Convenience stores have been rapidly elevating their foodservice programs, experimenting with new food innovations, limited-time offers (LTOs) and menu overhauls. In the process, less common c-store foodservice options are being offered to customers, including seafood. At York, Pa.-based The Rutter’s Cos., which operates 80-plus locations in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia, customers can choose from…
2023 Labor Management Concerns
The CStore Decisions/Humetrics 15th annual HR Benchmarking Survey began by asking participants: “How was your overall business in 2022?” More than half (59%) of retailers surveyed shared that business for them in 2022 was better than expected. Industry Challenges But it was no surprise that survey participants still rank staffing as one of the industry’s…
Customization to Drive Dispensed Beverage Sales
The cold and frozen dispensed beverage sections at c-stores have been making great strides in sales so far in 2023. In fact, according to Datassential’s “2023 C-Store Keynote,” 79% of c-store retailers offer some type of fountain soft drink, and 8% of retailers are considering adding these beverages to their stores. However, as consumers get…
Martin Promotes Development at the Wills Group
Lorissa Martin, talent acquisition and performance manager for the Wills Group, has been busy implementing new human resources (HR) programs and updating processes to help boost employee retention and engagement. Martin has held her current HR position for 13 months, but she’s worked in retail since she was 16. “(I was) a store manager, and,…
Abbey Puts Stewart’s Shops’ Partners First
Alison Abbey, human resources (HR) manager at Stewart’s Shops, which operates 357 shops in upstate New York and southern Vermont, brings 17 years of HR experience to her role and excels at building relationships, prioritizing employees’ needs and ensuring they are set up for success at the company. At Stewart’s Shops, employees are referred to…
ARKO’s Arie Kotler Discusses Recent Acquisitions
ARKO Corp., a Fortune 500 company based in Richmond, Va., that owns GPM Investments, had a strong year in 2022 and is fresh off a string of acquisitions. It now represents the sixth largest convenience store operator in the U.S. In late February, ARKO reported record profitability for fiscal 2022, with operating income of $167…
Petroleum Marketer Associations Demonstrate Leadership
On the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) front, 2023 has come in like a lamb versus past years. The rising interest rate environment could finally be having the negative M&A effect on both deal availability and buyer enthusiasm. Given the prospect of even higher rates, this period of moderated activity is bound to continue, and when…
Expert Panel Report Causes FDA to Undertake Actions
On July 19, 2022, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf issued a public statement directing the Reagan-Udall Foundation to engage an independent expert panel to evaluate the operational aspects of the FDA’s tobacco regulatory program. In the statement, Commissioner Califf stated that “the agency has confronted a series of challenges that have tested…
EV Charging Milestone for the Traveling Consumer
As history has proven, there comes a time when innovative technology reaches a pinnacle, trickling down until it becomes common practice. It’s generally assumed that electric vehicles (EVs) are on the path toward market dominance in the automotive industry, and with that, mass consumption must ensue. With c-store chains like Road Ranger on board, the…
Overcoming Challenges in Hiring and Retention
The COVID-19 pandemic may no longer be a primary concern in 2023, but its impact on the economy and the workforce lingers. In fact, staffing ranks as the top concern for c-store retailers in 2023, followed by inflation. CStore Decisions and Humetrics, for the 15th consecutive year, have collaborated on the Human Resources (HR) Benchmarking…