With carbonated drink sales fizzing, ready-to-drink teas are satisfying customers’ thirst and c-store sales. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor As soft drink sales decline, customers continue to turn to iced teas and non-carbonated fruit beverages for healthful refreshment and exciting new tastes. Ready-to-drink (RTD) teas continue to lead growth among packaged beverages, something demographic findings…
Road to Lower U.S. Gasoline Prices To Take Brief Detour
By Brian Milne, Energy Editor for Schneider Electric. The U.S. gasoline futures contract dropped to a fresh low for 2014 mid-September that coincided with the shift away from summer specification gasoline to easier to manufacture fuel while the national average price for retail gasoline sunk to a seven-month low. The national average is down 5.1cts…
Details Emerge On Home Depot Security Breach
Months of security warnings reportedly preceded Home Depot hacking. More information has emerged on the Home Depot data breach, which the company confirmed on Sept. 8. The breach put as many as 56 million credit cards at risk—more than the 40 million affected by Target’s breach last year. Home Depot did not confirm the breach…
Fed Upholds Interchange Fee Ruling
The Fed announced it will not change debit card swipe fee rates. The Federal Reserve will not change the current interchange fee standard or fraud prevention adjustment, Credit Union Times Online reported. The Fed made the decision based on the results of a survey of debit card transaction costs, which is mandated by the Dodd-Frank…
Nisbet Oil Sites Add InOvationTV
Program will help improve fueling experience and “future proof” Nisbet Oil sites. The inOvationTV media platform continues its nationwide growth with the addition of new Nisbet Oil Co. sites in North Carolina. The inOvationTV media platform is a forecourt media program offered jointly by Wayne Fueling Solutions, a provider of fuel dispensing technology, and Gas…
FOR ALL SEASONS
Whether it’s the dog days of summer or the hazy shade of winter, innovative promotions can help maintain frozen beverage sales all year long. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor Convenience store operators know customers seek cold and frozen dispensed beverages when the thermometer outside rises. However, what can c-stores to do promote sales when temperatures…
Walmart Enters C-Store Territory
Walmart’s prototype convenience store in Bentonville, Ark. reflects a shift in strategy for the retailer, but will it be a game changer for the industry? By David Bennett, Senior Editor As vehicles navigate under the shiny white fuel station canopy, the eye goes immediately to the yellow columns designed to mimic the burst of petals…
For Beer, a “Perfect Storm” Benefits Some Brands, Threatens Others
Technomic finds momentum among smaller brands and categories and higher price tiers continues. Changing consumer taste preferences, varied levels of cost-consciousness and competition from spirits and wine are converging to re-shape the beer industry and its growth opportunities in 2014 and beyond. “It’s really a perfect storm scenario that’s creating opportunities for some beer marketers…
Cumberland Farms Awards 2014 Believe and Achieve Scholarships
The convenience store retailer has helped more than 900 students reach their dreams since the program’s inception. Cumberland Farms announced that 130 talented high school seniors from 11 states have been awarded Believe and Achieve Scholarships to help them attend college in the fall of 2014. Cumberland Farms’ popular scholarship program began eight years ago…
NCR To Help Retailers Integrate Apple Pay
“With Apple Pay, Apple has transformed mobile payments and will have an impact on the industry like never before,” says NCR spokesperson. NCR Corp. enables more than 485 million consumer transactions per day across retail, financial, travel, hospitality, and small businesses, globally. The announcement of Apple Pay is important to the industries NCR serves as…