Politics Are Brewing at 7-Eleven

Politics Are Brewing at 7-Eleven

Fourth 7-Election presidential coffee cup poll gets underway. 7-Eleven is announcing its fourth 7-Election presidential coffee cup poll, where customers vote by buying a cup that represents their preferred candiate. In past years, millions of everyday Americans have participated in the 7-Election vote as they go about their daily routines. While many states offer early [...]

Bursting With Energy

Bursting With Energy

The energy shots and drinks market has been on an upward growth trajectory since 2010 and with the improvement in the economy is expected to continue on this growth. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor Americans need all the energy they can get their hands on, which goes a long way to explaining the enduring success [...]

College Convenience Competes Locally

College Convenience Competes Locally

Kent State’s Eastway Market & Deli offers students the products they need at affordable prices to keep shopping occasions on campus. By Megan Wilkinson and John Lofstock. Getting to know your core customers is an ongoing challenge. But when your customers are a transient group of students, staying on top of their needs is virtually [...]

Premium Beverage Handles

Premium Beverage Handles

C-stores can add upscale appeal to their coffee, tea and other beverage dispensers by adding the new Crystal Handle from Tomlinson Industries. The handles are made from a durable crystal-clear resin, and can be used with any S, SP or MS Series faucet. Existing faucets can be converted to use Tomlinson’s premium handles, or the [...]

Coinstar Takes Vending Beyond Movie Rentals And Cash

Coinstar Takes Vending Beyond Movie Rentals And Cash

Coinstar Inc. is in the process of advancing and developing new kiosk and vending technologies. The owner of the Redbox movie-rental kiosks argues today’s consumers want an updated lineup of self-serve products, ranging from coffee to refurbished iPods. Today’s shoppers are more technologically savvy, and want things quick on-the-go. The vending kiosk trend is expected [...]

Smucker’s Foodservice Updates Its Coffee Program

Smucker’s Foodservice Updates Its Coffee Program

Smucker Foodservice promotes the sale of coffee in retail outlets since more than half of U.S. consumers drink coffee on a daily basis. The company is offering c-stores with more coffee solutions since Smucker’s added the Douwe Egberts Cafitesse Liquid Coffee System to its portfolio. Douwe Egberts has been in the coffee business for more than [...]

Doing Deli the Right Way

Doing Deli the Right Way

Convenience store operators have plenty of help when it comes to investing in a foodservice program. By Jim Callahan. I recently read that China’s convenience stores are experiencing double-digit growth in deli sales primarily driven by hot dog sales. But let’s be frank, nobody does hot dogs better than Americans. From the quality of the [...]

New Roast Coffee Blend

New Roast Coffee Blend

Georgia Coffee, a roast and ground version of the Coca-Cola Co.’s billion-dollar coffee brand, is now available to U.S. retailers. The new product is offered in multiple blends to meet consumers’ needs: dark roast, light roast, decaf and sustainable organic. Each is made of 100% Arabica beans, has a distinct flavor profile and comes in [...]

Caffeinated Partnership In Charleston, S.C.

Caffeinated Partnership In Charleston, S.C.

Sunoco hosts a press conference with the Lowcountry Food Bank Monday to introduce their partnership plans. Sunoco executives plan to announce a partnership with the Lowcountry Food Bank during a press conference at 2 p.m. on Monday. Pat Walker, president and CEO of the Lowcountry Food Bank, Cynthia Archer, vice president of marketing and development [...]

Drive-Throughs Help Coffee Sales

Drive-Throughs Help Coffee Sales

More convenience store chains and fast-casual restaurant chains add drive throughs at their stores, which helps with the sale of coffee. The fast-food drive-through concept now covers the world of designer coffee, convenience stores and fast-casual chains such as Panera Bread. Drive-through sales are growing after the economic recession. Sales increased 3% in 2011, and [...]

Vending Organic Coffee

Vending Organic Coffee

Recent studies from the Harvard School of Public Health find that 54% of American adults consume coffee on a daily basis, and three cups per person is the average. Fresh Healthy Vending Cafe wants to satisfy America’s coffee cravings by releasing a new machine that allows consumers to get fresh-brewed coffee with the push of [...]

NOCO Rolls Out Dino-Mart Franchise

NOCO Rolls Out Dino-Mart Franchise

“Our goal is to grow the Dino-Mart brand throughout our operating area and then across upstate New York,” says NOCO executive vice president. NOCO Energy Corp. is launching a retail gasoline convenience store franchise business called Dino-Mart across New York State, the Buffalo News Online reported.   NOCO is hosting a ribbon cutting today to [...]

Starbucks Cuts Crushed Bug Ingredient After Outcry

Starbucks Cuts Crushed Bug Ingredient After Outcry

Starbucks is switching to natural, vegetarian coloring in response to consumer pressure via petition on Change.org. In response to massive public outcry and consumer pressure, Starbucks announced it plans to replace cochineal coloring derived from crushed bugs and instead use a tomato based ingredient to color several products, including its strawberry Frappuccinos. A popular campaign [...]

Illinois MotoMart Celebrates After Selling Winning Lottery Ticket

Illinois MotoMart Celebrates After Selling Winning Lottery Ticket

Nine c-store employees at the Red Bull, Ill. store will get a chunk of the winnings. A MotoMart convenience store in southern Illinois that sold one of three lottery tickets that won a share of the world-record $656 million Mega Millions jackpot is celebrating this week.  Illinois Lottery Superintendent Michael Jones presented the MotoMart convenience [...]

Capturing Lunch and Dinner Customers

Capturing Lunch and Dinner Customers

When it comes to foodservice, convenience store operators must develop the expertise to make smart choices and deliver winning mealtime solutions. By John Lofstock, Editor People need food, and convenience stores need people to like their food, which is why keeping lunch and dinner menus fresh, new and exciting is so important. The food itself [...]