Dandy’s Fry Elevates C-Store Foodservice with Fine Dining-Inspired Flavors

Dandy Mini Marts’ Food Service Director James Fry is bringing restaurant-quality creativity to convenience store menus through elevated flavors and modern fusion concepts.

James Fry, food service director at Dandy Mini Marts, is finding that his experiences with menu development and flavors, which he developed during his years in catering and fine dining, are becoming assets in the c-store world today as the sophistication required of c-store menus rises to meet customer demands.

Fry has spent his entire life around foodservice, having grown up in his family’s restaurant business, Fry Bros. Turkey Ranch. He started his career with a business degree but went on to enroll in culinary school at Baltimore International Culinary College (BICC). Later, he returned to his family’s business and set up a catering program. He went on to operate his own restaurant The Wren’s Nest, in Mansfield, Pa., for 10 years before joining Dandy Mini Marts in 2018. Eight years later, he’s here to teach the next generation of c-store operators what he’s learned along the way.

Fry is set to discuss the emerging trends shaping foodservice, from evolving consumer preferences to creative menu strategies, as a panelist for the session, “Evolving With Foodservice,” at CStore Momentum — CStore Decisions’ young retail executives conference hosted by Chestnut Market, set for Aug. 19-21 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, N.Y. He’ll share the stage with Farris Jamal, director of merchandising, Chestnut Market; and Jeffrey Russell, food service director, Crosby’s, as they provide attendees with a 45-minute masterclass in foodservice innovation.

CStore Momentum is an event specifically for convenience retail professionals in their 20s, 30s and early 40s. The event combines leadership development, peer-to-peer networking and industry education, giving attendees practical strategies they can apply within their organizations while building relationships with fellow emerging leaders from across the country.

Ahead of the event, CStore Decisions spoke with Fry to learn more about his career path and how its aiding him in his current role as he leads Dandy Mini Marts’ foodservice program, at its more than 65 stores in Pennsylvania and New York.

CStore Decisions (CSD): You grew up in your family’s restaurant, Fry Bros. Turkey Ranch. What are some early kitchen or restaurant memories that first sparked your passion for foodservice?

James Fry (JF): Since my parents were running the restaurant, we always ate our meals there. I remember (when) I was around eight years old, I would cook my father’s dinner quite often, and I would often hang around my mother as she did some of the prep work.

CSD: You originally pursued a business degree before deciding to go to culinary school at BICC. What made you realize you needed to pivot back toward cooking, and what did that decision teach you about yourself?

JF: I made a bit of a career flip-flop. I originally pursued a business degree with the intention of helping my parents run their restaurant. However, by the time I graduated, I realized I didn’t want to be in the restaurant business — especially given the long hours and weekend commitments.

After spending six months in the insurance industry, I discovered that it wasn’t the right fit for me. That experience made me realize how much I missed the food industry, so I decided to return to my passion and enrolled in culinary school at BICC. It taught me to follow what makes me happy and to use my God-given talents to the best of my abilities.

CSD: After returning to the family business, you launched a catering operation and later opened The Wren’s Nest, a fine dining restaurant you ran for 10 years. What were the biggest lessons you learned from running your own restaurant at that level?

JF: The lesson I learned is that you can have the greatest plan, but you need systems and policies in place to make sure your “great” plan doesn’t fail.

CSD: You’ve worked across catering, fine dining and now convenience retail foodservice. How have those different experiences shaped the way you think about menu development and customer expectations at Dandy Mini Marts?

JF: My experiences with menu development and flavors that I used in catering and fine dining are becoming assets now because of the level of food that is expected from convenience stores has risen to a level that allows me to reimagine classic flavors and to add new fusion flavors to our menu that our customers embrace.

Learn more from Fry at the CStore Momentum conference. Retailers can register at CStoreMomentum.com. Supplier companies must sponsor to attend.