Sandwiches are usually the first taste consumers get of your foodservice program, so it had better be love at first bite. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. It was a true David and Goliath moment when Altoona-Pa.-based Sheetz, with 437 locations in six states, recently blocked a bid by Subway, the world’s largest fast food chain…
Managing Your Workforce
Labor scheduling can be a complex, time-consuming and tedious task, but if it’s not done right it can be costly, in terms of wasted money and lost customers. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Managing labor hours is just one of a handful challenges human resources managers face every day and St. Joe Petroleum is no…
Saving Energy Saves Money
Lighting accounts for 20-50% of electricity consumption, reported the Small Business Administration (SBA). And while green initiatives might cost more up front, retailers are finding that they can result in some impressive savings. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Due to continually improving equipment, lighting usually provides the highest return-on-investment of major upgrades, the SBA explained.…
Getting Serious About Foodservice Equipment
Space limitations used to be the bane of c-store operators who wanted a professional foodservice program. But now manufacturers are stepping up to the plate with equipment that serves multiple purposes and still fits nicely within the c-store footprint. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Scott Zaremba has three Zarco 66 c-stores that sell made-to-order food,…
A Pleasing Pizza Experience
A full 41% of respondents in a recent survey said they now eat pizza at least once a week, up from 26% two years ago, making pizza a $33.5-billion business, according to foodservice research firm Technomic. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Pizza is such a popular item at Casey’s General Store that, in August, the…
Creating Foodservice Theatre
With fresh foodservice taking center stage at many c-stores, packaging is playing an increasingly important role in creating an appetizing presentation. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. In foodservice, packaging used to be an afterthought, simply a vehicle to get the product from here to there. However, today’s food packaging does more than just hold product.…
Creating a Rewarding Retail Experience
Paper punch cards are a thing of the past. Today’s loyalty programs incorporate a variety of innovative strategies to persuade customers to spend more time—and money—in your stores. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Sometimes you think you know what your customers want, but you really don’t know until you ask…and listen. That’s what Salt Lake…
Delivering the Goods
There’s no one-solution-fits-all when it comes to distribution. Focus and timing can make all the difference in the world. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. After working with a single distributor for 40 years, York, Pa.-based Rutter’s Farm Stores last month signed three-year agreements with Core-Mark and US Foods. Robert Perkins, Rutter’s vice president of marketing,…
Strong Market for Candy and Confections
The numbers for gum might be somewhat glum but, overall, the more than $1.8 billion non-chocolate confections category is growing. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Danna Huskey, category manager for Texarkana, Texas-based E-Z Mart Stores uses words and phrases, such as “rocking,” “shockingly great” and even “holy cow!” to describe recent sales of non-chocolate confections.…
Sandwich Programs on a Roll
Last year, the sandwich category was worth $27.7 billion, up 6.3% from 2011, according to Technomic. Retailers are optimistic that 2013 will be even stronger. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. With their in-store kitchens already producing made-from-scratch pizza and cake doughnuts, it was a natural progression for Casey’s General Store locations to expand into made-to-order…