Corpus Christ City Council members are considering an ordinance that would require all gas stations to implement a pay-before-you-pump rule, Channel 6 KRIS-TV news reported. The city is looking to cut down on gas thefts and drive offs, which Corpus Christi police say they receive thousands of reports of each year. Police Chief Bryan Smith…
Wal-Mart Readies for Marketside, Smart Marketing
Wal-Mart is gearing up to open its new small-format Marketside grocery stores in southern California and Arizona, while also introducing a new in-store marketing program that offers micro-targeting right down to the store location and category, The Financial Times reported. The retailer applied for a liquor license for a small Marketside store planned as part…
Gustav Mixes Retail Gasoline Price Outlook
By Brian L Milne, Refined Fuels Editor, DTN Hurricane Gustav ripped through the Gulf of Mexico and came ashore Labor Day, forcing oil companies to evacuate oil rigs operating in the offshore waters in advance of the storm, while causing power outages in states along the Gulf that, in turn, kept oil refineries offline. However,…
Wawa’s 1 Billion Brews
Wawa has celebrated the sale of its one-billionth cup of coffee in the new millennium. To mark the milestone, the Pennsylvania chain has rolled out “Wawa Coffeetopia,” a campaign and celebration of all things Wawa coffee. “As a five-state regional company, we are extremely proud that we have gained such a significant share of the…
TA Renovates, Reopens Porter, Ind., Site
Westlake, Ohio-based TravelCenters of America has reopened its Porter, Ind., site at Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 20 after a major renovation project, the company said. The renovated location now includes improved driver amenities such as new restrooms, nine new showers, a new game room and a renovated TV lounge. In addition, the fuel island…
Exxon, General Mills Donate To Hurricane Relief
ExxonMobil donated $1.5 million for disaster relief assistance in Louisiana in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, while General Mills pledged $200,000 dollars for the remainder of the hurricane season. “The physical damage from Gustav’s hurricane force winds has been devastating, particularly in south Louisiana,” said Rex Tillerson, chairman and CEO at ExxonMobil. “Hundreds of thousands…
Green Mountain’s Boisterous Brew
Green Mountain Coffee has launched Revv coffee, a new “Extra-Bold” coffee delivering 27% more coffee and 27% more kick, the company said. The new blend is now available by the cup at all On The Run and Tiger Market convenience stores nationwide – about 1,100 locations. Revv, which expands the coffee that Green Mountain has…
HP Expands POS Options
HP said it has expanded its business systems portfolio to include advanced point-of-sale (POS) solutions for the small to midsized retail market, including new business desktop PCs with enhanced performance and security and HP’s Total Care service and support. The new HP rp3000 Point of Sale (POS) solution offers small to midsized retailers functionality exceeding…
Altria Acquires UST
Altria Group Inc. and UST Inc. have entered into a definitive agreement in which Altria is acquiring all outstanding shares of UST, the world’s leading moist smokeless tobacco manufacturer, the companies said. The transaction is valued at approximately $11.7 billion, which includes the assumption of approximately $1.3 billion of debt. UST shareholders will receive $69.50…
Tobacco Taxes: No Means No
For the second consecutive year Congress is talking about raising cigarette taxes by as much as $6.10 a carton to fund a $35 billion expansion of the SCHIP health program. A vote could happen as early as this month. Since 2000, cigarette excise taxes have been raised 88 times increasing the cost of cigarettes, an…