New 36-month power contracts are netting more than $400,000 in savings for 157 Massachusetts stores. Tedeschi Food Shops has successfully secured new electricity contracts for 157 of its stores in Massachusetts, with help from World Energy Solutions Inc., an energy management services firm. Through a series of competitive auctions run on the World Energy Exchange, [...]
Marathon Oil Corp. to focus on upstream responsibilities, while new Marathon Petroleum Corp. handles downstream business for the company, effective June 30. Marathon Oil Corp. plans to separate its upstream and downstream segments. The new Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC), which will be headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, will operate the company’s refining, marketing, terminals and pipelines, [...]
For convenience store operators, being a good corporate citizen isn’t something they can take lightly. In fact giving back to the community should be considered the cost of doing business, and it should be part of a company’s long-term mission. Giving back is something Folk Oil Co. takes seriously. This fall, the company’s PS Food [...]
Quality employees and customer service are the backbone of the convenience store and petroleum industry. All you have to do is observe how top quartile companies treat and respect their personnel to understand what kind of asset frontline employees can be to a successful company. It’s no accident that these operators are outperforming their competitors [...]
The New Year offers convenience store owners an opportunity to evaluate their product mix to ensure they are meeting their customers’ needs. The bells have chimed, the ball has dropped and 2011 is now a reality. Happy New Year to all of you. Every New Year starts with hope and a sense of wonderment as [...]
Superior service, loyal employees and an upscale retail offering define the Thorntons brand. [callout title=At a Glance: Thorntons Inc.] Thorntons was founded in 1971 by James Thornton in Louisville, Ky. His son, Matt Thornton, was named president and CEO of the 165-store chain in 2001, while James remains chairman of the family business. Headquarters: Louisville, [...]
The Starbucks Card Mobile App now offers customers with BlackBerry smartphones, iPhone and iPod touch the fastest way to pay at nearly 6,800 U.S. company-operated Starbucks stores. Starbucks has announced the launch of mobile payments in all of its U.S. company-operated stores, allowing customers to pay for in-store purchases with select smartphones. Building on the [...]
Some 55 New York-based c-stores sell “Hugs for Hospice” in December. The convenience store division of the Mirabito Family of Companies, which owns and operates more than 55 Quickway Food Stores, Mirabito and Convenience Express locations throughout central New York, is donating more than $10,000 to local Hospice organizations as a result of its “Hugs [...]
Warehouse Management System (WMS) to streamline c-store replenishment and reduce IT costs. Sheetz has selected the HighJump warehouse management system (WMS) to streamline its supply chain operations that replenishment to retail locations. Sheetz began the search for a new warehouse management system as part of an initiative to lower IT costs and reduce business risk [...]
Seattle-based Starbucks is rolling out a new drink size called Trenta—the chain’s biggest drink size yet, Reuters reported. At 31 ounces, the Trenta is just seven ounces larger than its Venti cups, which currently are the largest size on the Starbucks menu. The Trenta size is debuting in 14 states, including Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Texas, [...]
By Brian L. Milne, Refined Fuels Editor, Telvent DTN Retail gasoline prices continued to move higher through mid January, climbing when values typically flounder near annual lows during a time of year when winter weather usually dampens driving demand. Gasoline demand is nearly 2% higher during the four weeks ending Jan. 7 compared with the [...]
Framingham, Mass.-based Gulf Oil is returning to Nashville, Tenn., for the first time in 25 years, the Nashville Business Journal reported. Gulf Oil has partnered with Nashville-based Tri Star Energy to rebrand 21 area gas stations. The stores are being co-branded, maintaining Tri Star’s Daily’s brand. Eleven sites are already complete. The rebranding is expected [...]
Marfood’s Pemmican Brand Beef Jerky has awarded its first $1,000 Giveaway winner. Elizabeth Pyle of San Antonio, Texas purchased Pemmican Brand Beef Jerky from her local Pilot Travel Center store just before the Holiday Season of 2010 and entered the Pemmican $1,000 Giveaway. To her surprise just before Christmas, she became the first winner of [...]
The total in-stores sales in the U.S. convenience store market are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 4% during 2010-2013, according to RNCOS, which specializes in industry intelligence and creative solutions for contemporary business segments. According RNCOS’ report “U.S. Convenience Stores Market Outlook to 2013”, in-store sales constituted more [...]
Kum & Go has signed a deal to acquire two JC’s Corner Stores in central Iowa by the end of January, the Des Moines Register reported. The West Des Moines-based convenience store chain plans to renovate and rebrand the newly acquired stores—located at the corner of 35th Street and E.P. True Parkway in West Des [...]