In July, employees of a Sonoma, Calif., Bonneau c-store noticed a car returning throughout the day. Chris Bambury, vice president and general manager of Bambury Inc., which runs three Bonneau c-stores, watched on surveillance as the car returned late at night. So, he called the sheriff’s department to come watch. “About 3 a.m., it all…
Data Segmentation Boosts Loyalty Success
Despite news of the recent Facebook data breach and other high-profile misuses, data is not something to be feared. It is something to be captured and used in a way that benefits both c-stores and the customers they enroll in loyalty programs. According to the Bond 2019 Loyalty Report, 73% of people are “more likely…
Meat Snacks Widen Appeal
In all areas of foodservice, consumers crave more choice, variety and taste. They want to know what is going into their food. And they want to know that it’s good for them. So it should be no surprise that these experiences have moved into the meat snacks category, beginning with flavor. “As it relates to unique…
Changes at the Checkout
Technology disruption has come for the checkout line. Convenience store retailers are adapting in a myriad of ways — like adding mobile payment, scan-and-pay apps, kiosk ordering and self-checkout stations — as they eye Amazon’s frictionless checkout for signs of where technology is headed. When Amazon opened its first cashierless, checkout-free Amazon Go store…
Balancing Wages
As outlined in the The 11th Annual CSD/Humetrics HR Benchmarking Survey, wages are a key component in employee recruiting and retention. Many c-stores are upping their minimum wages to attract applicants, while many struggle to compete against the likes of big box chains and Amazon that offer wages above $10 an hour. Nationally, talk of…
Tech Solutions to Inventory Management
In certain parts of Ontario, Canada, when a cigarette pack goes missing from a convenience store, the police know almost immediately. For the past couple years, Circle K in Canada has been using tobacco tracker technology in cigarette packs, helping law enforcement capture more than 50 thieves. “It continues to work phenomenally for us,” said…
IoT: Getting Connected, Staying Aware
The Internet of Things is helping to better connect the c-store world, saving time and money for operators. By Brad Perkins, Contributing Editor It’s 3 a.m., and your phone beeps or rings. Dread sets in. But it’s not a clerk telling you something is wrong or the police telling you the store has been robbed.…
Beer Sales Grow Diverse
The right assortment, coupled with a local brewery presence, will enable craft sales to splurge. By Brad Perkins, Contributing Editor It’s safe to say that craft beer is a fully mainstream product. New breweries are popping up seemingly everywhere— there are more than 6,000 in the U.S.—and though they’re smaller, at least in terms of…
Quality Equipment Yields Superior Food
Equipment that caters to the needs of c-stores can help elevate a program to new heights. Convenience store foodservice has come a long way in recent years, and equipment is a big reason why. With advances in speed, durability and technology, foodservice equipment now allows convenience stores to provide food that is fast and high…