Outstanding retail programs, a people-focused culture, a connection with its guests, an elegant new store design and a growing presence in the foodservice business earn RaceTrac Petroleum Chain of the Year honors for 2014
Exceptional leadership, great stores and unsurpassed customer service are the hallmarks of the convenience store industry’s extraordinary chains. Following these guiding principles, Convenience Store Decisions is proud to honor RaceTrac Petroleum as the 2014 Convenience Store Chain of the Year.
The Chain of the Year award is now in its 25th year making RaceTrac the Silver Anniversary winner of the oldest and most prestigious award for convenience retailing in the industry. The company supplants Maverik Inc. as Chain of the Year, considered the gold standard in convenience retailing.
RaceTrac will be honored at an exclusive awards ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 8 during the NACS Show at The Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas.
“For many years the RaceTrac team has been recognized as one of the hardest working groups in the industry. Their dedication to detail, outstanding guest service programs and constant evolution as a convenience retailer make them the perfect choice to join the elite list of Chain of the Year honorees,” said John Lofstock, Vice President of Editorial Operations and Editor-in-Chief of the Convenience Store Decisions Group.
Over the past 18 months, RaceTrac has taken extraordinary strides to distance itself from the pack by daring to be different. “The company invested major operating capital in two gourmet foodservice programs: Swirl World Frozen Yogurt and The Speedy Avocado, and it launched a c-store prototype that promises to ensure the chain a powerhouse marketer for the next decade,” Lofstock said. “The purpose of the Chain of the Year award is to showcase the best of the best in convenience retailing and we’re proud to recognize all that RaceTrac has accomplished.”
A Chain on the Move
Headquartered in Atlanta, RaceTrac has been serving customers since 1934.The chain operates more than 365 convenience store locations in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Texas.
In January 2012, RaceTrac introduced its new 6,000 square foot store design, featuring 24-hour Swirl World frozen yogurt, fresh salads and sandwiches, up to 24 fueling stations and more than 4,000 items to satisfy the needs of its guests. While operating under the mission of making people’s lives simpler and more enjoyable, the company has been named a top workplace by virtually major newspapers in its markets of operation.
“We are humbled to be honored by Convenience Store Decisions as the Silver Anniversary recipient of the 2014 Convenience Store Chain of the Year Award,” said Allison Moran, CEO of RaceTrac. “A special thank you goes to our loyal team members, as their hard work and passion is the reason behind our success and we could not have achieved any of these accomplishments without them.”
RaceTrac also goes out of its way to make a positive impact in the community through its charitable efforts. For the past three years, the RaceTrac Run for Research 5Ks and Coffee for a Cause Weeks have both supported the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. It also hosts initiatives and activities throughout the year to benefit a multitude of local charities, including Camp Sunshine, Sweet Water Valley Camp and Marietta Housing Authority in Georgia, the Baton Rouge Food Bank in Louisiana, the North Texas Food Bank and SPCA in Texas and Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity and Feeding America in our Florida markets, along with a variety of other causes.
“Thank you to Convenience Store Decisions for considering RaceTrac for the Silver Anniversary of the Chain of the Year Award,” said Carl Bolch, RaceTrac’s Chairman. “For 80 years, RaceTrac has aimed to provide quality service and innovative products to our guests and we are truly honored to be recognized by the convenience store industry for our efforts.”
For information about tickets to the invitation-only Chain of the Year dinner, retailers can contact CSD Editor John Lofstock at [email protected]. Supplier companies should contact CSD Group Publisher Tom McIntyre at [email protected].
About the Chain of the Year Award
CSD’s Chain of the Year award annually honors a convenience store or petroleum chain that has established itself as a superior retailer and innovator in its markets of operation. CSD’s first Chain of the Year award was given to Wawa Inc. in 1990. RaceTrac Petroleum follows 2013 Chain of the Year winner Maverik Inc. Other past winners include Sheetz Inc., 7-Eleven Inc., Krause Gentle Corp., Amerada Hess, Exxon Mobil Corp., Petro-Canada and Kwik Trip Inc.
PAST CHAIN OF THE YEAR WINNERS
* 1990 – Wawa Inc.
* 1991 – SuperAmerica
* 1992 – QuikTrip Corp.
* 1993 – Casey’s General Stores Inc.
* 1994 – Sheetz Inc.
* 1995 – Diamond Shamrock Corp.
* 1996 – Mapco Express
* 1997 – Speedway Inc.
* 1998 – Krause Gentle Corp.
* 1999 – Dairy Mart Inc.
* 2000 – Amerada Hess Corp.
* 2001 – Huck’s Food & Fuel
* 2002 – Petro-Canada
* 2003 – Exxon Mobil Corp.
* 2004 – Kwik Trip Inc.
* 2005 – 7-Eleven Inc.
* 2006 – Valero Inc.
* 2007 – Alimentation Couche-Tard
* 2008 – Chevron Inc.
* 2009 – Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes
* 2010 – Rutter’s Farm Stores
* 2011 – Thorntons Inc.
* 2012 – Tedeschi Food Shops
* 2013 – Maverik Inc.
* 2014 – RaceTrac Petroleum Inc.