Pricing, Promotions Key for Salty Snacks

Pricing, Promotions Key for Salty Snacks

When the American Public Health Association highlighted a December 2009 study on candy, snack and sweetened beverage availability in non-food retailers, it was worried about obesity. Convenience store retailers are only worried about thin margins. The Tulane University researchers found snack food in 41% of all stores whose primary merchandise was not food. Candy was [...]

Casey’s Reports Record Fiscal Fourth Quarter

Casey’s Reports Record Fiscal Fourth Quarter

Casey’s General Stores Inc. has reported $0.43 in basic earnings per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 ended April 30, 2010, compared to $0.31 from the same quarter a year ago. The results include approximately $6.9 million in legal and advisory fees pertaining to the evaluation of the unsolicited offer and related actions [...]

Energy Sales Hold Strong

Energy Sales Hold Strong

Familiarity with shifting consumer attitudes amidst a turbulent economy–and the willingness to make changes in the cooler if need be–could help retailers cash in big with isotonics and energy drinks this year. “If you’re intent on raising your share in that marketplace then I think you have to get in touch with who that user [...]

Coca-Cola Debuts HFC-Free Vending

Coca-Cola Debuts HFC-Free Vending

The next time a member of the House of Representatives reaches for a Coke, it will be from a greener vending machine. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) joined Dan Beard, House Chief Administrative Officer and leaders from Coca-Cola this week to unveil 35 new climate friendly Coca-Cola vending machines for the Capitol buildings including [...]

7-Eleven Delves Deeper Into Game Segment

7-Eleven Delves Deeper Into Game Segment

7-Eleven Inc. plans to add a new program of “Great Games Below $20″ from Game Trading Technologies (GTT) to 3,000 of its stores. The 3,000 outlets represent 50% of the U.S. stores operated and franchised by 7-Eleven, Inc.  “We partnered with GTT because of their experience and expertise as a third-party provider of video games [...]

Economists Offer 2010 Outlook

Economists Offer 2010 Outlook

Economists presented both sides of the picture to retailers at the NACS State of the Industry Summit in Chicago this week. The 2010 NACS State of the Industry Summit marked the 40th anniversary of the State of the Industry survey conducted by NACS. When the survey began, industry sales were recorded at just over  $1 [...]

Consumer Confidence Improving

Consumer Confidence Improving

“Consumers are back in the game,” James Russo, vice president of global consumer insights at Nielsen, assured the crowd of retailers at the NACS State of the Industry Summit in Chicago this week. Russo shared the top consumer behaviors c-store operators should watch for this year, noting that while consumers were on the sidelines in [...]

NACS Releases State of the Industry Report

NACS Releases State of the Industry Report

C-store sales jumped 5% in 2009 despite the economic conditions, reduction in overall consumer spending. Convenience store in-store sales grew 4.9% in 2009, one of the lone bright spots in a battered U.S. economy that saw overall retail sales drop 7%, according to figures released today by NACS. The industry numbers were announced in Chicago [...]

Valero to Sell Delaware City Assets for $220 Million

Valero to Sell Delaware City Assets for $220 Million

Valero Energy Corp. is selling the assets of its terminal operation and discontinued operations in Delaware City to the Delaware City Refining Company LLC and Delaware Pipeline Company LLC, wholly owned subsidiaries of PBF Energy Partners LP. Valero is selling the assets for $220 million and will retain the minimal levels of remaining crude oil [...]

Social Networking  Takes Retail by Storm

Social Networking Takes Retail by Storm

Speedy Personalized DealsChristianna Frizzell, customer relationship manager for Speedway SuperAmerica, said the best online responses will come from email blasts and text message campaigns if you know your demographic and keep contact timely and relevant. It can also be helpful to look at how customers are contacting you. For example, are they emailing or calling [...]

Marketing the Beverage Bar

Marketing the Beverage Bar

While frozen dispensed beverages are not a huge portion of the typical store’s overall sales, the product is proving to be quite profitable, thanks to a gross margin north of 50%. Although the slush-style drink was a c-store original, other retailers recognized its potential, and today, frozen beverages with a variety of names and logos [...]

The Nielsen Co. Reveals Generational Shopping Habits

The Nielsen Co. Reveals Generational Shopping Habits

The Nielsen Company recently analyzed the shopping habits of four key generations (Greatest Generation, Boomers, Gen X and Millennials) to understand generational differences in purchasing practices and gain insights into opportunities for CPG companies.   Results showed that the Greatest Generation consumers, shaped by the Great Depression and World War II frugality, are the most [...]

7-Eleven Sells 12-Asset Portfolio

7-Eleven Sells 12-Asset Portfolio

A portfolio of 12 7-Eleven stores, all of which were part of small strip centers, has sold to different buyers in transactions with a combined value greater than $20 million, GlobeSt.com reported. The 12 assets in Nevada, Texas and Virginia were acquired from the locally based 7-Eleven through all-cash deals. Seller representative Mehran Foroughi, senior [...]

Convenience Industry Holds Strong

Convenience Industry Holds Strong

When history looks back on 2009 it will not be generous. The U.S. economy was, and to a certain degree, remains locked in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. Unemployment is high and the value of the dollar and consumer spending are at near-record lows. While this is bad, it could have been [...]

Capitalizing  on Coffee

Capitalizing on Coffee

Opportunity for Growth 54% of the overall adult population drank coffee beverages daily in 2009. Coffee preparation at home is up five percentage points, with 83% of past-day coffee drinkers reporting that they made coffee at home the day before. 80% of coffee drinkers are doing nothing different despite the economic downturn. 17% are visiting [...]