From candy and chips to popcorn and jerky, U.S. snacking isn’t defined by one consumer trend. Still, convenience stores are positioned to capture the bulk of them. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor There are few things closer to Americans’ hearts than snacking—in all its textures and flavors. So, it’s not surprising that the snack category…

The two largest expenses a convenience retailer often faces are labor and inventory, but costs can creep up anywhere. Experienced c-stores, however, have learned how to combat such costs. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor It is a truism in business that you cannot save your way to prosperity. Somebody probably also said once that containing…

Despite hurdles, smokeless tobacco sales continue to grow. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor As America continues its love/hate relationship with cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco and other tobacco products (OTP) sales continue to inch higher. At the same time, smokeless and other forms of tobacco continue to face hurdles in the form of local restrictions. For…

Convenience stores are paying heed to customers’ thirst for better wine selections. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor Wine usually isn’t top of mind for consumers when they stop at a convenience store—which is why operators need to draw their attention to the category, which can provide some good incremental sales. This past August, Technomic reported…

Foodservice is becoming increasingly integral to c-stores, and key to any foodservice program is possessing and maintaining the right equipment for the job. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor In the face of traditional thin fuel margins and flagging cigarette sales, foodservice has continually grown as a way for many c-stores to maintain decent profit levels.…

C-store operators looking to grow their cigar business need to keep one eye on their customers and another on legislators looking to raise OTP taxes. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor Several states continue to consider excise taxes for cigars and other tobacco products (OTP), while others look at raising the smoking age and enacting outright…

Bundling and smart marketing help keep frozen dispensed beverage sales hot as summer arrives.  By Howard Riell, Associate Editor Sales of frozen dispensed beverages in convenience stores show no sign of slowing down, with flavor extensions and in-store marketing resonating with consumers of all ages. “The frozen dispensed category at convenience stores continues to soar…

Demand for energy drinks continues to push sales upward, making the category a star performer. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor Energy drink sales are up, even as larger, more established, mass-market categories like carbonated soft drinks and fruit beverages have dipped. For convenience store operators, the message couldn’t be clearer. “Energy drinks experienced solid volume…

Smokeless tobacco sales continue to grow at convenience stores, which are pressing their advantage over competing retail channels. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor While the overall cigarette smoking prevalence has declined in recent years, the overall use of smokeless tobacco has remained strong. That’s good news for the convenience store channel. The main types of…

C-stores are learning that good supply and staying attentive to customer purchasing patterns are driving cigar sales. By Howard Riell, Associate Editor Cigar sales are trending upward and c-stores are responding in kind by adding SKUs, honing assortments, maintaining prices, offering fresher product in resealable packs and stocking a popular, ever-expanding variety of flavors. IRI’s…