Love’s Taps Into ‘Swicy’ Trend

Love’s Travel Stops is “sweetening and spicing up its menu” with the launch of a new limited time offering: the Swicy Pork BBQ Sandwich.

“Available in July and August, this ‘swicy’ sandwich is part of Love’s new initiative to keep things fresh on the road by rolling out new flavor profiles every two months for its food items prepared in-store daily,” a spokesperson for the retailer told NACS.

The limited time offering brings together pulled pork, sweet-and-spicy BBQ sauce, pepperjack cheese and pickles on a brioche bun for a flavor combination “that builds on summer barbecue favorites while adding a swicy twist. The result is a sandwich rooted in classic BBQ flavors but delivers a little extra kick.”

The spokesperson said the new item is inspired by the growing popularity of “swicy” flavors, a combination of sweet and spicy that has become increasingly common across menus and food culture. 

The Swicy Pork BBQ Sandwich also serves as the final featured sandwich in Love’s summer menu lineup, extending the brand’s barbecue focus through the end of the season. 

According to Datassential research, 46% of Gen Z says they’re more likely to try a food or beverage just because they saw it on social media. Social media is especially useful for spotting viral combinations, such as “swicy” (sweet plus spicy), “swalty” (sweet plus salty), miso caramel and yuzu wasabi. Read more about how convenience store operators can stay on top of what’s hot now in flavors and what’s going to be popular next in the December 2025 issue of NACS Magazine feature “The Next Big Flavor Trends in C-Stores.”

Food prepared on-site