Over the past decade, seeds and nuts have enjoyed exceptionally broad appeal across a variety of demographic groups thanks to their healthful benefits and snack appeal. But like many core categories in the retail channel, seeds and nuts took a big hit during the past 12 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Total sales for…
Deel Drives Business at Thorntons
As director of human resources (HR) services and benefits for Louisville, Ky.-based Thorntons, with more than 200 stores in six states, Sandy Deel helps to drive business by finding efficiencies and helping employees succeed through management training programs, engagement surveys and more. CStore Decisions is recognizing Deel as part of our HR awards for her…
Meat Snacks Grow Along With Bag Size, Consumer Options
Consumers were stocking up on a variety of goods during the pandemic, and meat snacks were no exception. Bigger bags, flavor options and local products all contributed to strong sales growth and optimism for the coming year. According to market analyst Nielsen total U.S. convenience data, meat snacks dollar sales cooked along at a 10.8%…
A Tech Approach to Labor Management
Technology is changing the way convenience stores approach labor management, offering an automated way to onboard new employees, communicate with team members and track schedules and benefits. CStore Decisions sat down with Melanie Wilson, human resources (HR) director at Weigel’s, to learn more about how the Powell, Tenn-based c-store chain is using technology as part…
Unique Options, Order Ahead Drive Sandwich Sales
The category for deli-prepared sandwiches “was gaining a head of steam” until the pandemic hit, said Eric Richard, industry relations coordinator for the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA). Due to COVID-19, the sandwich segment took a 12% hit over 2019. Made-to-order sandwiches saw the biggest sales dip, partly because customers wanted to get in…
Recruiting Best Practices for an Unprecedented Era
Wow, what a year 2020 was! My hat’s off to anyone in human resources (HR) or operations working with the staffing challenges we all faced in retail during the height of pandemic and continue to navigate still today. As the vice president of Clark Oil Co. Food Stores, which operates 49 convenience stores across Mississippi…
What Is the Cigarette Corrective Statements Litigation?
A newly proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) would require corrective statements about cigarettes to be posted by manufacturers at the point of sale (POS) in stores where cigarettes are sold. Background In 1999, the U.S. government sued the major cigarette manufacturers, asserting claims under several federal statutes for conduct by the…
Takeout & Delivery Buffer Pizza Sales
Sales in other categories may be suffering from the COVID crunch, but not pizza. “COVID-19 brought sudden gains to the modestly growing pizza category in 2020,” noted market research firm Mintel’s recent report “Pizza Restaurants: Incl Impact of COVID-19 US, September 2020.” “These gains are likely to have residual staying power over the next year…
Coffee Ready to Rally
Sales of hot dispensed beverages were down 24% in the third quarter of 2020 and 36% in quarter four, in large part because “the breakfast daypart was destroyed” with commuters working from home and competition in the breakfast category increasing, reported Eric Dzwonczyk, co-leader of the restaurant, hospitality and leisure practice at AlixPartners convenience store…
A Return to Normalcy
Just one year ago, I sat down at my desk in my office to write the April 2020 Editor’s Memo and tried to wrap my head around the impact of COVID-19. There were still naysayers that predicted the virus was nothing more than a bad flu, while others spouted doomsday scenarios. Through it all, the…