TOP PERFORMERS RYKO Manufacturing Co. Mark VII Equipment Inc. PDQ Car Wash HONORABLE MENTIONS Autec Inc. Ecolab Inc. With high gasoline prices squeezing fuel margins, the addition of a car wash can turn a major profit for operators looking to make up some of the revenue lost at the pumps. It all comes down to…
Technology
TOP PERFORMERS Gilbarco Veeder-Root Verifone Inc. Professional Datasolutions Inc. (PDI) HONORABLE MENTIONS Dresser Wayne FACTOR Inc. The convenience store industry continues to drive innovation and developing new retail technology systems has been no exception. The 53 chains representing 7,950 stores that participated in CSD’s Brand Preference Study identified Gilbarco Veeder-Root, Verifone Inc. and Professional Datasolutions…
ATM/POS Systems
TOP PERFORMERS Triton Systems PaySpot Inc. MoneyGram HONORABLE MENTIONS Western Union Chase/Paymentech ATM and point-of-sale (POS) systems have helped convenience retailers gain a competitive edge by providing news service and enhanced convenience. Thirty-five key decision makers representing 5,250 stores selected Triton, PaySpot Inc. and MoneyGram as the top performers in the ATM/POS category. Honorable mentions…
Embracing the Kiosk Revolution
Foodservice Kiosk Usage Grows In addition to the large chains like Sheetz and Wawa that have been using self-service kiosks for many years, smaller chains are also enjoying the benefits of self-serve technology. • High’s of Baltimore Inc. reached a deal with Radiant Systems last July to deploy multiple Radiant customer self-service kiosks in more…
Health and Beauty Care/ General Merchandise
TOP PERFORMERS BIC Corp. Lil’ Drug Store Products Inc. Novelty Inc. HONORABLE MENTIONS Convenience Valet Procter & Gamble The 63 key decision makers in the HBC and general merchandise segment identified BIC Corp., Lil’ Drug Store Products Inc. and Novelty Inc. as the category’s top performers. Honorable Mentions include Convenience Valet and Procter & Gamble.…
Ice Cream/ Frozen Novelty
TOP PERFORMERS Wells-Blue Bunny Ben & Jerry’s Unilever (Good Humor, Breyers, Klondike and Popsicle) HONORABLE MENTIONS Nestlé USA Masterfoods Regarded as the ultimate snack indulgence, ice cream and frozen novelties are an important, albeit often overlooked, retail segment. The category’s understated consistency in delivering a mix of premium, super premium and regular brands with just…
Nutty About Seeds
C-store customers are discovering what Native Americans learned thousands of years ago: A handful of nuts or sunflower seeds can satisfy hunger and boost energy reserves without risking adding excess body fat—and researchers have found that people who include nuts and seeds in their diets lower their risks for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Though…
Fully Prepared Hot/Cold Sandwiches
TOP PERFORMERS Deli Express Pierre Foods Landshire HONORABLE MENTIONS Lettieri’s Made Rite/Goliath While branded and proprietary foodservice programs get a lot of attention at retail, hot and cold prepackaged sandwiches have quietly and profitably filled a valuable niche for retailers. Grab-and-go sandwiches offer consumers a quick, easy meal solution that is affordable and available in…
Packaged Snacks
TOP PERFORMERS FritoLay (PepsiCo) Kellogg/Keebler Kraft Foods Inc. HONORABLE MENTIONS Jack Links Beef Jerky Nabisco/Planters Lance Inc. Frito-Lay, Kellogg’s/Keebler and Kraft head the list of top performers in the packaged snack category, according to 84 category buyers representing 12,600 convenience stores. Honorable mentions in the category were Jack Links Beef Jerky, Nabisco/Planters and Lance. The…
Branded Fast Food
TOP PERFORMERS Subway Subs & Salads Hunt Bros. Pizza Dunkin’ Donuts HONORABLE MENTIONS McDonald’s Corp. Hot Stuff Foods Blimpie Foodservice remains among the strongest in-store categories for convenience store owners, and fast-food brands are helping drive the business. According to the 45 key decision makers to participate in the CSD Brand Preference Study, Subway, Hunt…