CSD: The NACS 2007 State of the Industry report had some mixed results. Sales surged, but industry profits decreased. Is this an area of concern? Armour: The strong sales growth is validation that the industry is satisfying thegrowing and ubiquitous consumer demandfor convenience. Perhaps the clearest evidence of that is the chart showing ourindustry’s inside…
711s new marketing man
7-Eleven Inc. is embarking on anew marketing vision by naming DougFoster its first chief marketing officer (CMO). Promoted from his mostrecent position as 7-Eleven's vice presidentof marketing, Foster brings more than 13years of professional advertising experienceto the new role, as well as an acute understanding of the 7-Eleven family culture. Joe DePinto, 7-Eleven's president andCEO,…
food for thought
Patience doesn't come easy, but it can haveits rewards. Nowhere is that more evident thanby observing the foodservice programs at Exxon Mobil Corp. and Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes. Bothchains have refined their food segments over severalyears to come up with the right menu to meet the needsof core customers, and that's why Convenience StoreDecisions…
changing fuel products impact fuel decisions
While market swings of a few cents may have little impact on inventory replacement, the industry has become accustomed to larger and more frequent price movements. Cathy Duncan, Senior Product Manager, DTN Refined Fuels Just a few short years ago, therewere a handful of petroleum products sold in retail outlets across thecountry. Fast forward to…
customer focused
Stop-N-Go Stores executes unparalleled customer service because it never loses sight of its most important asset: its people. Stop-N-Go Stores has been a convenience beacon in Medina, ohio foralmost half a century, but the 10-store chain has become a force to be reckoned with ever since Becky Shotwell took over theoperation from her parents, Ruth…
battle of the bulge
While manufacturers race to remove trans-fats from snacks, c-store staples with a twist are earning some retailers robust sales. The salty snack category, with its fat-laddened chips and processed flavors, has never conjured ideas of healthy eating. The category took a hit when the Atkins diet burst on the scene, but consumers have since returned…
a family company
E-Z Mart Inc. has a long historyof being an innovator in convenienceretailing. When conveniencestores in the early 1970s onlystayed open until 6 p.m., founder JimYates kept his doors open until 11p.m. That kind of forward thinkinghelped the Texarkana, Texas-basedoperator grow operations to morethan 500 stores in the late 1990s.But the company suffered heartbreakingadversity in 1998…
protecting tobacco
The 1998 Master Settlement Agreement continues toimpact tobacco sales. Since the agreement went intoeffect almost a decade ago, tobacco retailers continue to be shackled by heavy regulations and constantly increasingtaxes. While taxation is hurting convenience store retailers andtobacco manufacturers by making products more expensive topurchase, regulation is the force that is really bringingheadaches to an…
decisionmakers
VeraSun Energy Corp., the nation's second-largest ethanol producer, announced two additions to its management team. Bob Antoine willmove into his new role as senior vice president ofhuman resources, bringing more than 25 years ofexperience to the position. Peter Atkins alsojoins VeraSun as the new vice president of mergers and acquisitions. He will be responsible for…
hot stuff snaps up lettieris
Hot Stuff Foods (www.hotstufffoods.com) has acquired Lettieri'sInc. (www.lettieris.com ), a manufacturer of ready-made food products. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the companies said the acquisition is being funded by Hot Stuff management, Lettieri's management and Allied Capital Corp. The addition of Lettieri's extends the company's reach to more than 40,000 additional…