Convenience Store Decisions articles from March 2005

Convenience Store Decisions archives from March 2005

Your friend and mine.(Editor's Memo)
March 1, 2005... It might seem strange to find a company like Pal's Sudden Service on the cover of a magazine that focuses on an industry which makes most of its money selling gas and cigarettes. Pal's, after all, generates its revenue by selling burgers, fries...

Building fanatics at retail: a decade ago, RJ Reynolds took a journey to the center of its Doral brand, located its DNA, and began rebuilding it from the inside out. For convenience retailers, there is much to be learned from the example.(Front End)
March 1, 2005... Flash back to that infamous Friday in 1993, when Philip Morris took swift and dramatic action to stem the tide of discount cigarettes, which had been growing at a rate of 20% a year and had reached 35% of the cigarette market. Philip...

Co-branded credit: strong regional operators gain an advantage previously held solely by major oil companies: "co-branded" credit cards.(Front End)
March 1, 2005... With its 400 stores in a 12-state area, Minneapolis-based Holiday Stationstores is hardly an industry giant when compared to some of its peers. The chain reports good results from a strategy intended to help it compete with much larger...

Sheetz gets carded.(Front End)
March 1, 2005... When Sheetz Inc. went in search of its own "branded" consumer credit card, it didn't realize it would get the chance to improve service times in the process. Because of a new radio-frequency-based technology debuting in Sheetz stores this...

SSP/Circle K.(Decision Makers)(promotions)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The board of directors for SSP/Circle K (Corpus Christi, TX) recently approved a number of promotions. Roger Smith has been named president and chief operating officer, retail division. Since joining SSP in February 2001, Smith has led the...

Cumberland Farms.(Decision Makers)( has appointed Stephen Winslow senior vice president and chief financial officer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Cumberland Farms (Canton, MA) has appointed Stephen Winslow senior vice president and chief financial officer. Winslow most recently served the U.S. Toy Group at Hasbro Inc. as senior vice president and CFO. Winslow's career also includes...

Tesoro Petroleum Corp.(Decision Makers)(appointments)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Tesoro Petroleum Corp. (San Antonio, TX) announces the resignation of Chief Operating Officer Bill Van Kleef. Bill Finnerty, currently senior vice president of supply and distribution, will replace him as executive vice president of operations....

Hands On Management.(Decision Makers)(appoints Dean Dirks as advertising/category manager )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Dean Dirks, formerly vice president of operations for West Star Corp. (Olympia, WA), a division of Wilson Oil, has accepted the position of advertising/category manager with Hands On Management. Hands On is a group of Shell MSO (multi-site...

Valero Energy Corp.(Decision Makers)(has elected former U.S. Sen. Don Nickles to its board of directors)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Valero Energy Corp. (San Antonio, TX) has elected former U.S. Sen. Don Nickles to its board of directors. As the ninth member of Valero's board, Nickles will serve as a class III director and sit on the finance committee. In 1980, at the age of...

Tefisto Partners.(Decision Makers)(appointments)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Consulting practice Tefisto Partners has named Paul Preston principal and chief operating officer. Preston previously led Circle K in the implementation of prepaid services, stored value and financial services offerings. Also, Brad Beranek has...

Just Born Inc.(Decision Makers)(has promoted Samuel Torrence to president and chief operating officer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Just Born Inc. has promoted Samuel Torrence to president and chief operating officer. Torrence joined Just Born three years ago as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Prior to joining Just Born, Torrence spent eight years at...

Radiant Systems Inc.(Decision Makers)(has appointed Mike Finley as vice president of global product marketing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The global petroleum and convenience retail division of Radiant Systems Inc. has appointed Mike Finley vice president of global product marketing. Finley is charged with expanding the company's addressable market within the petroleum retail...

Lorillard Tobacco Co.(Decision Makers)(has promoted Nancy Haley to regional sales manager )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Lorillard Tobacco Co. has promoted Nancy Haley to regional sales manager in Boston to direct company sales activities in New England. She joined the company in 1979 as a sales representative and rose through the ranks to become manager of chain...

Wilbur Curtis Co. Inc.(Decision Makers)(has appointed Barry Bingaman territory sales manager )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Commercial coffee and tea-brewing equipment manufacturer Wilbur Curtis Co. Inc. has appointed Barry Bingaman territory sales manager for Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

Coors Brewing Co.(Decision Makers)(appoints Lee Buxton its interim chief marketing officer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Coors Brewing Co. has appointed Lee Buxton its interim chief marketing officer, filling the role of Ron Askew, who stepped down as CMO last month. Buxton worked in various marketing capacities at Coors from 1977 to 2003, and has continued to...

Kum & Go.(Retailer Spotlight)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... University of Iowa Athletics has honored W.A. Krause, founder and CEO of Kern & Go convenience stores, with the 2004 Iowa Football Appreciation Award. Krause received the award at a recognition ceremony on December 18, 2004. This award is given...

ExxonMobil's growth is in the cards.(launches consumer and business credit cards)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... ExxonMobil (Fairfax, VA) and GE Consumer Finance have launched new consumer and business credit cards. The new cards will provide enhanced cardholder benefits that deliver improved security and flexibility. GE Consumer Finance will issue new...

7-Eleven nets pricing flexibility with PriceNet.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... 7-Eleven Inc. (Dallas, TX) has enhanced its pricing ability at more than 2,400 gasoline stores by using KSS's (www.kssg.com) PriceNet solution. 7-Eleven, which has 5,800 stores in the U.S. and Canada, has signed an enterprise license agreement...

Refreshing sales: new products, new segments and new approaches to merchandising help Alabama's Shop-A-Snak boost sales and maximize variety in each area of the cooler.(Category Manager's Notebook)
March 1, 2005... Shop-A-Snak Food Mart Inc. made the decision two years ago to wrap its arms firmly around the beer customer. The Birmingham, AL-based chain of 37 convenience stores expanded its mix by increasing the number of doors it allocated to beer and...

Filling up on flavors.(Category Manager's Notebook)(it's future market)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... In 2004, flavored waters accounted for just 3% of total industry single-serve wholesale dollars. But that number could double within the next five years, according to the Beverage Marketing Group, which made this forecast in a new report "The...

Beer as status symbol?(Category Manager's Notebook)
March 1, 2005... Is there psychology behind a beer purchase? Consumers have their favorite brands, while others have to stick to a certain budget--but there are ways to get customers interested in other brands not on their "favorite" list or upsell customers...

Big in 2005: 'stuff at goes in drinks'.(Beverage/Beer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... One of the most recent innovations to invigorate the beverage category isn't a beverage at all. Andrea Myers, vice president of marketing for 35-store Kocolene Marketing LLC (Seymour, IN), says 2005 is going to be a big year for "stuff that...

Empowered: how QSR Pal's Sudden Service expects--and gets--outstanding results from a well-trained workforce of "strategic thinkers.".(Cover Story)
March 1, 2005... Not too long ago, a soccer mom stopped at a Pal's Sudden Service (Kingsport, TN) drive-thru on the way home from her daughter's soccer practice. The woman ordered a milkshake for her daughter. It cost $1.39. Unbeknownst to Mom, though, was the...

Up & Comers road trip retrospective: CSD takes a look back at past winners of the Up & Comer Award. Some are stronger than ever. Some have shifted business models. Some have moved on.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... CONVENIENCE STORE DECISIONS started the Up & Comer Awards in 1991 to recognize the industry's best small operators (20 stores or fewer). Since then, we've scoured the country to find the industry's brightest entrepreneurs, all of whom have...

Seattle's Best: after gaining the checkered flag with his NASCAR-themed c-stores, Al Jiwani began franchising his drive-thru coffeehouse concept.(Up & Comers Road Trip Retrospective)
March 1, 2005... Then: Al Jiwani won an Up & Comer award in 2000, just four years after getting into the convenience store business. At the time, his Trimark Petroleum Group (Pacific, WA) operated 10 stores in the Seattle area. Jiwani's major strategy was...

Fattening up.(Up & Comers Road Trip Retrospective)(Lard Oil Co's business strategy )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Lard Oil Co. (Denham Springs, LA) won its Up & Comer Award in 2003. The chain's use of technology has allowed it to turn members of its headquarters staff into "business analysts" to help stores become more profitable. Lard Oil's success with...

Fresh meat: a master of marketing, Scott Wolfe has experienced tremendous success running Wagner's Meat and Chicken Box. Now he's ready for another challenge.(Up & Comers Road Trip Retrospective)
March 1, 2005... Then: Scott Wolfe won an Up & Comer award in August 2002 because his chain, Wagner's, increased earnings by 82% in one year by diversifying into new profit centers that included check cashing, tax preparation (the chain processed more than...

A Knight to remember.(Up & Comers Road Trip Retrospective)(Bill Knight of Knight Energy Services Inc develops his company)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... In 1995, Bill Knight of South Florida's Knight Energy Services Inc. ranked among CSD's most unique Up & Comers with its Plaza Real/Premier Karwash operation. The technology-fueled site served one of the most affluent communities on the...

Keeping it in drive: even though his Alpine Farm store didn't survive, Ed Constantini proved he had faith in drive-thru convenience by buying Swiss Farm Stores.(Up & Comers Road Trip Retrospective)
March 1, 2005... Then: Edmond D. Costantini Jr. won a CSD Up & Comer award in 2002 after a bold opening of his Alpine Farm store in Bensalem, PA. Costantini borrowed the drive-thru convenience store concept from local retailer Swiss Farms, which had...

Making more bread.(Up & Comers Road Trip Retrospective)(through Ricker Oil Co)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... When Jay Ricker won an Up & Comer Award in 1996, his Anderson, IN-based Ricker Oil Co. operated 14 stores. Back then, the company was making noise with its use of scanning and other technologies, but it was the chain's fountain offer that...

The power of One Stop: Carolina operator Robert Arey keeps his One Stop Food Stores on track with technology and disciplined growth.(Up & Comers Road Trip Retrospective)
March 1, 2005... Then: Robert Arey won an Up & Comer award in 1996, when his 15-unit One Stop Food Stores saw not only double-digit sales growth for two consecutive years, but also a nice jump in profits. While other competitors were diving headfirst into...

Pumping out: Jim Farish's Pumper's Premium thrived on big ideas, including some from his competitors. His latest idea: retirement from c-store operations.(Up & Comers Road Trip Retrospective)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Then: Jim Farish won an Up & Comer award in 2001 because his Pumper's Premium chain of 14 stores built a strong unbranded fuel offer that more than competed with the big boys--pumping up to 250,000 gallons of gas per month at some stores....

Fewer gallons: reclaiming water helps car wash operators cut costs substantially and reinforce their reputation as being good neighbors.
March 1, 2005... Last summer, as a cameraman was setting up his tripod at a car wash/convenience store in the Las Vegas area, Jon, Athey knew it probably wasn't a positive development. There, an associate producer for Dan Rather's CBS news program helped Athey...

The Ph.D. of pizza: Nice N Easy's foodservice expert took its programs to the next level by applying a more scholarly approach.
March 1, 2005... Jack Cushman has made foodservice the focus of his education and career--and pizza is his forte. He received his Ph.D. from Kansas State University in Hotel, Restaurant, Institutional Foodservice and Dietetics. He then taught at both KSU's and...

Dream grill: the roller grill has evolved. Today's versatile roller grills cook up and merchandise a lot more than just hot dogs.(Well Equipped)
March 1, 2005... Roller grills are a great way to prepare and merchandise a growing number of foods in convenience stores. In fact, operators are finding that roller grills are much more versatile than once thought. Not long ago, hot dogs alone "owned" the...

Clear choice.(New Stuff!)
March 1, 2005... Berry Plastics Corp., a global manufacturer and supplier of plastic packaging for the foodservice industry, introduces its Pivot Premium Clear Cup line. Berry Plastics proprietary manufacturing process and innovative designs result in clear...

Fanta-stic.(New Stuff!)
March 1, 2005... J&J Snack Foods Corp. has expanded its licensing agreement with The Coca-Cola Co. Together with Coca-Cola's Fanta division, J&J Snack Foods introduces Fanta Freeze frozen novelty treats. Available in four bold citrus and tangy fruit...

Sweet addition.(New Stuff!)
March 1, 2005... Coca-Cola North America will introduce Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda in the second quarter of 2005. Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda will be the seventh addition to the Diet Coke family, which includes the flagship Diet Coke, Caffeine Free...

Prepaid partner.(New Stuff!)
March 1, 2005... Ambess Enterprises Inc., a nationally recognized prepaid telecommunications provider, offers retailers an attractive point-of-sale solution guaranteed to help gain a competitive edge and drive repeat sales. Ambess POSA offers a wide variety of...

Cleaning up at the coffee bar: a new addition to 7-Eleven's coffee bar targets the road warrior: spill-protection wipes.(Back room: "stuff you need that we didn't have room for anyplace else")(Enzyme Solutions)
March 1, 2005... There's nothing more frustrating for a "road warrior" than to stain a freshly-pressed shirt or suit coat with a splash of hot coffee. And 7-Eleven Inc. knows it. The retailer that began offering hot-to-go coffee in convenience stores almost 40...

If the safety shoe fits ... outfit your employees with stylish, comfortable shoes that can prevent slip-and-falls.(Back room: "stuff you need that we didn't have room for anyplace else")(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... One of the leading causes of employee injuries is slip-and-fall accidents. All the safety procedures in the world can't protect a company from a momentary lapse that results in an employee taking a spill on a slippery floor, but a simple...