Space now being added to accommodate more manufacturers. AWMA’s 2012 Expo is sold out and space is being added to accommodate additional manufacturers at its annual convention and expo to be held Feb. 15 – 17, 2012, at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. For the past three years, AWMA has been focused on reinventing…
New Twist On Snacking
General Mills is giving convenience store retailers a new twist on growing fruit and candy section sales with new Nature Valley Fruit Twists. A convenience channel exclusive, Nature Valley Fruit Twists are available in cherry and strawberry, provide two servings of fruit in each package, and are also 100% natural and gluten-free. At 1.27 ounces,…
Snickers the Tops
Mars Foodservice presents the top-testing new candy bar launch from Mars in over three years: Snickers Brand Peanut Butter Squared, which combines peanuts, caramel, nougat, milk chocolate and peanut butter. The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is quickly becoming a leader in the snack industry, making up more than 18% of the entire chocolate…
Sweetening Candy Sales
Avoiding common pitfalls and developing a merchandising plan can boost convenience store confectionery sales. By Heather Henstock, Contributing Editor. Keeping shelves full of customers’ favorite candy, gum and mint brands may seem like an obvious practice for convenience store category mangers. However, controlling out-of-stocks continues to be the top challenge for c-stores managing the candy…
Certified Sustainable Chocolate
Mars Chocolate North America’s iconic DOVE Brand Chocolate is set to be the first mainstream chocolate brand in the U.S. to bear the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal on its dark chocolate products. Beginning in the fall, DOVE Brand Silky Smooth Dark Chocolate will source 100% of its cocoa volume from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms, and…
Gaining Insights into Convenience Store Customers
MSA and Paradigm Sample, in partnership with Convenience Store Decisions, delve into c-store shoppers’ attitudes about buying seasonal and holiday candy. By Trish Temmerman, Contributing Editor. With Halloween and Christmas just around the corner, we are approaching that time of year when some of the most widely recognized seasonal confectionery items are purchased and consumed:…
McLane-NATSO Quarterly Index Up 24%
Hot dispensed beverages up 54% for the three-month period, ended June 30, 2011. Total merchandise purchases by truckstops nationwide served by McLane Corp. increased 24% during the 2011 second quarter, compared with a year earlier, led largely by hot and cold beverage sales along with commissary, foodservice, dairy and deli sales, according to the McLane-NATSO…
Attacking Shrink from All Angles
Loss prevention in retail is becoming a more challenging task as the economy stumbles along. In order to keep costs down it is important to put measures into place that will deter thieves. In a tough economy, every dollar counts. But loss prevention is often overlooked by convenience stores, even when following through on upholding…
Maintain A Thriving Candy Aisle
Mars Chocolate North America has launched a new Web site exclusively for convenience store operators. Mars24seven.com is a resource center with everything c-store operators need to create, enhance and maintain a successful candy aisle and to help drive overall store sales. With the click of a mouse, c-store operators have all the information in front…
Maximizing Candy and Gum Sales
What’s Coming? Thinking about a planogram refresh in candy? The National Confectioners Association (NCA) in Washington, D.C. advised that the category is taking a turn toward the upscale. “There is a big gourmet boom. I think we’re also going to have a ‘chocolate-covered’ category made up of things you don’t normally see covered in chocolate,…