New report claims gourmet/premium foods and drinks industry should rise to $96 billion by 2012. “Gourmet, Specialty and Premium Foods and Beverages in the U.S” reports that connoisseurs craving gourmet, specialty and premium foods and drinks, consumed mass quantities in 2007 valued at $59 billion, a growth of 10.9% over 2006, according to a study…
duncan petroleum completes sale
Deal includes 19 Mid-Atlantic stores to an unnamed buyer. Duncan Petroleum Corp. has concluded the successful sale of its retail and commercial business to an established Mid-Atlantic multi-branded wholesaler. Terms of the deal for the Dover, Del.-based chain were not disclosed. The deal, according to company president Bob Duncan, included 19 retail petroleum sites, a…
csd comes full circle
Convenience Store Decisions Group acquired by Harbor Communications, a publishing firm led by CSD founder Bill Donohue, Dan Ramella and Tom McIntyre. The Convenience Store Decisions Group has been acquired by Harbor Communications, the Westlake, Ohio-based publisher of Club & Resort Business. Terms were not disclosed. The deal, which includes Convenience Store Decisions magazine, CSDecisions.com,…
giant foods heavily targeting fuel customers
Supermarket chain plans to aggressively grow gas station count. Giant Food Inc. is building a gas station at one of its stores and looking for opportunities to put up others as it joins a national trend among supermarkets aiming to be a “one-stop shopping experience.”The supermarket began construction on a gas station at its Pasadena,…
lykins oil acquires wilson oil co
The company to offer five major fuel brands: BP, Marathon, ExxonMobil, Shell and Clark. Lykins Cos. has purchased London, Ky.-based Paul R. Wilson Oil Co. Inc. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded in 1956 by Paul R. Wilson, the company has a deep tradition in the community. In 1970, Mike Hamm, Wilson’s son-in-law,…
tescos us plans taking flight
UK megaretailer looking at dozens of California sites for rapid expansion. Only three weeks after opening its first American stores, near Los Angeles, Tesco is looking at dozens of sites in Northern California as it seeks to extend its Fresh & Easy convenience chain. It is part of the supermarket’s expansion drive in the U.S.…
sheetz honored in pennsylvania
Chain recognized as top firm to work for in the state…again. Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania ranked Sheetz Inc. No. 12 on its list of 100 top companies for 2007 and the top retailer among them. The Altoona, Pa.-based convenience store chain has been given that honor for the past six years. Sheetz, which…
COUCHE-TARD HONORED AS CHAIN OF THE YEAR
COUCHE-TARD THROUGH THE YEARS ALAIN BOUCHARD STARTED Alimentation Couche-Tard with one store in 1980. In 1986, with a network of 34 stores, a predecessor of Couche-Tard completed an initial public offering and listed its shares on the Montreal Exchange. After establishing a leading position in Quebec, Couche- Tard expanded through internal growth and acquisitions in…
A True Up and Comer
LIKE A LOT OF people in the industry, Terry Johnson, director of marketing for Chester, Va.-based Uppy’s/Southside Oil, got his start by working the cash register at a local c-store while earning his business degree. Soon after graduation, Johnson became a store manager, the fi rst step toward his 30-year career in the business. Johnson,…
THE GIVING SEASON
Green H. Oil Co.’s five company operated stores kicked off its main fundraiser of the year—The Empty Stocking Fund— by collecting $3,000 in just 10 days. According to Green Oil’s Director of Marketing Jim Callahan, the company hopes to exceed the $20,000 it raised last year that assured 1,100 children woke up to presents under…