Cold and frozen dispensed beverages are undergoing some major changes these days that continue to make the category one of the hottest in the convenience store industry. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Spring has sprung and with it comes a renewed focus on cold, frosty and refreshing beverages. For Pat Kelly, purchasing director for Hanover, [...]
Partnering with an established brand can help your chain leap into the foodservice business with a widely-recognized and trusted menu offering. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Foodservice demand is on the rise and competition is fierce for share of stomach sales not only from QSRs, but from grocery stores, other c-stores and even Walgreens. As [...]
Consumers are looking for fast service, fresh ingredients and value pricing when choosing a foodservice solution and convenience stores are answering the call with innovative programs that meet the latest food trends. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. The number of consumers purchasing grab-and-go sandwiches and other foods is continuing to rise. Retailers have to be [...]
Emphasizing quality and a dynamic product assortment has had positive effects on food sales at the roller grill. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor. Rollers grills can do a lot, but they do not sell for themselves. Managing roller grill food sales is no different from other foodservice categories in that convenience store operators need to [...]
Energy efficient washes can help car wash owners save money, while winning bonus points with customers who value sustainability. By Jim Callahan. Increasing profits at the car wash depends on two tasks: drawing new customers and tempting current customers to increase the frequency of their visits. To succeed with a car wash, you must be [...]
Scrutinizing expenditures across all areas of the business is a proven method for boosting profitability. By Betsi Bixby, Meridian Associates. When we do business valuations for marketers who want to know what their business or someone else’s is worth, one of the criteria we measure is inventory efficiency. Why? Because inefficient inventory will actually reduce [...]
As part of the year-round festivities, stores will hold community events to celebrate their individual anniversaries. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Stop’nGo of Medina Inc. is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year with store celebrations, promotions and customer sweepstakes, among a slew of other exciting commemorative events. Family-owned Stop’nGo operates 10 locations throughout Medina and [...]
Checking store sets daily for clutter and cleanliness is a simple solution for enhancing your location’s appearance. By Jim Callahan I went to check on a small convenience store recently that was in need of a little pick-me-up. One of the first things I noticed was the amount of free space the store had along [...]
New App for lottery players tracks tickets and delivers real-time drawing results. YooLotto has announced that version one of its free lottery-management application is now available for download for both iOS and Android devices. Currently supporting Powerball and Megamillions games in Texas, YooLotto is planning a national roll-out for the multi-state games later this year. [...]
Fans can reserve a refillable cup online and start their RooCup summer one week early. Kangaroo Express, operated by The Pantry Inc. has announced that fans of its RooCup can now pre-register to reserve, or rather “ROOserve,” their refillable cups for the summer. The RooCup, a collectible cup refillable with any fountain and frozen beverage [...]
“With a limited supply available at each participating ampm location, collectors will be challenged with the mission of acquiring a complete set,” says ampm marketing vice president. Convenience store chain ampm has joined forces with Blizzard Entertainment to offer customers an exclusive set of collectible cups based on StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, which [...]
Jack Link’s to sponsor team beginning this season; will host bat night giveaway April 27. America’s favorite meat snacks and America’s national pastime: it’s a perfect pairing happening this season and beyond through an exciting new partnership between Jack Link’s Beef Jerky and the Seattle Mariners. Jack Link’s, the No. 1 U.S. meat snack brand, [...]
With fresh foods, made-to-order coffee and drive-through service, United Express is meeting the grab-and-go needs of Texas customers. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor United Supermarkets is going all in on its effort to boost its convenience store business by expanding its United Express c-store concept. With two freestanding United Express stores already up and running, [...]
Despite a weakened economy, the convenience store industry posted healthy sales gains in key in-store categories, such as foodservice, snacks, beverages and tobacco products, raising optimism for an even stronger 2013. For all the concerns about reduced consumer spending over the past 15 months, convenience stores experienced another strong year in 2012. Core categories, such [...]
Four tips for managing your response if your chain comes under social media assault. By Ashley Verrill, Contributing Editor. Customer service expert, consultant and author Micah Solomon told me recently about one question that consistently dominates group discussion at his public speaking events: “Isn’t my brand and company in danger out there in the social [...]