7-Eleven Closes Sam’s Mart Deal

7-Eleven Closes Sam’s Mart Deal

The 55 acquired stores are scheduled for rebranding as 7-Elevens in 2012. 7-Eleven Inc. has closed on the acquisition of 55 Sam’s Mart stores from Sam’s Mart LLC.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Slurpee drinks and Big Bite hot dogs aren’t the only good news 7-Eleven stores’ return to the Greater Charlotte [...]

C-Store Count Grows 1.2%

C-Store Count Grows 1.2%

Today there is approximately one c-store per 2,100 U.S. residents. The U.S. convenience store count increased to a record 148,126 stores as of Dec. 31, 2011, a 1.2% increase (1,785 stores) from the year prior, according to the latest NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count. The convenience retailing industry has seen remarkable growth over the last [...]

Thorntons Names Harris Chief Operating Officer

Thorntons Names Harris Chief Operating Officer

Harris’ leadership of Thorntons’ retail strategy has helped result in the chain’s unprecedented growth, says Thortons CEO. Thorntons Inc. has named Tony Harris chief operating officer (COO) of the Louisville, Ky.-based convenience store chain. Harris will be responsible for operations, marketing, gasoline pricing, brand management, customer experience and retail strategy. A Thorntons Inc. veteran of [...]

Local Store Marketing: Foodservice Group Sales

Local Store Marketing: Foodservice Group Sales

By John Matthews, founder and president of Gray Cat Enterprises Inc. One often-overlooked strategy to generate ancillary foodservice revenues is developing a program to tap group sales.  Generating revenue through large group order sales is an excellent way to exponentially grow your business.  The sale from the initial large group order is the first source [...]

Getting Crafty in the Cold Vault

Getting Crafty in the Cold Vault

Beer sales are hot right now and driving the push are specialty brews and imports. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor. Consumer interest in more flavorful food and beverages has led, among other things, to the rise of craft beers. Retailers: Start your engines. Craft beers offer more challenging tastes, authenticity and often even a quirkiness [...]

Supervalu Commits $1 Million To Sponsor Youth Sports Teams

Supervalu Commits $1 Million To Sponsor Youth Sports Teams

Sponsorship helps provide opportunities for more than 20,000 kids to participate in soccer and baseball. Supervalu Inc. has committed $1 million to sponsor 1,542 youth sports teams in markets where its ACME, ALBERTSONS, Cub Foods, FARM FRESH, JEWEL-OSCO and SHAWS/STAR Market stores operate. The sponsorships underscore the company’s commitment to its local neighborhoods. The sponsorships, [...]

Marlin Network Celebrates Silver Anniversary

Marlin Network Celebrates Silver Anniversary

Springfield, Mo.-based Marlin Network Inc. celebrated its 25th anniversary at the 2010 National Restaurant Association Show, May 20 – 25, 2010 in Chicago. Founded in May of 1985, Marlin Network has steadily grown as an agency in the foodservice channel, now employing 80+ strategic, creative and culinary professionals, and representing more than 60 of the [...]

Valero Reports Fourth Quarter, Annual Results

Valero Reports Fourth Quarter, Annual Results

Valero Energy Corporation has reported a fourth quarter loss from continuing operations of $182 million, or $0.32 per share, excluding special items, of $155 million, or $0.28 per share. This compared to a fourth quarter 2008 loss from continuing operations of $3.2 billion, or $6.22 per share, excluding special items, of $795 million, or $1.53 [...]

New Year, New Opportunities

New Year, New Opportunities

For many convenience store chains, 2009 could not end soon enough. A challenging economy, higher operating costs, outrageous credit card fees and an onslaught of new tobacco taxes were just some of the issues retailers had to contend with. In our ongoing effort to provide readers with the tools they need to make informed decisions, [...]

MAPCO’s New Direction

MAPCO’s New Direction

Great stores, outstanding service and a commitment to its people helped MAPCO Express garner Chain of the Year honors in 1996. The company has changed quite a bit since then, but the focus on convenience store operations remains stronger than ever. MAPCO Express, as it exists today, was formed with Delek US Holdings’ acquisition of [...]

Organic Growth Drives Kwik Trip

Organic Growth Drives Kwik Trip

In 2004, CSD awarded La Crosse, Wis.-based Kwik Trip Inc. with the Chain of the Year award recognizing a company that values people and forays into new technology, combining business and energy intelligence to save dollars. CSD also was impressed with Kwik Trip’s use of vertical integration to control the products and support functions that [...]

Couche-Tard Pushes U.S. Expansion

Couche-Tard Pushes U.S. Expansion

When Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. was presented with CSD’s Chain of the Year honors in 2007, the company’s smart, strong growth was cited as the foundation for the honor. A little more than two years later and not much has changed. The company is still regarded as one of the savviest marketers in two countries, and [...]

Changing its Stripes

Changing its Stripes

Susser Holdings Corp. at a glance A dynamic marketer Based in Corpus Christi, Texas, Susser Holdings is the largest non-refiner, convenience store operator in Texas, with additional stores in Oklahoma and New Mexico. It operates 516 convenience stores through its Stripes LLC division and is the 19th largest c-store chain in the U.S. Convenience Store [...]