Anyone who’s ever tried to satisfy an urge to snack with a bag of salty chips knows that you have to have a drink to do it right. That, of course, is the basis of cross-marketing: linking the desire for one product to a perceived need for another—and offering customers cost-saving deals that combine their [...]
“In a business like cigars, where unit volume is growing 10% plus year-over-year, emerging strategic thinking in convenience retail suggests that retailers can grow even faster by employing a “price-for-volume” strategy for key products.” David Bishop, partner, Willard Bishop This summer, we examined how convenience retailers could manage the cigar category differently to realize above-market [...]
7-Eleven Timeline 7-Eleven Inc. began almost 81 years ago when a Dallas ice dock operator decided to add milk, eggs and bread in response to his customers’ needs. The company’s first expansion outside Texas was into Florida. The retailer entered the franchising arena in 1964 with the acquisition of Speedee Mart, a chain of franchised [...]
No one sells food that is both fresh and convenient in the U.S., sniffed a retailing analyst quoted by the London Economist last year. “The typical American convenience store consumer is Homer Simpson.” Oh, really? Tell that to the hundreds of customers who stood in line waiting for giant British food retailer Tesco’s first Fresh [...]
New Stuffins from Sara Lee and Jimmy Dean are taking handheld foods to a new level of taste and convenience. Foodservice in the c-store has fast become a desirablesegment in the eyes of the consumer. Because of that, operatorsare left with the challenge of providing a tasty, satisfyingmeal without sacrificing the speed and convenience thatcustomers [...]
Over the past few years, many retailers haverevamped their food offerings. As those foodservicesgrow, so do the other categories that strongly supplement them, such as frozen beverages. However, some frozen beverage offerings are starting to become as elaborate—andas profitable—as the categories they were meant to complement.In other words, chains are finally starting to realize just [...]
Roller grills are turning out large profits with the help of visual promotions and dedicated suppliers. When a customer walks into their neighborhood convenience store, there are a few stapleitems they instantly look for—the soda fountain, the beverage coolers and the roller grill. The roller grill has proven to be one of those steadfast programs [...]
Any fresh chicken program requires dedication, but see how a little ingenuity earned these retailers recognition and, oh yeah, thousands of dollars in chicken sales per week. By Kate Quackenbush, Managing Editor Despite their obvious size differences, 170-store Fas Mart Convenience Stores,23-store Johnson Oil and single-store operator One Stop Convenience Store allhave one thing in [...]
Some O’Connell Oil stores receive upwards of 30 call-ahead orders per day. Store-made sandwiches are popular, but deli meats and platters are the big draw. Which came first, the deli or the sandwich program? Pittsfield, MA-based O’Connell Oil may be in the minority, but it was trying to become a destination for deli meats long [...]
Branded fast food and a retooled ’people process’ inspire New West Petroleum to new-found profitability in the Golden State. California’s New West Petroleum often interviews 40 candidates to fill one store manager’s job or 20 candidates for one sales associate’s job. But the pools of talent in the two major markets in which the company [...]
Nice N Easy’s foodservice expert took its programs to the next level by applying a more scholarly approach. By Kate Quackenbush, Associate Editor Jack Cushman has made foodservice the focus of his education and careerand pizza is his forte. He received his Ph.D. from Kansas State University in Hotel, Restaurant, Institutional Foodservice and Dietetics. He [...]
The roller grill has evolved. Today’s versatile roller grills cook up and merchandise a lot more than just hot dogs. Roller grills are a great way to prepare and merchandise a growing number of foods in convenience stores. In fact, operators are finding that roller grills are much more versatile than once thought. Not long [...]
C-store retailers expect enhancements to the coffee bar new blends, cups and designsto foster dramatic growth. Less than six months ago, the coffee presentation at Heritage’s Dairy Stores looked pretty basic. It took up 8 ft. to 10 ft. of space, featuring just a few brewers selling dark roast, decaf and a proprietary blend. Today, [...]
Hot dogs have long been a staple on convenience store roller grills, but new items help spice up sales. For as long as Jeff Beal can remember, foodservice has always set apart Johnny Quik Food Stores, Inc. (Fresno, CA). Eight years ago the 20-store chain tried its first Subway, which has yielded three more franchises [...]