Beer sales have held relatively steady despite the economic maelstrom of the past several months, and one reason is that c-stores are asking for help. Operators are seeking and getting assistance of various sorts from their suppliers in an effort to make up for lost dollars. Help is coming in the form of promotional programs…
Staying Competitive in a Tough Economy
A moribund economy is not the best time to take over as a category manager in charge of identifying what customers will spend their money on, but Pat Zelechoski is up to the challenge. Zelechoski, named category manager for NOCO Energy Corp.’s 31 NOCO Express convenience stores in the Eastern New York, will take on…
Handee Marts Garners Ethics Award
Don’t think customer service makes a difference? Handee Marts’ President and CEO Mike Triantafellou would disagree. Handee Marts, which operates 67 7-Eleven convenience stores in Pittsburgh, was honored recently with the Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award (PBEA), presented by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, in conjunction with the David Berg Center…
Retail Commission to Study Shopper Marketing
Coca-Cola said it is sponsoring the creation of the Retail Commission on Shopper Marketing. This group of retailers will work with industry experts to determine how to best leverage manufacturers’ insights to develop marketing approaches that increase same-store sales and profit performance. The commission will be guided by Dr. Brian Harris, chairman of The Partnering…
Alon’s Retail Spinoff Progresses
Alon USA, which began spinning off its Alon Brands subsidiary last November, is currently answering the second round of questions from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) before it can take its new subsidiary public. “We have an excellent business model, and expect to have all the documentation we need to move forward finalized in…
Healthy Trends in Kids’ Candy
They came, they saw, they tasted. Dozens of children, ages 8-13, were invited to become junior candy buyers by sampling various candies at ECRM’s Confectionary Efficient Program Planning Session (EPPS) in Dallas. The junior candy buyers were given an inside look at the confection industry from retail buyer attendees that included convenience stores and cross-channel…
Sweet Opportunity
By Bob Gatty, Contributing Editor If manufacturers, distributors and convenience store retailers would embrace some basic changes and work more closely together, they could realize a potential bonanza of hundreds of millions of dollars in new profit, according to a new joint industry study. That is the message of the soon-to-be released “Convenience, Candy &…
A Call to Action
Of all the issues I’ve worked on at Convenience Store Decisions, this month’s issue stands out for the sense of urgency conveyed throughout the numerous stories. Beginning with Bob Gatty’s outstanding cover story on the opportunities in the candy category to PCI compliance, Hispanic marketing and emerging tobacco trends, retailers are being challenged at every…
Driving Car Wash Sales
Doggy Drive Throughs One of the faster growing car wash trends is the do-it-yourself dog wash, which appears largely driven by financial considerations on the part of dog owners. No wonder: With dog grooming salons charging anywhere from $25 to $100 to bathe Fido these days, a $5 or even $10 self-serve alternative is a…
Concerns Abound for Cigars
The war over tobacco taxes to pay for an expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) ended on February 4 when Congress passed the Senate’s version of the bill and new President Barack Obama signed it into law. What that means for c-store operators who sell cigars in an era of a rough…