A look at how packaged-foods manufacturers are faring in this faltering economy: Campbell Soup’s sales rose 13% in the most recent quarter, a phenomenon CEO Douglas Conant said was aided partly by strapped consumers embracing condensed soup as an inexpensive meal alternative, the Web site adage.com reported. Kellogg Co.’s second-quarter sales climbed 11% to $3.3 [...]
Corporate giants in the convenience world this week are continuing to donate millions of dollars as crews are trying to restore communities to normal in the wake of recent hurricanes. However, the aftermath of Hurricanes Ike and Katrina is also prompting states to continue investigations into alleged price-gouging in a number of Gulf Coast and [...]
MillerCoors said it’s pausing the rollout of a new caffeine-infused alcoholic energy drink pending talks with 25 states that don’t want the company to release the beverage. In a statement Friday, MillerCoors said the company won’t go ahead with its scheduled Oct. 1 launch of the drink, Sparks Red. Attorneys general from 25 states asked [...]
Krispy Kreme is hoping its new soft-serve ice cream will pull it out of a three-year sales slump, the Associated Press reported. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts’ latest turnaround plan includes launching a new ice cream as well as opening smaller stores and expanding overseas, though some suspect it still may not be enough to help the [...]
Sheetz Inc. has opened a new store in High Point, N.C., just outside the Greensboro market, the company said. It’s the 18th Sheetz store in that state. As part of the grand opening festivities, the company made a donation to the Miracle League of High Point, which the organization will use to help develop a [...]
The NATSO Foundation Board of Directors voted to add five members to its roster this week. The directors, whose terms are effective immediately, bring the board to its full complement and represent organizations from the truckstop and travel plaza industry, its suppliers and customers, NATSO said. The NATSO Foundation is the research, education and public [...]
McDonald’s is trying to engage the “mom” demographic with a "Moms’ Quality Correspondents" program that takes five "everyday moms" on behind-the-scenes field trips to explore the quality, safety and nutritional value of McDonald’s menu items, according to Mediapost.com. The moms share what they learn with other moms and interested parties through online journals, photos, videos [...]
Oil giant BP has donated $8 million for relief efforts following Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, while fuel-dispenser innovator Dresser Wayne has dispatched a special team to the hurricane-ravaged area to help repair fuel-dispensing equipment and retail technologies. Additionally, fleet-card specialist U.S. Bank Voyager Fleet Systems has donated $5,000 to the relief effort. Dresser Wayne said [...]
Atlas Oil Company, of Taylor, Mich., said it has named Maher Najjar as chief information officer (CIO). As a strategic partner with the Atlas Leadership Team, Najjar will use IT to streamline technical, accounting and administrative processes and procedures to meet Atlas Oil’s business objectives, the company said. Najjar began his career at Atlas in [...]
Expanding its popular private-label brands, Wilson Farms Inc. said it’s adding a Fresh n’ Ready Bakery program to 60 of its 194 locations throughout New York. The company, operating under the Wilson Farms, Sugarcreek and Wilson Farms Xpress banners, will offer a variety of fresh-baked products that will be delivered to the stores daily, including [...]
The nation’s top-selling newspaper is making headlines in convenience stores this week after announcing that it’s opening a convenience store called USA Today Travel Zone at three airports across the country. The first USA Today Travel Zone opened Sept. 17 in the North Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, though two more openings will [...]
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets said it’s planning to hire more than 250 store employees this month as a part of a continued expansion, but it’ll have to cull the applicant list down from the 14,000 it received in August. With stores in California, Arizona and Nevada, Fresh & Easy said it offers pay and [...]
By Brian L. Milne, Refined Fuels Editor for DTN Gasoline prices at retail outlets soared late last week and into the weekend in a number of states across the country as the twin effects of hurricanes Gustav and Ike were felt along the supply chain that reached local markets far away from the Gulf Coast, [...]
A retail magazine by NetWorld Alliance reports that research from global payment security consultancy Trustwave is showing some surprising results about the most common methods and targets of recent breach incidents by hackers. Trustwave’s data was presented at the 2008 MICROS Users Conference this week in Maryland. Mark Shelhart, manager of operations engineering for Trustwave, [...]
Pennsylvania-based Sheetz has renewed a contract with Kronos Incorporated that will continue to provide selection and hiring solutions for the retailer’s 350 stores in six states. According to Kronos, Sheetz had been using a paper-based system since it was founded more than 50 years ago, but as the company grew it found the system to [...]