open 25 more stores in 2022 through another round of funding, and expand its private label to represent an assortment of more than 200 items across coffee, ready-to-eat meals and in nonfood categories, too.

Store Brands profiled the brand during its feature on retail disruptors, but we also ventured into a Chicago location and were wowed by the design and private label layout.

First, from the outside, with that eye-catching neon Foxtrot logo — and this editor can’t get enough of neon — the store feels more like a swanky speakeasy than a retailer, and with the large open window view of this location downtown Chicago, it comes off almost as a nice restaurant than a retailer.

Inside, where the store feels elevated is the cafe experience, but also in luxury areas like its wine display (the company boasts more than 200 bottles of wine), and a candle and merch area that touts the brand through hats and sweatshirts, etc.

Additionally, the store has a nice selection of local beer — and more neon! — and of course there’s a cold vault dedicated to its popular own brand ice cream. The packaging jumps through the glass doors with its fun characters on the packaging and fun flavors.

As Foxtrot grows, it will be fun to watch the store evolve its ready-to-go meals, a staple of its exclusive offerings driving that cafe experience, but also in some of these branded areas like its coffee program, partnering with local companies like Metric in Chicago, but also in sweets and nonfood areas.