The Product
Reser's Fine Foods, the Beaverton, Ore.-based refrigerated prepared-foods manufacturer, has rolled out a three-SKU High Protein Deli Salad line now available in the deli sections of major grocery retailers nationwide — and directly relevant to c-store operators building out grab-and-go and fresh-prepared programs. The lineup includes Chicken Salad (15g of protein per serving), Tuna Salad (12g), and Egg Salad (11g), each built on a smoothly blended cottage cheese dressing that the brand says cuts calories 40–60% versus its traditional deli salad recipes while boosting protein content by 25%.
The launch comes as convenience retailers continue to expand refrigerated foodservice offerings to compete with grocery delis and fast-casual concepts. Deli salads sit at the intersection of two high-growth c-store categories — fresh prepared food and high-protein snacking — making the Reser's rollout worth watching for category managers evaluating their cold-case sets.
The Demand Signal
Reser's commissioned a Pollfish survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 16–29 in September 2026 to quantify Gen Z protein sentiment. The results are striking for any operator chasing that cohort: 50% of respondents said they eat more protein today than they did two years ago, yet 95% said they want more variety in the proteins they consume. Eighty-seven percent specifically said they want high-protein versions of foods they already know, and 63% said they are tired of eating the same options. Three out of four Gen Z respondents self-identified as "Team Protein" over "Team Carbs."
"People are looking for easy ways to add protein into their day and want something more interesting than another protein shake or chicken breast," said Megan Torres, senior brand strategy manager at Reser's. The cottage cheese base, she noted, creates a creamy texture comparable to mayonnaise-forward dressings while delivering the protein bump shoppers are seeking.
What It Means for Operators
For c-store buyers, the Reser's line fits neatly into the growing fresh-prepared and grab-and-go foodservice trend that has become a top traffic driver at chains like Wawa, Sheetz, and Casey's. Unlike roller-grill and hot-case programs that require back-of-house investment, refrigerated deli salads are a lower-complexity, lower-labor addition to a cold-case planogram. Retailers sourcing through foodservice distributors or direct-store delivery already carrying Reser's classic deli salads — Deviled Egg Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, Cole Slaw — can add the high-protein SKUs with minimal reset effort.
The high-protein snacking segment has been one of the fastest-growing in convenience retail over the past two years, with NACS data consistently showing packaged protein — jerky, meat snacks, hard-boiled eggs — outpacing center-store salty snacks on both unit and dollar velocity. Reser's play extends that trend into the deli case with a more meal-replacement-adjacent format, which could support higher ring sizes and incremental lunchtime occasions. Reser's operates 14 manufacturing facilities across the U.S. and Mexico and employs more than 5,000 people, giving it the production scale to supply regional and national c-store chains alongside its grocery and club-store base.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
