Emily Boes Senior EditorCStore Decisions Thought Leaders See More >
Emily Boes Senior Editor
Today on CStore Decisions
Is a Hispanic Foodservice Offering Right for My Store?
Hispanic foods are increasingly featured on menus in both ethnic and mainstream quick-service and fast-casual restaurants throughout the country. But are they the right foodservice fit for your convenience store? Many c-stores are serving up Hispanic fare ranging from the ubiquitous taco (including a “walking” version made in a Doritos bag) to quesadillas, tamales, burritos,…
Parker’s Makes $75,000 Donation for School District
Parker’s has donated $75,000 to the Beaufort County School District as a part of the company’s ongoing Fueling the Community program. The Fueling the Community charitable initiative donates a percentage of gas sold at all Parker’s and Parker’s Kitchen locations on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools. Part of the Parker’s Kitchen…
Wawa Launches New Store Design
Wawa has announced the grand opening of its newest store, which features the first “next generation” store design of its kind for the chain. The new site is located in Henrico, Va. Additionally, as part of its continued effort to celebrate 25 years of serving Virginia, Wawa presented the Virginia Local Hero Award at the…
Circle K to Offer Free Coffee
Circle K has announced that it will be offering customers a free cup of coffee at U.S. locations from Sept. 25 through Oct. 2 in celebration of National and International Coffee Day. The offer can be redeemed via the Circle K app. “We are passionate about the quality coffee we offer at Circle K and…
Developing a Strategic Business Plan
I have been putting together business plans for over 30 years and it is clear to me that the strength of its core rests solely on being able to execute the plan. Each year I approach business planning as an opportunity, rather than a burden. I would rather invest the time up front mapping out…
Parkland USA Appoints New Vice President of Retail
Parkland USA has named Tory Dickson as its new vice president of retail. Dickson is no stranger to the retail industry. He began his career as national sales manager at the Pepsi Bottling Group, where Dickson said he first “cut his teeth in retail.” Later in 2000, Dickson bought his own business and opened a…
Six New Kwik Star Locations to Open in South Dakota
Kwik Star has announced that it will open six new sites in the Sioux Falls, S.D., area by the end of 2023. Listed below is a tentative schedule of when the sites are expected to open. Brandon, S.D. — Sept. 21, 2023 Sioux Falls, S.D. — Oct. 19, 2023 Harrisburg, S.D. — Nov. 2, 2023…
RTDs Trend in Alcoholic Beverages
The last few years have shown a saturation of innovation and emerging brands in the alcoholic beverage category. The popularity of non-alcoholic beers and cocktails has been steadily rising, and growth in the ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail segment has yet to taper off. Additionally, beer remains a stable seller for c-stores. “Hard seltzer has gone through…
Marathon Volunteers Help Repair Minnesota Home
Marathon Petroleum’s St. Paul Park refinery has partnered with non-profit Rebuilding Minnesota. Marathon recently presented the non-profit with a grant for $140,000, which will support its mission of providing no-cost home repairs for low-income homeowners in the Twin Cities area. Additionally, refinery employees recently volunteered at the home of an 85-year-old woman to build her…
Recent Study Shows Importance of Food Safety Education
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released results from a five-year study that observed how consumers prepared meals. Produced by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS), the study highlights the importance of safe food handling practices. “These studies are important for USDA to understand consumer behaviors in the kitchen and it is timely…
Beverages & Cold Vault See More >
Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine
Franke Coffee Systems has introduced its new A800 Fresh Brew. This bean-to-cup solution is capable of crafting delicious hot and iced coffees on demand. Each cup is ground fresh from a choice of three unique bean types — so retailers can delight their customers with their favorite coffee. The A800 Fresh Brew is ideal for […]
Sponsored Content See More >
Rethinking Refrigerated Case Controls
By Copeland CC200 pilot program drives significant refrigeration performance improvements while simplifying case management When Copeland engineers began product development for the CC200 Case Controller in 2018, they set out to leverage the latest control technologies and address retailers’ greatest refrigeration challenges. The team took a “blank slate” approach to hardware and software design, creating…
Tobacco See More >
Filtered Clove Cigarettes
New Djarum Bliss Special and Djarum Bliss Java have joined nicotine-free Djarum Black Bliss SKUs to offer six distinctive Bliss flavors for zero-tobacco clove choices. Djarum Bliss filters are nicotine-free, non-tobacco cigarette-style smokes with six distinct flavor styles made with fresh sliced Indonesian cloves and all-natural hemp-free botanicals. The result is an authentic imported clove […]
Videos See More >
Fall Snacks and Beverage ReviewAssociate Editor of CStore Decisions Zhane Isom reviews a beverage and snacks perfect for the fall months. These are Café…
Snacks and Sparkling Beverage Taste TestZhane Isom, associate editor of CStore Decisions, tries new products, including Super Mario-Themed Oreos, GLOW Pineapple Blood Orange Sparkling Hydration…
Summer Product RoundupErin Del Conte, editor-in-chief, CStore Decisions, reviews three new products, including Ocean Spray Snack Medley in Blueberry Cran, Pineapple Cran…
Road Trip RoundupCStore Decisions Senior Editor Emmy Boes tries snacks that convenience store customers might pick up for a road trip. These…
Snacks and Sour Candy ReviewAssociate Editor of CStore Decisions Zhane Isom reviews Tootsie Fruit Chews Sour, Takis Dragon Sweet Chili and Entenmann’s Bakers Delights…
Spicy & Sweet: Snack and Beverage Taste TestErin Del Conte, editor-in-chief of CStore Decisions, taste tests Chipoys rolled tortilla chips in Spicy Ranch, Original, Fire Red Hot…
Summertime BeveragesCStore Decisions’ Senior Editor Emmy Boes tries three different beverages that customers may find appealing during the warmer months. These…
May Taste TestZhane Isom, associate editor of CStore Decisions, tries Old Trapper peppered beef jerky, Vizzy Orange Cream Pop hard seltzer and…
April Snacks and Beverage ReviewAssociate Editor of CStore Decisions Zhane Isom reviews Hostess Chocolate Drizzle Baby Bundts, RITZ Everything Toasted Chips and Rockstar Recovery…
Snacks, Energy and Hydration Taste TestErin Del Conte, editor-in-chief of CStore Decisions, reviews Takis Intense Nacho Non-Spicy Tortilla Chips, as well as Takis Waves Potato…
Snacks for the Packed LunchEmmy Boes, senior editor of CStore Decisions, tries snacks that would be great additions to a packed lunch. These include…
2023 NAG Conference HighlightsHere’s a recap of the 2023 National Advisory Group (NAG) Conference, which was held at the JW Marriott in Austin,…
C-Store Resources See More >
Overcoming Challenges in Hiring and RetentionThe COVID-19 pandemic may no longer be a primary concern in 2023, but its impact on the economy and the…
The 2023 Social Media AwardsFor the 11th consecutive year, CStore Decisions is celebrating convenience store chains standing out on social media for their creativity…
CStore Decisions’ 2022 40 Under 40 Leaders to WatchC-store retailers have faced several challenges in 2022, from labor shortages, continued supply chain issues, a lingering pandemic, mounting inflation,…
Navigating Staffing Challenges in Today’s Labor MarketAfter two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply challenges and labor shortages, c-store retailers are evaluating labor management practices in…
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…
New Products! See More >
Filtered Clove CigarettesNew Djarum Bliss Special and Djarum Bliss Java have joined nicotine-free Djarum Black Bliss SKUs to offer six distinctive Bliss…
Bean-to-Cup Coffee MachineFranke Coffee Systems has introduced its new A800 Fresh Brew. This bean-to-cup solution is capable of crafting delicious hot and…
Limited-Edition Sandwich CookiesOREO has brought back its Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies for a limited time only since leaving shelves in 2020. The…
Spicy Queso ChipsRuffles has unveiled its new Flamin’ Hot Queso chips. Ruffles Flamin’ Hot Queso adds a new level of intensity to…
Candy-Filled Mini BackpacksCandyRific will roll out its new mini backpacks in October for everyday use in licensed and non-licensed selections. The new…
Future-Inspired SodaCoca-Cola has launched Y3000 Zero Sugar, a new limited-edition flavor and AI-powered experience from Coca-Cola Creations. Coca-Cola created the Y3000…
Raspberry and Lemon-flavored MintsIce Breakers has introduced its newest mint — Ice Breakers Raspberry Lemon Seltzer Sparkling Mints. This mint brings consumers fresh breath with…
Cone-Shaped Rolling PapersOCB has launched its new Brown Rice Cones. The cones are crafted from rice grown in the Camargue delta region…
Zesty In-Shell PistachiosWonderful Pistachios has introduced its new In-Shell Seasoned Salt pistachios. Rolling out at retailers across the U.S., Wonderful Pistachios’ new…
EV Charging ProgramEZChargeNGO is now offering select retailers its new EV infrastructure program. The turnkey program builds out and installs Level three…
Mini Peanut Butter CandiesM&M’S has announced its latest product innovation, M&M’S Peanut Butter Minis. The new addition to the iconic M&M’S line-up inspires more moments…
Call of Duty-Themed Energy Drink CansMonster Energy has collaborated with Activision to launch three new limited-edition Monster Energy Call of Duty (COD) cans. Consumers can…
Independent Operators See More >
Neon CEO Talks Forward ProgressNeon Marketplace, which operates seven locations in New England, recently announced new leadership. Adi Dhandhania has taken the helm as…
How To Launch an Independent C-Store BusinessStarting an independent convenience store or grocery business can be both exciting and challenging. Aspiring entrepreneurs in the retail industry…
Road Ranger Commits to Everyday ConsumersRoad Ranger has partnered with retail technology company Upside to attract more customers to its stations and provide them with…
How to Expand into Mult-Unit OperationsEvery retail operator starts with that first single store. The management hones their operational skills; develops a “how-to-go-to-market” strategy; and…
Neighborhood C-Stores Deemed Important to ConsumersSurgePays recently conducted a survey focusing on the underbanked and underserved communities looking at consumers’ perspectives and attitudes toward independent…
How Can C-Stores Cope With Supply Chain Issues?How can convenience stores cope with lingering supply chain issues? The answer is to take several commonsense steps that can…
Restaurants Add Thanksgiving Items to MenuRestaurants have been welcoming customers this holiday season by adding Thanksgiving items to their menus. SpotOn, a restaurant software and…
Restroom Sanitation Rises in SignificanceWINNER: High’s of Baltimore High’s continues to upgrade its restroom features and value the importance of sanitation as an influence…
Fast Break Promotes Outdoor RecreationIn a distinctive twist on the typical convenience store, Fast Break Bait & Tackle houses a fisherman’s paradise, ideally situated…
Corner Store Cements Its Place in the Seminole, Texas AreaIn an area where business is still done with a handshake, c-store chain Corner Store brings customer service to a…
Independent Operators PersevereSmall independent convenience store retailers are not only grappling with the same inflation, supply chain issues and labor shortages as…
Fuel City Adds Chester’s ChickenFuel City has announced the opening of a Chester’s Chicken in its Haltom City location in the Dallas Fort-Worth region.…