- Royal Farms
- Success story

How thousands of convenience store workers stay informed, engaged, and connected

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Key results

Improved engagement and retention of the company’s 5,700+ frontline workers

Ensured compliance with labor relations regulations at the state and federal regulations, mitigating the risk of potential lawsuits

Created a positive environment conducive to better service quality and sales growth

Highlights

Challenges

Solutions

Results

About Customer

Brian Roche, Chief People Officer at Royal Farms, and the IT team chose Beekeeper to improve communication with the company’s frontline—majority workforce and maintain compliance with state and federal regulations at the popular convenience store chain.

Challenge

Royal Farms was growing its workforce by 10-15% annually, the lack of effective communication with its 90% frontline workforce hindered productivity and compliance. With email proving ineffective, the company needed a better way to engage and stay connected with its store associates.

Solution

Beekeeper’s mobile-first Frontline Success Platform — with features like chat, streams, and videos — was implemented for its ability to meet the unique needs and communication preferences of deskless workers.

Results

Beekeeper has enhanced employee engagement, empowering frontline workers with unprecedented access to vital information. With increased engagement comes the promise of improved retention, better service, and, ultimately, higher revenue.

Frontline employees are the backbone of our company, making up 90% of our workforce. We needed a communication solution tailored specifically for them, and only Beekeeper fit the bill.”

Brian Roche

Chief People Officer, Royal Farms

Challenge

Finding an effective, compliant way to communicate with store associates

From New Jersey to North Carolina, Royal Farms employees are a lifeline for their communities, ensuring they have access to everyday essentials in 285 store locations. Despite their pivotal role, these workers often missed crucial communications — from training opportunities to district-wide announcements — sent by store managers and corporate leadership.

“More than 90% of our 6,200 employees are frontline workers in our stores, without email access during their shifts,” says Brian Roche, Chief People Officer at Royal Farms. “We relied on email to communicate with store managers and office staff, but this channel was ineffective for reaching and engaging our frontline workers.”

With research showing that 18% of frontline workers say poor-cross team communication inhibits productivity, Roche recognized the role that timely, relevant communications could play in engaging frontline employees and helping them provide a better customer experience.

The need for improved frontline communication became urgent as the organization expanded exponentially — growing 10 to 15% annually. It was also crucial that Royal Farms maintained compliance with regulations as it grew — not only at the federal level but also at individual state levels.

“Our rapid growth made it clear that we needed a more efficient way to communicate across all levels of the organization,” adds Roche. “We aren’t a small company anymore. We need programs and systems in place so we can continue to grow — and ensure we remain compliant as we do so.”

Solution

Rolling out a mobile-first communication platform for frontline workers

Recognizing the need for a communication upgrade, Caribou Coffee integrated Beekeeper’s Frontline Success Platform into its daily operations. The platform became the central hub for all company information, accessible from any device. Store managers can now share updates instantly, ensuring everyone stays in the loop. Employees no longer need to hunt down physical workbooks, sift through paper documents, or rely on in-person updates — they can quickly and easily access the information they need.

To boost employee engagement, Caribou launched the “Spark Stories” stream within Beekeeper. Initially intended to be used during the company’s annual BouCon leadership conference, the channel soon evolved into a company-wide space where all employees can connect and share. In 2023 alone, employees generated thousands of posts in the stream, averaging eight new posts per day. Spark Stories has not only enhanced collaboration but also bridges the gap between corporate and in-store employees, creating stronger ties and a unified sense of purpose.

Beekeeper also empowers Caribou’s frontline teams with two-way communication features like surveys, polls, and chats, enabling employees to share ideas, celebrate wins, and raise concerns. Managers benefit from streamlined communication capabilities, replacing inefficient methods like phone trees. Regular contests and challenges within Beekeeper keep employees engaged and motivated.

Celebrating achievements has always been part of Caribou’s culture, and with Beekeeper, peer-to-peer recognition has become even easier. Employees can now acknowledge each other’s contributions in real time, visible to the entire company. Beekeeper’s targeted communication capabilities have also made managing urgent issues and crises more efficient.

“Beekeeper has transformed the way we connect and collaborate with our teams, especially in the field,” says Lindsay Bosley, the coffee chain’s Brand Communications Manager. “With its user-friendly interface, mobile capabilities, and powerful features to streamline internal communication, Beekeeper has become an indispensable tool for Caribou.”

Results

Communication as a catalyst: Driving engagement, retention, and revenue

Royal Farms has already seen a positive impact from Beekeeper in just a few months. “We’re delivering information to our frontline workers that they’ve never had access to before,” explains Roche. As a result, employee engagement has increased.

“We’re already seeing likes and comments within Beekeeper, from frontline workers who are loving feeling informed. It’s been a real ah-ha moment,” adds Roche. This has led to employees feeling more engaged, leading to better performance.

Roche also sees Beekeeper as a tool for boosting retention — a common challenge in the retail sector, where 30% of all frontline workers changed jobs last year. “We want to retain employees and not wonder why they left. The need for better communication often came up in exit interviews, and Beekeeper is helping us address that.”

Looking ahead, Roche also expects Beekeeper to contribute to higher customer satisfaction and revenue. “In retail, our frontline workers are the face of our organization. Happy employees lead to happy customers,” he notes. “By increasing frontline engagement with Beekeeper, we anticipate a downstream effect of better service quality and, ultimately, higher sales.”

About Royal Farms

Founded in 1959, Royal Farms is a popular Mid-Atlantic convenience store and gas station chain known for its fresh, made-to-order food — particularly its famous fried chicken. With nearly 300 locations spanning seven states, Royal Farms’s 5,700+ frontline workers serve up a diverse menu of quick, tasty meals alongside traditional convenience store items.

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