Offering fresh, delicious meals and snacks is only half of the equation of foodservice success for convenience stores. Just as important is the strategic use and combination of marketing tools to satisfy hungry patrons. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor In a February, 2018 research report, global consulting firm AlixPartners found encouraging news for food-forward retailers.…

Proprietary bakery products not only boost convenience store breakfast sales but can be a game-changer all day long if retailers emphasize the freshness factor. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor It was no surprise that one of the most popular booths at the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association’s (IDDBA) Show and Sell in June was the…

Retailers say that sales of cold and frozen dispensed beverages are mirroring the growth in convenience foodservice, which in turn is being shaped by consumer preferences. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor Just as consumers are looking for more from the food they eat, they’re also looking for more from the beverages they drink. For convenience…

Despite a spate of regulatory ordinances, retailers expect cigar sales to continue to rise. Convenience store dollar sales in the over $3.2 billion cigar category have grown 13.29% over last year, according to Infoscan Reviews, Total U.S. convenience store data for the latest 52 weeks ending March 25, 2018 from Information Resources Inc. (IRI), a…

Slow but steady describes the growth in sales of snuff, snus and moist chew the convenience store channel has experienced so far this year. In its recent State of the Industry report, the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) ranked other tobacco products (OTP) No. 4 among its top 10 c-store merchandise categories, trailing only…

Retailers are investing in LED lighting and facility control technologies to achieve immediate and long-term utility savings and make their stores—and the products in them—more appealing to customers. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor Until recently, upgrading to LED lighting was considered by many retailers to be too expensive a project to undertake. But, according to…

Innovative technologies, human ingenuity and novel community-centric initiatives are combining to create increasingly successful store security solutions. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor Historically, loss prevention in any organization is seen as a source of spending. There seems to always be the need for new cameras, alarms or other equipment. But a case study prepared by…

Whether it’s rebranding an acquired site, expanding a merchandising space or simply sprucing up the interior, convenience retailers around the country are investing in remodeling projects to entice today’s customers. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor After acquiring 31 PDQ convenience stores last October, Kwik Trip launched an interior to exterior conversion program to be completed…

More and more, meat snacks are demonstrating their allure with consumers. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor Whether consumers are choosing them to get a convenient boost of protein or to quell between-meal hunger pangs, meat snacks in a growing variety of forms and flavors are continuing to climb the ranks in the on-the-go snack category.…

Retailers that position their stores as foodservice destinations are making a promise to offer fresh, enticing meals and snacks day and night. It’s a promise they can’t afford to break. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor Research shows that consumers are increasingly turning to convenience stores for their meals. In its September 2017 “North American Convenience…