Thomas Mulloy Senior EditorCStore Decisions Thought Leaders See More >
Thomas Mulloy Senior Editor
Today on CStore Decisions
Oscar Meyer Releases Bologna Face Masks
Oscar Mayer is releasing a limited-edition bologna-inspired face mask that rejuvenates skin while recapturing childhood joy. The company is bringing a playful spin on the often-serious “New Year, New You” trope with its meaty take on the self-care space. “Oscar Mayer has a legacy bringing levity to things that have gotten too serious, and beauty…
Alcohol E-Commerce Brewing Up Growth
U.S. online alcohol sales reached $6.1 billion in 2021 with more growth expected in 2022, according to a report based on exclusive industry data released this week by Rabobank. The “2022 Alcohol E-commerce Playbook” report focuses on the growth of alcohol e-commerce sales since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the reaction from consumers, retailers…
USDA Celebrates Progress in Equity, Inclusion in Nutrition Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is committed to promoting equity and inclusion through its federal nutrition assistance programs, the organization said, and this week is celebrating advancements made over the past year while acknowledging the long journey ahead. Throughout the past year, the Biden-Harris Administration and USDA have worked…
Love’s Opens New Texas, Illinois Locations
Love’s Travel Stops opened two travel stops in Winona, Texas, and Mount Vernon, Ill., adding a combined total of over 200 truck parking spaces and 120 jobs to the communities they’re located in. “We’re excited to join two new communities today in Texas and Illinois,” said Greg Love, co-CEO of Love’s. “Combined, these two states…
Marathon Petroleum’s MPLX Builds Homes for Habitat for Humanity
Employees from MPLX’s Gathering & Processing office in Denver worked to better their community as part of the company’s Give Back, Give Together campaign. MPLX is a diversified, large-cap master limited partnership formed by Marathon Petroleum Corp. that owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure and logistics assets and provides fuels distribution services. Multiple volunteering efforts…
January 2022 Issue: Fuel’s Unpredictable Future
CStore Decisions January 2022 Digital Edition is sponsored by GSK. As Washington pushes fuel economy, EVs draw the spotlight, with alternative fuels and improved engine technology set to play bigger roles in moving America. Electric vehicles are grabbing the headlines. Auto manufacturers like Ford have committed to an all-electric F-150 pickup truck, while convenience store…
Fuel’s Unpredictable Future
Electric vehicles are grabbing the headlines. Auto manufacturers like Ford have committed to an all-electric F-150 pickup truck, while convenience store chains, concerned about the future of fuel sales, are exploring options for installing electric vehicle charging (EVC) stations. Carbon neutral remains a buzz-phrase hanging over the oil industry, while the Biden administration released new…
Merchants Alert US Agencies to Retailers’ Swipe Fee Fatigue
The Merchants Payments Coalition this week called on Congress and federal agencies to “look closely” at Amazon’s recent announcement that it would stop accepting Visa credit cards in the UK. Even though Amazon changed its mind this week, MPC said the high “swipe” fees that prompted the move are much higher in the United States…
Casey’s and Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce Team Up for Snack Innovations
Casey’s recently partnered with Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce to create three new snacks: Casey’s Zesty Jalapeño Peanuts, Casey’s Zesty Jalapeño Cashews and Casey’s Zesty Jalapeño Pretzels. These new Casey’s snacks featuring Lola’s iconic flavor will be available in convenience stores at over 2,400 locations starting Jan. 22. “We are excited to introduce these new, tasty…
Offen Petroleum Adds to Leadership Team
Offen Petroleum has recently made significant enhancements to its leadership team, with three members taking on new roles. Aaron Hackerott has been promoted to the position of president and chief operating officer, Sean Rutherford has joined Offen as the executive vice president of supply, pricing and logistics, and Kaleb Hoffer has been promoted to vice…
Beverages & Cold Vault See More >
Alcohol E-Commerce Brewing Up Growth
U.S. online alcohol sales reached $6.1 billion in 2021 with more growth expected in 2022, according to a report based on exclusive industry data released this week by Rabobank. The “2022 Alcohol E-commerce Playbook” report focuses on the growth of alcohol e-commerce sales since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the reaction from consumers, retailers…
Sponsored Content See More >
“Sustainability” isn’t a buzzword. It’s smart business.
Convenience stores use between 3 and 7 times more energy per square foot than most businesses. That fact alone should make it clear to any smart operator that your stores can’t afford to ignore energy efficiency or to delay projects that will increase it. Taking prompt action and undertaking deep energy efficiency projects will save…
Tobacco See More >
Tobacco Braces for 2022
Although 2021 may not have felt “normal” as COVID-19 continued to wreak havoc, key market indicators suggest the tobacco category settled back into more predictive patterns for convenience stores. C-store retailers are looking to tobacco’s Q4 performance and the regulatory landscape for clues on what to expect for tobacco in 2022. Cigarettes Whereas 2020 cigarette…
Videos See More >
QuickChek Gives Back Through Check-Out Hunger CampaignCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Heather Stillman, customer experience manager, QuickChek, to learn how the chain…
Proprietary C-Store Products: Gummy Pizza, Green Juice and MoreC-stores nationwide — Casey’s, 7-Eleven, TXB, Sheetz and more — are offering an increasing selection of proprietary products, from classic…
Weigel’s Celebrates 24th Annual ‘Weigel’s Family Christmas’CStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Kurt Weigel, the HR recruiting manager for Weigel’s, to learn more…
Quicklee’s Supports Toys for Tots CampaignQuicklee’s is once again acting as a drop-off location sponsor for the local News 10 NBC and Marine Corps Reserve…
Taste Testing Java Monster FlavorsCStore Decisions’ Editorial Assistant Emmy Boes taste tests three Java Monster flavors.
Taste Testing Made Here Beer All American Party PackCStore Decisions’ Executive Editor Erin Del Conte samples American Lager, American IPA and American Ale from the Made Here Beer…
‘Tis the Season: Gingerbread Red Vines, Sugar Cookie Chocolate and MoreCStore Decisions is back with some seasonal, holiday-themed candy products from Hershey, American Licorice Co. and CandyRific.
Snack Food RoundupCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte taste tests four snack products — both sweet and heat varieties.
Cloud-Based Video ManagementEnvysion provides retailers with video-enabled solutions integrating with your POS and BI tools. Our technology is ideal for loss prevention…
Proven Brand Delivering Strong Growth for Your BusinessWatch this video to learn how Ford Gum’s Big League Chew’s 12% year-over-year growth will help you drive more sales…
Beverage Solutions to Grow Your BusinessCoca-Cola and the Actionable Insights Team offer retailers real time data, research and trends stemming from consumers’ post-pandemic shopping behaviors…
Casey’s Round-Up Campaign Supports VeteransCStore Decisions Executive Editor Erin Del Conte speaks with Tom Brennan, Casey’s chief merchandising officer, to learn how Casey’s is…
C-Store Resources See More >
The 2022 Social Media AwardsCStore Decisions, for the 10th consecutive year, is recognizing convenience store chains standing out on social media. For the second…
CStore Decisions’ 2021 40 Under 40 Leaders to WatchThroughout 2021, c-store retailers have grappled with ongoing challenges due to the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, including supply chain issues, labor…
Labor Management in the Age of COVID-19CStore Decisions and Humetrics, for the 13th consecutive year, have collaborated on the annual Human Resources (HR) Benchmarking Survey, which…
The 2021 Social Media AwardsCStore Decisions, for the ninth consecutive year, is recognizing convenience store chains standing out on social media. If there was…
CStore Decisions’ 2020 40 Under 40 C-Store Leaders to Watch2020 has brought challenges to the c-store industry like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic arrived in spring, changing the way…
C-Stores Conquer New HR ChallengesCStore Decisions’ and Humetrics’ 12th annual Human Resources (HR) Benchmarking Survey polled c-store retailers — between Jan. 5 and March…
The 2020 Social Media AwardsCStore Decisions, for the eighth consecutive year, is recognizing convenience store chains leading the way on social media and mobile…
2019 40 Under 40Today’s retail environment is changing faster than ever before as technological disruption pushes c-stores to adapt for the future while…
C-Stores Rally in Tight Labor MarketBy Mel Kleiman, President, Humetrics and Erin Del Conte, Executive Editor Convenience Store Decisions and Humetrics recently collaborated on our…
2018 40 under 40 Effective and well-trained leaders are invaluable when it comes to formulating and communicating new strategic directions, motivating employees, satisfying…
2019 Category Management ReviewConvenience categories are evolving quickly. This year, CSD highlights the latest movers and profitable moneymakers. A CSD Staff Report If…
The 2019 Social Media AwardsSocial media trends are evolving and savvy chains are keeping pace, going into 2019. CSD recognizes c-store chains succeeding at…
New Products! See More >
Sugar-Free Raspberry Lemonade Mountain DewMTN DEW released MTN DEW SPARK Zero Sugar. The new raspberry lemonade flavor with zero sugar is the latest addition…
Plant-Based Coffee CreamersChobani released its new plant-based coffee creamers, made with a blend of plant-based ingredients which are vegan-friendly; dairy- and lactose-free;…
Margarita-Inspired Hard SeltzersTruly Hard Seltzer announced the launch of its new Margarita Style Hard Seltzers. Putting Truly’s spin on the traditional margarita,…
Eliminate Entry of Paper InvoicesSuccess Systems has created the industry’s only artificially intelligent solution that allows all retailers to convert paper invoices into EDI…
Nutri-Grain Bars and BitesKellogg’s recently released Nutri-Grain Strawberry & Squash and Apple & Carrot soft-baked breakfast bars and Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Chocolatey Banana Bites…
CBD Pet Care CollectionSky Wellness recently relaunched its pet CBD wellness collection, D Oh Gee. The updated line features broad-spectrum, U.S.-grown and manufactured…
Ranch Water Hard SeltzerTopo Chico Hard Seltzer launched its highly anticipated Topo Chico Ranch Water Hard Seltzer in select regional markets and its…
Non-Dairy and Gluten-Free Ice Cream FlavorsBen & Jerry’s added two more core flavors to its extensive collection of certified vegan, non-dairy choices. Non-Dairy Boom Chocolatta…
Cookies ‘N’ Creme Candy BunniesHershey brands are moving right into the 2022 holidays to introduce new treats for Valentine’s Day and Easter while also…
High-Capacity Oil Dispensing SystemFrontline International is introducing a new, higher-capacity version of the EZ Fresh Oil Dispensing System, which will dramatically increase the…
Limited-Edition Gummy BearsHaribo is celebrating the 100th birthday of its original sweet treat, Goldbears. Haribo will mark the Goldbears birthday celebration with…
Non-Alcoholic Beer With Vitamin DCorona announced the new Corona Sunbrew 0.0%. This non-alcoholic beer contains 30% of the daily value of vitamin D per…
Independent Operators See More >
How the Independent C-Store Operator Can Become Operationally ExcellentManaging a retail store is tough work. Between operations, merchandising, marketing and facility upkeep, retail business owners have their hands…
Strong November for Independent, Small-Format RetailersThe U.S. Travel Association reported that Thanksgiving weekend travel almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, only 4% below 2019. Travel and…
What Are the Hand-Washing Best-Practices for C-Stores?Even more than chains, independent c-store operators need to earn consumers’ trust every time they enter the store, and nothing…
Why Is Restroom Cleanliness Important for Independent C-Stores?It’s a question independent convenience store operators don’t ask often enough: Why is restroom cleanliness important for independents? The answer…
How Can Independent C-Stores Improve Candy Sales?If you’re a small, independent convenience store chain, working to boost candy sales is crucial to helping overall store sales…
How Can Independent Operators Recognize Good Employees?People crave recognition on the job almost as much as they do money – and the sooner independent convenience store…
What Markets Are Best for Independent Convenience Stores?Whether you’re buying an existing convenience store or building a new-to-industry (NTI) c-store, it is likely one of the largest…
Roaster’s Market Builds Presence in Ada, Okla.Roaster’s Market, which celebrated its grand opening in 2020, brings an upmarket c-store experience to Ada, Okla. The 5,200-square-foot site…
How Independent C-Store Operators Should Manage Capital ExpendituresWhen it comes to the long-term success of a business, one of the key drivers is prudent capital re-investment. Unlike…
Evaluating Real Estate SitesEvaluating potential new sites for the multi-unit operator can be a daunting task. The operator is constantly chasing several potential…
NACS Show Sessions Discuss Sustainability, CultureThe NACS Show kicked off at McCormick Place in Chicago on Tuesday with a number of educational sessions for retailers.…
How Can Independent C-Stores Improve Hiring and Employee Retention?While large convenience store chains have HR departments, most independents do not. This means that, for owners and managers, hiring…