Convenience Store Decisions articles from October 2005

Convenience Store Decisions archives from October 2005

Making connections.(Editor's Memo)(Editorial)
October 1, 2005... Hey, what do you call it when a group of executives from financial services firms spends the night at a bed and breakfast? (Sounds like a joke, but it isn't.... really.) It's called research. The things that keep banking execs awake at...

Pumped about biofuels? Some people say the U.S. can free itself from foreign oil dependence if it buys from the Midwest rather than the Middle East. Will the industry allow that to happen?(FrontEnd)(Jiffy Mini-Marts Inc)
October 1, 2005... Back in February, a gasoline distributor told Karen Riley, vice president of operations for nine-store Jiffy Mini-Marts Inc. (Terre Haute, IN), about an alternative fuel called E-85. The mix of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, he said, was...

Up the creek.(Update)
October 1, 2005... Open Pantry Food Marts of Wisconsin continues to pour more of itself into the gourmet coffee business. Recently, the chain put a dynamic new face on its stores by focusing on its Willow Creek Coffee offer (see Open Pantry's 'Golden Egg', Aug....

Coffee: beyond single-serve.(FrontEnd)
October 1, 2005... Retailers selling coffee by the cup might be missing the boat. Even though many convenience retailers are completely capable of selling coffee in to-go carafes or "box" packages, they willingly forfeit those sales to specialty coffee retailers,...

Mapping out a plan: when eyeballing the top line, retailers won't confuse maps with tobacco or packaged beverages anytime soon. But this segment deserves the respect it might not be getting.(FrontEnd)
October 1, 2005... Americans continue to amass near large cities--but they also have begun to pool in many smaller, traditionally rural towns. Take Atlanta and Asheville, NC, for example. Since 2000, the 10-county area surrounding Atlanta has added an average of...

If there's any doubt.
October 1, 2005... If there's any doubt retailers have succeeded in drawing more women to their stores, check out recent data on the magazines category. In 1999, three of the top five magazines sold in c-stores were sophisticates, according to data provided by...

System failure: when employees perform below expectations, chances are it's not a training issue. Often, employees fail because of the systems that are supposed to support them.(The Labor Pool)
October 1, 2005... Researchers tell us that when employees who know how to perform the duties of their jobs aren't performing them, lack of training is rarely the cause. Job-related training salespeople say otherwise, of course. After all, their industry...

Benefiting from benefits.(The Labor Pool)
October 1, 2005... Hard benefits like 401(k) plans, health insurance and profit sharing cost money. Soft benefits like good managers, training and a supportive work environment cost time and effort. Hard benefits attract applicants. Soft benefits make employees...

Splash time.(FrontEnd)(Rutter's Farm Stores )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Rutter's Farm Stores is doing its best to make a cannonball-size splash with carwash. At the end of September, the York, PA-based chain executed a grassroots promo/PR campaign designed to stimulate interest in its new carwash offer. ...

Moving in, moving up: retailers stir up new business by targeting "new movers.".(FrontEnd)
October 1, 2005... Since opening Smith's Service Center (Lancaster, PA) in 1979, John Smith had tried advertising in the Yellow Pages and utilizing the Welcome Wagon service to ferret out new customers, but he'd experienced limited, immeasurable results. ...

Rutter's Farm Stores.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... Rutter's Farm Stores (York, PA) has appointed Brian Matlock vice president of foodservice. A native of Monterey, CA, Matlock is a veteran of the convenience industry. Prior to joining Rutter's, he served Worsley Cos. (Wilmington, NC) as...

Mapco Express.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... Rick Klyzcek has joined Mapco Express (Franklin, TN) as a division manager. Prior to accepting the position with Mapco, Klyczek spent his entire convenience-retailing career as a member of the NOCO Express team (Tonawanda, NY), most recently as...

Chevron Corp.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... Chevron Corp. (San Ramon, CA) has elected Donald B. Rice to its board of directors. Rice was a member of Unocal Corp.'s board of directors prior to Unocal's recent acquisition by Chevron. Rice is chairman, CEO, president and co-founder of...

Papa Gino's Inc.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... Papa Gino's Inc., parent of the Papa Gino's and D'Angelo quick-serve restaurant chains, has added former BP executive Tony Padulo as senior vice president of franchise development. Padulo spent two years with BP (La Palma, CA) as director of...

Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... The Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards (PCATS) has added Susan Hilaski as director of technology standards implementation. Prior to joining PCATS, Hilaski served the National Beer Wholesalers Association as manager,...

QTG.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... QTG (Quaker Tropicana Gatorade), a Chicago-based division of PepsiCo, has named Todd Magazine president of its Quaker U.S. Foods business unit. Magazine assumes the Quaker Foods president post from his most recent position as the division's...

McDonald's Corp.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... QSR giant McDonald's Corp. has added Richard H. Lenny, chairman and chief executive of chocolate maker Hershey Co., to its board as a new director. The new addition increases the size of McDonald's board to 14 directors. Lenny is also a...

J&J Snack Foods.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... J&J Snack Foods has appointed Paul Klingensmith vice president of frozen dessert sales to focus on expanding the opportunities associated with the nation's leading frozen novelty distributors. Prior to joining J&J, Klingensmith served...

Lettieri's Inc.(Decision Makers)(appointment)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Convenience foods manufacturer Lettieri's Inc. has added Gary Harms as its new director of plant operations. For the past 11 years, Harms has worked for National Fruit Product Co., which he served most recently as senior director of production....

Hormel Foods Corp.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... The board of directors of Hormel Foods Corp. has elected Jeffrey M. Ettinger to be the company's ninth chief executive officer. Ettinger succeeds Joel W. Johnson, who will retire as CEO on Jan. 1, 2006; Johnson will continue to serve as Hormel...

Bosch Security Systems.(Decision Makers)
October 1, 2005... The board of directors of Bosch Security Systems has appointed Shamus Hurley president of the company. In addition to his current responsibilities overseeing sales and marketing operations for the Americas, Hurley will also have direct...

Dinner and a movie.(FrontEnd)
October 1, 2005... By the end of the year, Redbox intends to have more than 1,000 of its DVD-dispensing kiosks in the U.S., most of them in McDonald's restaurants. On average, McDonald's restaurants that have implemented these units have experienced as much as a...

Shrinking loss at Thorntons.(loss-prevention solutions)(ShrinkTrax)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Thorntons Inc. (Louisville, KY), which operates more than 150 stores in five states, has rolled out ShrinkTrax from loss-prevention solutions provider Trax Retail Solutions (www.trax-usa.com) following a successful pilot. ShrinkTrax is a...

Sheetz flies high in Raleigh-Durham.
October 1, 2005... Board members of North Carolina's Raleigh-Durham International Airport Authority have voted to negotiate exclusively with Sheetz Inc. (Altoona, PA) for a combined gas station, restaurant and convenience store near the airport. The development,...

Gottahava new ad campaign.(gottahava Wawa)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Wawa Inc. (Wawa, PA) has unveiled a new campaign "gottahava Wawa" for billboards, transit ads, radio and in-store promotions. Wawa hired Richards Group, which counts QSR chain Chick Fil-A and QuikTrip Inc. among its clients, to spearhead the...

Simplifying contract management.(Amphire Reconcile)(compliance of contracts and rebates between trading partners )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Amphire Solutions (www.amphire.com) has introduced Amphire Reconcile, a hosted, Web-based solution that gives retailers the ability to ensure compliance of contracts and rebates with trading partners and streamlines workflow for greater...

No contact for Meijer.(contactless card payment systems)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Meijer Stores Inc. (Grand Rapids, Ml) is the first supercenter chain to add a contactless card payment option at its gas pumps. The chain's 150 stores that sell gas will have more than 1,850 fueling positions upgraded with a Gilbareo...

A recruiting Advantage for convenience stores.
October 1, 2005... Deploy Solutions (www.deploy.com) has developed a recruiting and talent management solution configured specifically for the convenience store industry called C-Store Advantage. The foundation of the program directs all applicants to a kiosk...

Thumbs up for biometric check cashing.
October 1, 2005... Roughly 610,000 consumers are using Paycheck Secure (www.paychecksecure.com), BioPay's biometric payroll check cashing system, at more than 400 retail locations throughout California. To date, Golden State retailers have cashed more than 5.8...

Chevron goes the ExtraMile.
October 1, 2005... Chevron Corp. (San Ramon, CA) has opened 43 ExtraMile Convenience Stores in the Seattle market. The stores feature a fresh look, healthier snacks and premium coffee, as well as easy access to chilled waters, energy drinks and more appetizing...

Flu shots at Wal-Mart?
October 1, 2005... In-store health clinics are spreading like the common cold to a rising number of major drugstore and hypermarket chains, including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., CVS Corp. and Rite Aid Corp., according to a Wall Street Journal report. These clinics...

Premium pizza, minimum labor.(Giorgio Foods Inc introduces a new Pizza)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... In an effort to better serve the convenience store market, Giorgio Foods Inc. (www.giorgiofoods.com) has introduced a new pizza program that uses premium ingredients to provide pizzeria-quality pizza with minimal preparation required from store...

Building fanatics at retail: every element of the National Convenience Store Advisory Group's Fall Conference was designed to help retailers turn customers into fanatics about their brands.(FrontEnd)
October 1, 2005... How do you motivate your stores (and staff) to peak performance? How do you get to the next level of sales and profitability? The answer may lie in developing a closer connection to your customers--attracting new ones and turning more of your...

Relationship marketing: a new study reveals that customers are ready to take their relationship with your stores and employees to a new level. Are you?
October 1, 2005... Kathy (not her real name) is a grandmother in her late 40s who recently moved from an apartment in Scottsdale, AZ, to a house in Phoenix. "So I don't have much connection to my new location's store yet, but there is a sort of instant friendship...

Package deal.(Rising Stars)
October 1, 2005... Together, Darcy Paluch and Steve Hendrickson have nearly 30 years of experience with Moyle Petroleum (Rapid City, SD), which operates 35 Common Cents Food Stores in five states. Both started their retailing careers at store-level, learning the...

The world according to Maverick: as could be expected from a company with a name like Maverik, Utah's most "adventurous" retailer marches to its own beat.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... When Brad Call and his cousin Mike took the reins to Maverik Stores Inc. about six years ago, one of his first moves was to "kill off" Polly and Leopold. We had this heavily western cowboy theme at the time we took over," says Call, who...

Fresh pressure: Casey's and CJ's don't skimp when it comes to offering fresh pizza. Dedicated labor and attention to detail keep these programs profitable.(Company Profile)
October 1, 2005... Easy doesn't necessarily mean better. That's the view of Casey's General Stores (Ankeny, IA) when it comes to foodservice. With more than 1,300 corporate-owned stores and 19 franchised stores covering nine Midwest states, the company serves...

Getting twisted.
October 1, 2005... Pretzels are no longer simply a hard, salty snack that customers buy by the bag. Soft pretzels, for instance, have become a mainstay in convenience stores, far beyond the reaches of "pretzel-crazy" Philadelphia. The popularity of the Bavarian...

Lots of opportunity: labeled "cannibalistic" by some, drive-thru coffee kiosks on c-store lots can perk up in-store java sales.
October 1, 2005... Over the past 11 years, more than 70 of Montana-based Mountain Mudd's signature green 8' by 8' drive-thru kiosks have popped up in parking lots spanning 21 states, and founder Brenda Burkhartsmeier has plans to take over the national No. 2...

Chevron gets roasted.
October 1, 2005... When Chevron Corp. (San Ramon, CA) wanted to upgrade the gourmet coffee offer at its ExtraMile Convenience Stores, it went north of the border to tap Canadian roaster Van Houtte to do the brews for a pilot program in the Seattle market. Since...

Should you add to your ad budget? Advertising is a severely underutilized tool for convenience retailers, according to one industry guru. So, how much should you allocate for your ad budget--and where should you invest it?
October 1, 2005... Each year, convenience retailers spend an estimated $300 million in advertising. That sounds like a lot of dough, but John Matthews, president of marketing consulting firm Gray Cat Enterprises, says that's not enough for an industry that rang...

Riding the right horse: retailers trim energy costs by investing in building-control systems geared specifically for their stores.
October 1, 2005... Checking the fence line? Use a quarter horse. Entering the Preakness or the Kentucky Derby? Saddle up a thoroughbred. Plowing the field or pulling a heavy load? Enlist a draft horse. And a Morgan is just right for pleasure riding. The point is,...

The quest for clean power.
October 1, 2005... To maintain uptime and reduce servicing, the latest generation of electronic power conditioners guards data in case of power failure or lockups in ATM systems. In the race to deliver 100% reliability for ATM applications, every integrator,...

Pack outlets: singles may account for the bulk of a convenience retailer's packaged beverage sales, but multi-packs represent a home-run growth opportunity as "gateway items" to other impulse purchases.(Beverages/Beer)
October 1, 2005... About three years ago, Diane Clark surveyed her market to see her convenience store rivals getting aggressive with multi-pack soft drinks: large warm displays, both inside and out. Her 27 Mr. Mike's Markets already had that "arrow in their...

Flu shot in a can.(Beverages/Beer)
October 1, 2005... With the groundswell of concern surrounding a potential "killer flu" outbreak this season, consumers may be flocking toward any product that claims to have high doses of flu-fighting ingredients. The packaged beverage category provides plenty...

Energy boost.(Beverages/Beer)
October 1, 2005... Beer and soft drinks aren't the only members of the packaged beverage category driving sales through multi-packs. The energy drink segment--the hyperactive darling of the cold vault the past few years--is causing a stir of its own. Carey...

Ladies, power up.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... PowerBar has expanded its Pria women's nutrition product line with PowerBar Pria Complete Nutrition bar--a new offering of great-tasting, nutrient-dense bars specifically formulated for women. The new PowerBar Pria Complete Nutrition bar...

Go full tilt.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Anheuser-Busch is kicking off the nationwide launch of Tilt, a new, innovative malt beverage featuring an assorted blend of caffeine, guarana and ginseng. This "5 p.m. after-work drink," which offers a bold berry-flavor, is part of the...

Wake up sales.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Energize profit margins with new Peptime Mini-Whites, a safe and effective caffeine stimulant from DMD Pharmaceuticals that gives users a jump-start when they need it most. Peptime Mini-Whites help restore mental alertness when one is...

Perfect fit.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Showcase menu items in the best light with Solo Highlights bowls and lids. Solo Highlights are perfect for serving salads, fresh fruit, desserts or any cold menu item in-house or to-go. Highlights bowls and lids are available in black and clear...

'Tis the season.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... The holiday season is a busy time of year, filled with joyful music and celebrations with friends and family. Beer plays an important role in a variety of holiday celebrations, including family gatherings, work festivities and bar nights. The...

Meat marketer.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Jack Link's new Marinated Tender Cuts recipes are made from lean slices of beef, pork and chicken, marinated in special blends of sauces and seasonings, and slow-cooked for a tenderness and flavor reminiscent of favorite restaurant menu...

Hot commodity.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... The new Alto-Shaam 3-shelf merchandiser incorporates heated glass technology to provide three evenly heated display surfaces. Packaged foods are held at safe temperatures to offer quality holding on each of the three independently controlled...

Nuggets of truth.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Invigorate beverage sales by creating a thrilling fountain beverage program with greater appeal, bigger profits and more reliable machines from Scotsman Nugget Ice, The Original Chewable Ice. Nugget Ice is slower to melt than flaked and uses...

Case(s) closed.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Federal Industries' new refrigerated cases come in two different styles that can be used to stand alone or for continuous lineup. The first style, High Volume Maxi Case, features lift-up, tempered thermopane straight front glass with the added...

Countertop frying.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Autofry, the No. 1 line of ventless and automated deep frying systems is proud to introduce the MTI-40C--the world's first ventless, fully-enclosed and automated dual basket counter-top deep fryer. The MTI-40C is capable of producing up to 100...

Southern-style cooking.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Pierce Chicken introduces Southern Style Traditional Breaded Breast Fillets. Pierce Chicken developed this 2-oz. fillet to help operators take advantage of the growing popularity of breakfast biscuits, kid sandwiches and appetizer sandwiches....

Label-making magic.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... K-Sun Corp.'s new LABELShop 2010-PC and MaxiLabelV2 Windows software is a winning combination for anyone who wants to design and print industrial and material handling labels in-house and on-demand. This unique PC label prints images on...

Chicken little.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Chester's offers consumers a high-quality chicken product, cooked to perfection, with a unique taste and style. The company's secret is a breading recipe and process that has been successful for more than 40 years. Chester's uses only real...

Surprising splash.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Cadbury Adams LLC introduces the first center-filled pellet gum, Trident Splash. This new gum innovation is available in two surprising flavor combinations, Peppermint with Vanilla and Strawberry with Lime. These delicious center-filled pellets...

People machine.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Silver Creek Technologies has created its Sysdine People Resource Management software to help employers find the best-suited employees for their businesses. Sysdine XL as part of Sysdine 8.0 arrives with a number of important new features,...

Tea made easy.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... The BUNN Tea Concentrate Dispensers, TCD-1 and TCD-2, offer an alternative to brewing fresh tea by dispensing iced tea from concentrate. Most commercially available tea concentrates will work with the TCD, which will accept either a 1-gallon...

Heads-up server.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... DeltaTRAK Inc. announces the new Flashlink SP (Server Package) Wireless Manager software, which uses a protected remote database server platform and offers users secured worldwide access of environmental data gathered by their installed...

Everything is GEL-ing.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Master-Bilt introduces its new American-made GEL series gelato case. The new GEL series features a top-hinged front display door that stays in place at whatever point it's raised, which allows for easy cleaning and helps prevent corrosion...

The 'fries' have it.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... ConAgra Food Specialty Potato Products uses a proprietary process that thinly coats each fry with a virtually transparent batter made with potato starch. This exclusive coating cooks up crisp and golden, and insulates the fry to retain heat and...

Let it breathe.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Fire Mountain Beverage Co. has launched a new trademarked product FIVE O(2), which stands for Flavor Infused Vitamin Enriched with Oxygen. This product is an oxygenated, flavored water product with vitamins, and it has been developed in four...

Placement keeper.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Conwed's Vexar Flex Liner with antimicrobial protection additive provides an odor resistant liner that's more durable and versatile than other non-skid liners. FlexLiner is made with Silver Zinc Zeolite, whose silver ions inhibit microbes from...

That's the ticket.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Lottery Tool's popular Lucky TicketScratcher, which makes scratching lottery tickets easier, is now available in five new colors: Tangerine Orange, Lemon Yellow, Plum Purple, Cherry Red and Lime Green. The lightweight compact tool prevents...

Give it to them RAW.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... RAW Natural Unbleached Rolling Papers are the first of their kind: an unbleached, less processed paper that maintains its original natural brown hue. The paper is extremely thin, almost translucent and uses a sweet sugar-based gum. This product...

Cookie carnival.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Otis Spunkmeyer launches its limited-time Holiday Carnival cookie dough, loaded with brightly colored red and green coated chocolate candies. Holiday Carnival cookie dough offers "bakery fresh" taste and appeal and preportioned cookie dough...

Meat eating.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Pierre Foods rolls out its latest innovation in packaged foods, the Blue Stone Grill line of packaged sandwiches. The offering is aimed at consumers who enjoy the home-style flavor of fresh, hot-off-the-grill foods or spicy breaded meats. Five...

Spicy package.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Tuxedo Chili's single-serving salsa in a bag allows consumers to enjoy a fresh serving of salsa any time. Tuxedo Chili developed the product line to appeal to today's on-the-go customer. These convenience-sized bags are the perfect...

Give it a (flavor) shot.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... IMI Cornelius's FlavorFusion offers unlimited drink combinations. The unit houses 16 brands (14 chilled), with each position flexible for carbonated or non-carbonated drinks; dedicated bonus flavor nozzles can add up to eight additional...

Symphony of sense.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... The Symphony.rf represents Pinnacle's fourth generation Radio Frequency product. With Pinnacle Oasis Manager Workstation, the Symphony.rf hand-held solution is practically plug and play. Install one application and point the browser to the...

Sweet surrenders.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Broaster Recipe now offers two delightful selections that provide the ideal finish to any meal. The company's new Fried Mini Cheesecakes, packed in two easy-to-handle 4-lb. bags per case, are warm and crunchy on the outside and cool and creamy...

Seed of choice.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Spitz Sunflower Seeds' latest addition is the Spitz To Go Cup--offering consumers a convenient disposal cup (with no added cost) while they "Spitz"--so they can "Spitz" anywhere. Spitz Sunflower Seeds have the difference that the consumer...

Espresso yourself.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Franke Coffee Systems has improved the milk throughput of its Sinfonia 1-Step model and increased the milk storage capacity with an under-counter refrigerator version. As a result, the Sinfonia 1-Step is one of the fastest and most customizable...

Serving choices.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Retailers looking for a satellite beverage dispenser or a unit to use for promotions should check out Foxx Equipment Co.'s BrewTender, a portable cooling and dispensing appliance. The BrewTender dispenses beverages ice-cold without the dilution...

Low-tip.(New Stuff!)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Solo GI Low Glycemic Bars are great tasting and clinically validated. Low Glycemic foods are the hottest new trend in healthy eating because they help prevent a spike and crash in blood sugar. Solo's Slooow Carbs provide sustained energy and...

ATM meets kiosk.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Tranax Technologies Inc. introduces a first in a new line of non-cash dispensing kiosks. This product is focused on delivering the hardware and software capabilities to meet the needs of a range of transaction-based self-service applications....

Spray sweets.(New Stuff!)
October 1, 2005... Impact Confections introduces Paint Shop Spray, a fruit-flavored candy spray. With its intense fruity flavor, Paint Shop Spray will appeal to kids in all demographics. This product delivers on the value and taste expectations of the Paint Shop...

A subdued welcome.(Editor's Memo)(Editorial)
October 1, 2005... Welcome back to Las Vegas--the adopted home of this year's NAGS Show following the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the Southeast. Our hearts remain with our friends, relatives and colleagues in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and...

NACS show 2005--booth listings.(National Association of Convenience Stores)
October 1, 2005... On November 15, the 2005 NACS Show 0 opens in Las Vegas. If you play your cards right, you'll discover lots of new business ideas. On the show floor, you can check out a full house of vendor partners to help your stores "beat the dealer....

NACS Show 2005 Schedule at a Glance.(National Association of Convenience Stores)(Calendar)
October 1, 2005... Tuesday, November 15 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM Registration 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM Exclusive retailer access to the Cool New Products Preview Room 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Global Forum 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM Supplier...