Convenience Store Decisions articles from May 2007

Convenience Store Decisions archives from May 2007

A picture is worth $1,000 reward.(Back Room)
May 1, 2007... Forget those glamour shots and family portraits that cause people to spend hours primping their hair and make-up. A new school of photography has taken the top spot on the popularity pedestal: mug shots. That's right--those unkempt and often...

No bones about it: Virginia Beach finds itself in the clutches of a skeleton robber.(Back Room)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... "They only come out at night." The old adage typically pertains to freaks, oddballs and generally unsavory characters. But now it pertains to something else as well: the undead. Well, sort of. As if retailers didn't have enough to worry...

Innovation driving adult beverages: consumers' tastes for beer and malt beverages are leaning toward more upscale brands, giving marketers a greater opportunity to build premium profits.(Category Managers Notebook)
May 1, 2007... Summer is quickly approaching, bringing with it relaxed nights on the porch, trips to the beach and weather hotter than the grill at a Fourth of July barbeque. To complement their fun in the sun, customers want to wrap their hands around a...

BP refocuses its customer commitment: "Helios Power" branding campaign aimed at strengthening its gas and convenience store brands to enhance its competitive viability.(Cover BP)
May 1, 2007... It has been said time and again that you can't put a price on having an outstanding image and offering great service. For BP, however, that price is $36 million. That's what the oil supermajor is investing in a long-term advertising campaign to...

7-11's new marketing man.(Decision Makers DM Spotlight)
May 1, 2007... 7-ELEVEN INC. IS EMBARKING on a new marketing vision by naming Doug Foster its first chief marketing officer (CMO). Promoted from his most recent position as 7-Eleven's vice president of marketing, Foster brings more than 13 years of...

Myra Gravois has joined NACS as its new director of political affairs.(Decision Makers)
May 1, 2007... Myra Gravois has joined NACS as its new director of political affairs. In this position, Gravois will be responsible for all aspects of NACSPAC, the political action committee representing the convenience and petroleum retailing industry. She...

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. (USSTC).(Decision Makers)
May 1, 2007... U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. (USSTC) announced that Kevin Freudenthal has been named vice president of sales. A 20-year USSTC veteran, Freudenthal will now lead the company's entire sales organization, including field sales, sales operations and...

Louis Flores Ruiz, co-founder.(Ruiz Foods Inc.)(Obituary)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Louis Flores Ruiz, co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Ruiz Foods Inc., died at his home in Dinuba, Calif. Ruiz Foods is the largest frozen Mexican food manufacturing company in the U.S., the second largest Hispanic-owned manufacturing firm...

Food for thought.(Editor's Memo)
May 1, 2007... PATIENCE DOESN'T COME Easy, but it can have its rewards. Nowhere is that more evident than by observing the foodservice programs at Exxon Mobil Corp. and Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes. Both chains have refined their food segments over several...

Changing fuel products impact fuel decisions: while market swings of a few cents may have little impact on inventory replacement, the industry has become accustomed to larger and more frequent price movements.(Front End)
May 1, 2007... Just a few short years ago, there were a handful of petroleum products sold in retail outlets across the country. Fast forward to today--it wouldn't be unusual for a family on vacation this summer to fill its tank with half a dozen different...

Customer focused: Stop-N-Go stores executes unparalleled customer service because it never loses sight of its most important asset: its people.(Publishers Q&A)(Company overview)
May 1, 2007... CSD: How do you define excellence for your stores? Shotwell: By the number of repeat customers we get. The biggest focus for us is to drive repeat business. We do this by offering outstanding customer service, clean stores and giving...

Upgrading the kitchen: the type of equipment and its efficiencies play a major part in the success of a foodservice offering.(Feature Technology)
May 1, 2007... Forget that crusty, old buttered roll grandpa picked up at the corner store to complement his morning coffee back in the day. Forget about those tiny bags of pretzels or chips that used to suffice as a "meal on the go" during a time pinch....

Fresh & Easy's Web debut.(Front end: The News)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Fresh & Easy, Tesco's much-anticipated chain of convenience markets scheduled to open on the West Coast, has launched its Website to provide an early glimpse into what the stores will offer. The site can be found at www. freshandeasy.com. In...

Johnson oil picks up 11 ETNA stores.(Front end: The News)
May 1, 2007... Rock Falls, Ill.-based Johnson oil co. has recently purchased 11 Shell-branded gas stations/c-stores from Ottawa, Ill.-based eTnA oil co. The transaction was brokered by American Business Brokers (ABB) and WJF Services. According to Terry...

Sunoco cross-promotes with supermarkets.(Front end: The News)
May 1, 2007... SUNOCO INC. and SUPERVALU'S Shop 'n Save franchise supermarkets are using Excent-us integration technology for a cross-marketing program that gives consumers discounts at Sunoco's participating fuel outlets for making purchases at the...

"Aloha," Getty.(Front end: The News)
May 1, 2007... GETTY REALTY CORP. has acquired 11 ALOHA PETROLEUM gas stations in Hawaii and a limited leasehold interest in seven other Aloha stations from GE CAPITAL SOLUTIONS. The deal is part of a recent $78 million Getty transaction involving 59...

Kum & Go adds 28 more biofuel locations.(Front end: The News)
May 1, 2007... Kum & Go has added biodiesel blends to 28 Iowa retail locations. This major project will bring B2 (2% biodiesel) to the pump. Kum & Go has provided E85 to customers for 10 years and currently offers E85 at five retail sites in Iowa. The company...

Delek finishing Calfee purchase.(Front end: The News)
May 1, 2007... DELEK US HOLDINGS INC. said its MAPCO Express subsidiary has completed the purchase of 90 convenience stores from CALFEE CO. OF DALTON INC. and affiliated companies, for approximately $57 million excluding inventory. However, the company...

Pantry completes Petro Purchase.(Front end: The News)
May 1, 2007... PETRO EXPRESS INC. has completed the sale of 66 convenience stores in the Carolinas to THE PANTRY INC. Financial terms of the deal with Charlotte-based Petro Express weren't disclosed. The stores--55 of which are in North Carolina, and the...

Giant Industries' acquisition halted.(Western Refining Inc. merger)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Attorney General Gary King stymied a proposed merger between WESTERN REFINING INC. and GIANT INDUSTRIES. Federal regulators are expected to file a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court in New Mexico to...

(In)finite possibilities: with a short life, big margins and a susceptibility to promotions, lighters can illuminate sales with the right variety and display.(Feature Lighters)
May 1, 2007... Lighters were once a ways to a mean--to light up a cigarette, ignite a candle or fire up a birthday cake--but they've evolved into a form of self-expression. David Dill, vice president of sales and marketing for Jacksonville, Fla.-based Gate...

Fresh breath latches on.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Attach/Mints LLC is launching a revolutionary product to solve one of the most common problems experienced by smokers--losing or carrying bulky mint containers in one's pockets or purse. The attach/Mint is designed specifically to clip...

Sweet surprise.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Swisher International introduces the newest addition to the family--Swisher Sweets Grape Little Cigars. This mild, sweet, new little cigar offers high profits per ring and is bursting with grape taste and aroma. It's the perfect little cigar to...

Variety stand.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Calico Brands c-store rack configurations offer a three price-point strategy: entry level, mid-tier and premium retail. Included in the four-tier racks is a combination of Calico Texas Hold'em Cigar lighters, Calico Electronic, Scripto Mini...

Choice cuts.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Jack Link's Beef Jerky beefs up its product offerings with the introduction of six innovative new snack items--two A.1. Steak Sauce-branded meat snacks and an entirely new deli-style product line. New mouth-watering varieties include: A.1....

Tools for buying.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... DTN announced important enhancements to DTN Fuel Buyer, a Web-based application that provides instant access to supplier price messaging from DTN DataConnect. Users can now leverage enhanced analysis tools in DTN Fuel Buyer to add contract...

X-tremely tasty.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... The ultimate in performance enhancement has hit the market with a product that brings science and nature together in a new, healthy and great tasting variety--vitamin water xxx. The flavor of xxx blends the taste of acai, blueberry and...

Butcher-wrapped.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Ruiz Foods introduces a fifth flavor to its El Monterey Butcher Wrapped Burrito line--Chorizo, Egg and Cheese. The 8-oz. El Monterey Butcher Wrapped Chorizo, Egg and Cheese Burrito is the third in the A.M. line and offers a more traditional...

Mall variety.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Coinstar Inc. announced an agreement between Coinstar E-Payment Services Inc. and Charter One for Coinstar to distribute the universal Charter One MasterCard Gift Card through Coinstar gift card malls. The program offers consumers the...

Keeping in the know.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... OPW Fuel Management Systems introduces its new Mag Sump Sensor that provides immediate detection of the presence of hydrocarbons and/or water in a tank sump or dispenser sump. The new sensor uses magnetostrictive technology for accurate...

Dispensing deals.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... To help merchandise and promote fountain beverages, Modular Dispensing Systems offers a "Custom Decal/Cup Dispenser Program." This program includes custom decals and one modular cup dispenser per decal with all mounting hardware included....

Soup sensations.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Knorr Easy Bistro Soups is a new line delivering fresh-tasting, scratch-quality soups with incomparable operational ease. The Easy Bistro line is delivered in a shelf-stable pouch format, making it ideal for operations with limited or no...

Shure thing.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Shure Manufacturing Corp.'s Shuresafe Deal Trays are designed as an efficient pass-thru system when installed in a countertop with a wall below and a glass security window above. Model #670094 has a stationary base with a sliding stainless...

Turn up the torque.(New Stuff: Creations + Innovations to Convenience Products and Services)
May 1, 2007... Point Blank Beverages introduces Torque, alcohol-fueled with caffeine, ginseng, taurine and guarana. Torque has a lemon-lime citrus flavor to it and comes in cases of 24 16-oz. cans. Torque, which has been on the market for more than a year...

A novel idea: with summer movies and NASCAR season heating up, novelty suppliers are gearing up to introduce 'hot' new items with strong margins to reach new demographics.(Feature Novelty)
May 1, 2007... The novelty category provides retailers with a unique opportunity to capture customers' personal hobbies and interests in a single, high-margin item. Whether it is a mother searching for the perfect Disney key chain for her daughter or a young...

The other tobacco product: boosted by new flavors and additional varieties, cigars continue strong incremental sales growth.(Category Managers Notebook)
May 1, 2007... While tobacco has long been a backbone for the industry, pulling millions in individual unit sales as well as boosting the profit from the average smoker's market basket, it has not come without its problems. Consistent tax increases and...

Proprietary Perserverance: retailers are creating a buzz with new foodservice concepts--with some help from vendors and suppliers.(Feature Foodservice)
May 1, 2007... There's more than one way to skin a cat, just like there's more than one way to run a convenience foodservice program. Some retailers don't know where to start, so they team up with branded concepts that lay everything out for them. Others...

Block-and-tackle: Marlin Larson Convenience Management Group dba On the Run.(Rising Stars)
May 1, 2007... When Marlin Larson started his education, he thought he would teach kids a thing or two in the classroom or coaching a team. The former has come true for some of his employees at Convenience Management Group's (CMG) nine ExxonMobil On the Run...