WilcoHess Partners With OpenStore by GasBuddy

WilcoHess Partners With OpenStore by GasBuddy

“With these social and mobile initiatives, our company will be better equipped to meet our customers’ needs on a much more tailored level,” says WilcoHess spokesperson. Over the past year, WilcoHess has strategically realigned its non-traditional marketing and branding strategies to focus on tapping into a new industry demographic and, in turn, drive sales by [...]

Food Lion Launches New Brand Strategy

Food Lion Launches New Brand Strategy

Lower prices, fresh produce and an enhanced shopping experience to greet customers in 268 Food Lion stores. Food Lion has launched a new brand strategy in 268 stores in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.  These markets are the first stores in 2012 to unveil the new strategy, which is based on customer feedback and [...]

Ethnic, Local Themes Among Emerging Deli Trends

Ethnic, Local Themes Among Emerging Deli Trends

International fare and regionally produced ingredients are the hottest trends in deli department foods, according to “What’s in Store 2012,” the recently released annual trends publication of the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA). Eighty-two percent of consumers enjoy visiting supermarket delis that feature newer and trendier items, regardless of whether they regularly purchase these items. Delis [...]

Creating A Company Communications Plan

Creating A Company Communications Plan

By John Matthews, founder and president of Gray Cat Enterprises Inc. “What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate” – from the movie, Cool Hand Luke  Fire. Aim. Ready.  If this is your communications plan…..you may want to read on. Amazingly, many companies do not think about communications—both internally and externally—until it is a [...]

Hoshizaki America Recognized With 2012 Energy Star Award

Hoshizaki America Recognized With 2012 Energy Star Award

Hoshizaki America Inc. earns award for protecting the environment through energy efficiency.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Hoshizaki America Inc. as a 2012 ENERGY STAR Award for Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion winner for its outstanding contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by sponsoring significant consumer education efforts promoting energy-efficient products. Hoshizaki [...]

The Pantry Names Dennis Hatchell  President and CEO

The Pantry Names Dennis Hatchell President and CEO

“My initial focus will be to work with the Board and the management team to refine our strategic vision,” says Hatchell. The Pantry Inc. has announced that Dennis Hatchell will become President and CEO of the company, effective March 5, 2012. Hatchell previously served as vice chairman of Alex Lee Inc. headquartered in Hickory, N.C., [...]

The Pantry Announces Q1 Fiscal 2012 Results

The Pantry Announces Q1 Fiscal 2012 Results

The Pantry Inc. has announced financial results for its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 29, 2011. First Quarter Summary: Net loss was $2.9 million or $0.13 per share. This compares to a net loss of $12.2 million or $0.54 per share in last year’s first quarter. Excluding the impact of impairment charges and loss on [...]

Local Store Marketing: Sports Sponsorships

Local Store Marketing: Sports Sponsorships

By: John Matthews, founder and president of Gray Cat Enterprises Inc. Sports sponsorships are terrific ways to build your brand through local store marketing, because they are so flexible in nature.  Creating and fostering a relationship with a local team, while customizing your sponsorship to suit your needs, can catapult your brand further than simply [...]

Prima Marketing Selling 26 Sites

Prima Marketing Selling 26 Sites

Properties are available in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Prima Marketing LLC, of Denver, Colo., is selling 22 operating and closed c-stores plus four excess retail pad sites that it currently owns, leases, and/or operates. The properties are located in West Virginia and nearby areas of Pennsylvania and Ohio and include a mix of operating [...]

Fas Mart Donates $10,000 to Local Charity

Fas Mart Donates $10,000 to Local Charity

The donation, given through BP’s Fueling Communities Grant Program, supports the BackPack Program for at-need children. GPM Investments LLC, which operates the Fas Mart convenience store chain has donated $10,000 to the Central Virginia Food Bank through BP’s Fueling Communities grant program. The donations will be used to support the BackPack Program, providing at-need children [...]

Boyer’s Food Market and Holiday Stationstores Select Revionics

Boyer’s Food Market and Holiday Stationstores Select Revionics

“We are extremely pleased with the ROI and increased gross margin we have obtained from Revionics’ system,” says Holiday spokesperson. Boyer’s Food Market Inc., which operates 17 full service supermarket locations in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Holiday Stationstores, with over 450 corporately-owned and franchise stores, have both renewed their service agreements with Revionics. Boyer’s cited the [...]

Celebrate America Recycles Day

Celebrate America Recycles Day

West Virginia Oil Marketers & Grocers Association works to recycle and encourages other organizations to join in the cause ahead of America Recycles Day. The West Virginia Oil Marketers & Grocers Association, representing convenience stores, independent groceries and petroleum marketers across the state, is working to do its part to recycle and conserve resources. The [...]

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 [...]

What’s On Your Customer’s C-Store Shopping List?

What’s On Your Customer’s C-Store Shopping List?

Jeff Weghorst, director of merchandising at dunnhumbyUSA. One of the primary drivers behind a customer’s willingness to transact with a retailer is product selection. If a customer does not encounter an appealing assortment of products in-store, they are highly unlikely to engage even once with the retailer, and much less likely to become a loyal [...]

Dissecting Private Label Trends

Dissecting Private Label Trends

Private label performance is mixed across CPG channels; club and mass/super channels seeing strongest share growth. SymphonyIRI Group’s latest Times & Trends Report, “Private Label: Brand Positioning in the New World Order,” explores current and emerging trends around private label, as well as national brand efforts to protect and grow their position in the CPG [...]