Self-Service Gift Cards Paul Burel, director of marketing strategy for U-Scan, Fujitsu’s self-checkout line, said gift cards are a good option for c-store operators “because it’s convenient. It’s the kind of point-of-presence transaction to generate that last-minute gift that someone needs to get.” Going with a self-service gift card program is “really not an add-on,”…
Prepared Foods/Fresh Bakery
TOP PERFORMERS Sara Lee Foodservice Bon Appétite Ruiz Foods Inc. HONORABLE MENTIONS Tyson Foods Prairie City Bakery Don Miguel Mexican Foods Inc. A solid bakery program is crucial for building breakfast daypart sales. In an effort to secure those morning dollars, convenience retailers have added bakery programs, which they hope will in turn boost their…
RFID: Not Ready For Prime Time
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag is like a barcode on steroids. A barcode printed on a cracker box may indicate that the box contains crackers and possibly identify the manufacturer, while an RFID tag carries a serial number that distinguishes that particular box of crackers from all others in the world. Although some companies…
Candy, Gum, Mints
TOP PERFORMERS The Hershey Co. Wm. Wrigley Co. Mars Snackfood U.S. HONORABLE MENTIONS Cadbury Adams/Jaret International Nestlé USA Convenience stores continue to be a dominant retail outlet for confections, and the outlook for 2008 is just as strong. That was the message delivered by the National Confectioners Association’s (NCA) U.S. Confectionery Market report released in…
Dispensed Beverages (Hot)
TOP PERFORMERS Sara Lee Foodservice S&D Coffee Kraft Foods Inc. HONORABLE MENTIONS Farmer Bros. Boyd Coffee Co. In a recent issue of Time, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said he returned to his post as head of the Seattle-based coffee chain in part because he was concerned about "the growing competition from convenience stores." It took…
Dispensed Beverages (Cold)
TOP PERFORMERS PepsiCo Coca-Cola Co. ICEE (J&J Snack Foods) HONORABLE MENTIONS Slush Puppie (J&J Snack Foods) Dr Pepper (Cadbury Schweppes) Dispensed cold and frozen carbonated beverages (FCB) accounted for $294 million at the 69 chains responding to CSD’s Brand Preference Study. Respondents operate a total of 10,350 stores and average category sales of $28,406 per…
Cigars & Smokeless Tobacco
TOP PERFORMERS USST Inc. Swisher International Inc. Conwood Sales Co. HONORABLE MENTIONS Swedish Match John Middleton Inc. Altadis USA Offering smokers new alternatives has been a stepping stone for huge growth in the OTP segment. The category as a whole has been showing big numbers, but MST, in particular, has been leading a bold charge…
Cigarettes
TOP PERFORMERS Philip Morris USA R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Lorillard Tobacco Co. HONORABLE MENTIONS Commonwealth Brands Inc. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. No single category has been as important to the convenience store industry over the years as cigarettes. The 86 retailers to participate in the CSD Brand Preference Study reported a total of $5…
Servicing the Customer
You pick up on a few things after 15 years in a business, but nothing more important than this: Always listen to the customer. “We’re getting more and more inquiries every day about customers that want alternative fuels in their stores,” said Brian Beggs, owner of Walt’s Petroleum Service in Schofield, Wis., the company he…
Beer and Adult Beverages
TOP PERFORMERS Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. SAB/Miller Coors Brewing Co. HONORABLE MENTIONS Heineken USA There were 73 chains representing 11,000 stores and $1.5 billion in beer sales to participate in the CSD Brand Preference Study. As expected, the beer companies made an impression with retailers, 62% of whom said they had viewed at least three sales…