Today’s customers are not only reaching for tried-and-true salty snacks, they’re also seeking out healthier options that are all-natural, low-sugar, non-GMO and/or contain no synthetics or artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. C-store retailers report growing both indulgent and healthy snack segments to attract customers. “The rates at which consumers reach for both healthy and indulgent…

The advantages that independently owned convenience stores enjoy that allow them to sell more snacks are the same ones that enable them to outflank their larger rivals in general. The greatest is added freedom and flexibility, the ability to make changes — new products, merchandising, promotions, etc. — on a dime without having to wait…

Famed slugger Pete Rose always maintained that while he wasn’t the most naturally gifted player in the big leagues, he achieved greatness by out-hustling other players — earning the nickname “Charlie Hustle.” Independent convenience store operators can follow Rose’s formula for success to better compete with the big chains. And the easiest, most cost-effective place…

With c-store customers accustomed to enjoying their favorite flavors year after year, seasonal candies are ready-made opportunities for strong sales. The emotional connections between holidays and specific candies are so universal nearly everyone can name them. For instance, the cornucopia of fall candies for Halloween and Thanksgiving includes jellybeans, caramel apple lollipops, candy corn and…

Optimizing any aisle in a convenience store — but especially candy — means weighing a wide variety of factors and leaving no stone unturned in order to maximize sales. That’s admittedly a tall order, as a category like candy has so many moving parts — from different types of candy, limited-time offers, local demographics, sales…

Entrepreneur Johnathan Lacy went about becoming a 7-Eleven franchisee the old-fashioned way: hard work, followed by more hard work — no outside investors. Thirty-year-old Lacy, who studied finance at Cal Poly Pomona, a university in Pomona, Calif., chose the convenience store industry because he liked the business model. “I have a little bit of experience…

With CBD’s popularity growing by leaps and bounds, it is important for convenience store operators to know that the information on the labels of the edible products they are selling may not be accurate. According to research by the Washington, D.C.-based CBD & Cannabinoid Industry Association (CBDIA), most edible CBD products — an expansive product…