Warrenton Oil Co., a family-owned and operated company founded in 1972 and located in Truesdale, Mo., announced the acquisition of Abel Oil Co., a family-owned and operated Missouri-based company located in Louisiana, Mo., and founded in 1940. The acquisition includes Abel Oil’s 18 Missouri convenience stores, currently operating under the Abel’s Quick Shop brand. Terms…
5 Ways to Boost Hot Coffee Sales
C-store operators know a profitable foodservice offering hinges on a high-quality coffee program. But after the COVID-19 pandemic paused some workplace commutes, many retailers watched their morning coffee sales plummet. Now, retailers are working to recapture coffee sales as more customers return to life as usual. Here are five ways to become the go-to coffee…
Merchandising the Snack Aisle
Today’s customers are not only reaching for tried-and-true salty snacks, they’re also seeking out healthier options that are all-natural, low-sugar, non-GMO and/or contain no synthetics or artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. C-store retailers report growing both indulgent and healthy snack segments to attract customers. “The rates at which consumers reach for both healthy and indulgent…
Announcing the Winners of CStore Decisions’ 2021 Hot New Products Contest
Thousands of new SKUs and services are launched each year. Which ones will be successful and gain traction? CStore Decisions let our retailer panel of judges decide. In this video-based product contest, winners were determined by a point system that included innovation, packaging, likeliness to carry or implement in stores and more. New products/services are […]
Refreshing the Dispensed Segment
This summer brought customers back to the cold and dispensed beverage section at c-stores, after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the category in many areas of the country during 2020 and early 2021, from self-service bans to supply disruptions. Many retailers used the disruption as an opportunity to re-evaluate their cold and frozen dispensed beverage section.…
Federal Taxes on Tobacco will Hurt Small Businesses
Peter Krueger is the State Executive/Director of the Nevada Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association (NPM&CSA) The past year has been difficult for everyone, but small businesses were especially hurt. Sorely missing the steady flow of customers during lockdowns the industry had come to rely upon, our businesses were left to fend for themselves. Unfortunately,…
Halloween Spending Expected to Hit $10.14 Billion — an All-Time High
Halloween consumer spending this year is projected to reach an all-time high of $10.14 billion, up from $8.05 billion in 2020, according to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. “This year in particular, we see an emphasis on Halloween spending from families,” said Prosper Insights Executive Vice President…
Kevin Smartt Wraps Up Busy Year as NACS Chairman
Providing great leadership during the best of times can make or break a business. Leadership during a global pandemic is downright daunting. People look to leaders for guidance on what to do, what to expect and how to act. During uncertain and fluid times, the need for strong, calm, trustworthy leadership is more important than…
Federal Tobacco Tax In Reconciliation Bill Will Have Unintended Consequences
Amanda Gray is the Executive Director of the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association. As a working mom of three young kids, I agree that universal pre-kindergarten education – as proposed in the current spending package spearheaded by congressional Democrats – would be good for families and society. However, the positive components of the spending package could be…
Nominate Next-Generation Leaders for CSD’s 40 Under 40
CStore Decisions (CSD) and the Young Executives Organization (YEO) need your help identifying next-generation leaders for our 2021 class of 40 Under 40 C-Store Leaders to Watch. Do you work with bright, up-and-coming young executives or next-generation leaders who are under 40 years old? In today’s tight labor market and age of digital disruption, convenience…