Convenience Store Decisions articles from September 2004

Convenience Store Decisions archives from September 2004

Our dirty little secret?(Editor's Memo)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... If you were to list the greatest competitive threats to your business, you might start with big boxes, drug stores and supermarkets selling gasoline. Turnover, retention and other labor challenges might make your list. Some would no doubt...

De-bugged! Spiders and roaches and ants, oh my! Pests are part of every retail business focused on food--but they don't have to be.(Front End)
September 1, 2004... Lex Porter, maintenance supervisor for Maverik Country Stores, says his company's stores have never had big issues with pests: the occasional mouse, some fruit flies, invasive ants following marching orders from the queen--the usual suspects...

Fire ants: no picnic.(Front End)(convenience stores)
September 1, 2004... Hordes of voracious insects are on the move, leaving in their wake a trail of frustration and fear. Far from a far-out sci-fi thriller in the vein of summer blockbuster Alien vs. Predator, the threat of fire ants has become reality for...

The next Y2K? There's no talk of the world ending on January 1 this time around. But retailers should consider updating POS systems to be able to handle "world standard" GTIN bar codes.(Front End)(Point Of Sale systems)(Global Trade Item Number)
September 1, 2004... It's never too early to start making New Year's resolutions, and the Uniform Code Council has a suggestion for all retailers. The UCC is a non profit, non-government organization that administers the Universal Product Code (UPC), which...

A license you'll want to pay for.(CSD Idea)(Deluxe Subway Sandwich Artist Play Set)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Children wandering the aisles of Toys R Us stores this month will find new toys that are part play and part training tool. Both the 66-piece Deluxe Subway Sandwich Artist Play Set (SRP of $14.99) and the 35-piece Subway branded backpack include...

Shape your stores into digital hubs.(Sales Building Idea)
September 1, 2004... Traditional 35mm film already has one foot in the grave, according to recent online surveys from InfoTrends Research Group. Booming sales of digital cameras--and the consumer's willingness to trust them as a means of capturing their...

Cenex: help offered: a new ad campaign positioning Cenex stores as "helpful" gives marketers a leg up.(Front End)(Cenex Petro Serve)
September 1, 2004... The owner of a car dealership near Moorhead, MN, told Kent Satrang, general manager of 10-store Cenex Petro Serve, he preferred to work with his chain of stores on a gas card program. The gentleman liked Cenex's reputation as being helpful and...

Exxon Mobil Corp.(Decision Makers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Harry J. Longwell, executive vice president and director of Exxon Mobil Corp., will retire at the end of the year after more than 41 years with the company, including nearly 10 years as a director. He was named president of Exxon Co. USA in...

National Executive Personnel and Marketing Group LLC.(Decision Makers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... National Executive Personnel and Marketing Group LLC has added industry veteran Dick Wood as senior vice president of business development. Wood has more than three decades of sales and operations experience in the industry, specializing in...

Executive Leadership Solutions.(Decision Makers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Executive search firm Executive Leadership Solutions has added Bob Whitaker-Lea as an account executive. Before joining Executive Leadership Solutions, Whitaker-Lea most recently was chief operating officer for Mansfield Oil Co., which had...

D'Angelo Sandwich Shops.(Decision Makers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Sub-sandwich franchisor D'Angelo Sandwich Shops has named F. Paul Tobin director of franchise operations. Tobin, formerly of Allied Domecq, will work with franchisees in the operation of more than 50 restaurants, while assisting new franchisees...

PepsiCo.(Decision Makers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... PepsiCo has named Mary Dillon the new president of its Quaker Foods subsidiary. Dillon moved into her current position from vice president of marketing for the same division, replacing its outgoing president, Polly Kawalek.

PRE Solutions.(Decision Makers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Claude Ricks has joined PRE Solutions as vice president of indirect sales. Before joining PRE Solutions, Ricks was CEO of Everything Prepaid, which PRE Solutions recently acquired.

The first responder: gain the trust of Gen Why employees from the start. How? Connect them with their peers.(The Labor Pool)(Column)
September 1, 2004... Some employers hold to the age-old notion that the best way to connect with a Gen Why employee is to sit down with them and have a heart-to-heart talk. Sadly, this talk often turns into more of a "shared monologue," with the manager handling...

Chipping away: salty snacks represent less than 6% of O'Connell Oil's inside sales. But strong vendor partnerships make the category a catalyst for food sales.(Salty Snacks)
September 1, 2004... It hadn't occurred to O'Connell Oil (Pittsfield, MA) to cross-merchandise salty snacks with its proprietary foodservice offer until its primary soft drink vendor flicked on the proverbial light bulb. Then it was only a matter of time until the...

Time to make the bread (and the donuts!): Ricker Oil rolls out a new profit center: a standalone bakery!(Cover Story)
September 1, 2004... Here's a quick quiz: Ricker Oil Co., a 31 store chain based in Anderson, IN, has a thriving new bakery business today because: a. Big box bakeries have made many small retail bakeries disappear, creating a void in the marketplace. b. A...

The ABCs of HVAC: want more gravy for your potatoes? In this second part of a three-part series, find out how even small preventative HVAC tactics can yield big returns.(heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems)
September 1, 2004... "Location, location, location" is the mantra of every retail business. Similarly, "Clean, clean, clean" should be every retailer's goal in relation to maintaining heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The most serious problems in...

Time for a check-up? Accepting personal checks as legal tender has turned from risky business to easy money, thanks to advanced check verification and recovery solutions.
September 1, 2004... For Forward Corp. (Standish, MI), accepting personal checks from customers used to be a little like a game of Russian roulette: The 30-store chain never knew which checks would come back to bite it--at least not for awhile. Until 2000,...

Waste away: in the foodservice category, retailers walk a needle-thin line between too much waste and too few sales.
September 1, 2004... Waste not, want not. This common cliche carries some uncommon caveats hen dealing with pizza, prepared sandwiches, coffee and other convenience foods, according to Scott Levine, principal of consultancy FoodService Advocates LLC. "In an...

The quickest link: to greater sales & bigger profits: the quickest link to the hottest products, newest equipment, latest information and hot-links to key supplier sites.(The New c-storedecisions.com)(information assisstance for convenience store operators)
September 1, 2004... The #1 Website For Convenience Store Operators When convenience store operators seek the latest information to help them make informed purchasing decisions, they turn to c-storedecisions.com, c-storedecisions.com gives retailers'...

Wawa's cigar sales flourish with Middleton partnership.(Products At Work)(John Middleton Inc.)
September 1, 2004... John Middleton Inc. has been operating in the Philadelphia area since 1856, beginning with a retail tobacco shop. More than a hundred years later, John Middleton divested its retail operations and turned its primary focus on manufacturing and...

Gross-out treats.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 111 CAP Candy introduces a 2004 line that will have kids shrieking with delight. The line includes: Lazer Lix Candy Light Licker, a trendy-looking ring with colored LEDs that light up the candy from inside; Bug Factor Lollipops...

The mighty kong.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 1626 Protein bars are about to be revolutionized with the introduction of Kong by Next Proteins. Next Proteins has combined the benefits of oatmeal with 30 grams of high-quality protein to create a delicious bar, specially...

Ice castles.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 10031 Follett's slope front ice bin line is best suited for small- to medium-capacity needs and can be used with all major icemakers. Choose from four models with widths from 30" to 52" and storage capacities from 400 lbs. to...

Trading up.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 411 The Tradewinds Beverage Co. roils out its new brand, Greenergy Double Brew Tea and Juice. Specifically designed to deliver "energy naturally," Greenergy Double Brew is ready-to drink green tea with real juice available in...

Super solution.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 3051 Solution 1 announces the start of the Big Finish Customer Loyalty Rewards Program. With this program, car wash customers earn points that can be redeemed for NASCAR licensed merchandise when they wash their cars at a...

Pastry passions.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 2138 Tio Pepe's Churros are a straight donut-like Hispanic pastry. The traditional churro is rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture and served with a light, crispy exterior and warm, moist center. No longer straight, new Tio Pepe's...

Waist-minded.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 2338 New Carb Alternatives from Hershey Foods joins Hershey's Sugar Free Candy and Hershey's 1 Gram Sugar Carb bars as a new option for consumers seeking lower carbohydrate sweet treats without giving up taste. Hershey's Carb...

Redesigned resource.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 819 Continuing its efforts to be the preferred online resource for beer retailers, Miller Brewing Co, has completed the redesign of its Miller Advantage Web site (www.milleradvantage.com). The redesigned site builds off results...

Gaining speed.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 801 General Mills is responding to consumer demands for great-tasting, chocolate-flavored snack bars that support a carb-management lifestyle with its Momentum line. Both varieties of Momentum Bars--chocolate peanut butter and...

Snack (bag) attack.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 2511 Jelly Belly jelly beans and JBz chocolate candies are now available in popular snack-sized bags. The bright graphics on the 1.7-oz. bags easily distinguish them on the shelf and create an eye-catching presentation when...

Boost-able.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 1301 Consumers now have "insurance" against battery fatigue in cell phones with Cellboost, a disposable battery/charger from Compact Power Systems Inc. Cellboost instantly restores power to handsets--and allows continued use...

Shiver me timber (wolf).(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 6733 Swedish Match North America has increased the amount of tobacco in every can of Timber Wolf by 10% for the same low price--an added value for consumers. This everyday promotion further reinforces the honest value Timber...

Turbo-nator.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 3828 The Ultra Turbo Nator Vacuum model #20000 is powered by three 1.6HP 110 volt motors. The unit can be set for standard performance with two motors, or increased to three motors for higher performance and increased profits....

Guiltless fruit juice.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 7701 Apple & Eve has launched a new line of Light & Fruitful low-carb juice beverages. Now calorie-watchers and carb-counters who assume they have to cut juices from their diet have a way to enjoy real fruit juice blends while...

Energizing.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 509 Ultimate Energizer EF delivers increased energy levels and enhanced alertness to those consumers who feel tired and sluggish. The blend of ephedra-free ingredients provides maximum strength for relief all day long. Increase...

Out and about.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 8407 Federal Industries presents the new Counter Top Signature Series Non-refrigerated Self-Serve Display Case. Designed with impulse sales in mind, this specialty merchandiser features modern styling with easy access to a wide...

Medicinal method.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 111 Novartis Consumer Health Inc. announces the first systemic medicine in a portable thin strip form that melts on the tongue in an instant. Thin Strips will be used in line extensions of two category-leading Novartis OTC...

(Bread)stick around.(New Stuff!)
September 1, 2004... NACS Booth 8413 Piccadilly Circus Pizza's Double Dippers Breadstick program is a freezer to oven foodservice concept to help retailers control labor and grow the bottom line. Double Dippers Breadsticks come in three mouthwatering...

Coffins R us.(Back Room)(Universal Casket Co.)
September 1, 2004... And people thought it was a little weird when 7 Eleven started selling Razor scooters. In a move that has left some retail observers scratching their heads, big box discounter Costco Wholesale Corp. has begun testing sales of Caskets in a...

Itching for a winter? Try Butt Paste!(Back Room)(Boudreaux's Butt Paste)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Great football teams were built on secret weapons. The Oakland Raiders of old had gobs and gobs of stickum. The Florida Gators had Gatorade. And the LSU Tigers, apparently, have Butt Paste--Boudreaux's Butt Paste, to be more precise. This...