The National Confectioners Association this week released Getting to Know Chocolate Consumers 2021: Exploring Consumer Demographics, Consumption Preferences and Shopping Habits for Mainstream, Premium and Fine Chocolate, a new report exploring chocolate consumption patterns and preferences. Conducted by 210 Analytics and made financially possible by the Fine Chocolate Industry Association and Barry Callebaut USA, the…

With hard-to-predict influences in the form of regulations at all levels of government, supply disruption, newfangled products and shifting consumer behavior, merchandising the tobacco back bar may seem as tricky as ever to today’s retailers. Cigarette dollar sales have been relatively flat, rising just 0.1% for the 52 weeks — and slightly down 0.8% for…

According to a recent report from market intelligence firm Grand View Research, the market is witnessing significant growth owing to the rising health-conscious consumer base demanding easy-to-consume dosage forms of supplements. And that includes CBD gummies. The global gummy market size was valued at $16.28 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a…

Petroleum industry payments solution provider Sound Payments welcomed two additional industry experts to the petroleum team to accommodate continued growth and its plans to offer more technology solutions in the petroleum industry beyond EMV at the pump. “We see lots of opportunities to help stations nationwide with better, more affordable technology solutions as part of…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week announced it has authorized the marketing of three new tobacco products, marking the first set of electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products ever to be authorized by the FDA through the Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) pathway. The FDA issued marketing granted orders to R.J. Reynolds…

Digital shopper marketing platform NewsBreak Media Networks is now Shep Digital Solutions. The platform serves the fuel and convenience retail industry, converting fuel-only customers to multi-product purchasers. The new name and branding, the company said in a statement, better represents its full range of customizable digital merchandising services for convenience stores and other retail businesses.…

Denver-based manufacturer of full-spectrum hemp extract wellness products Charlotte’s Web has added three new functional CBD gummies products: Daily Wellness, THC-Free and Immunity. All three were made available online in mid-September and will begin shipping to many of the company’s 14,000 retail partners across the United States this month. Charlotte’s Web CEO Deanie Elsner explained…

BP announced plans for a $269 million investment in three projects at its Cherry Point Refinery in Washington state, aimed at improving the refinery’s efficiency, reducing its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and increasing its renewable diesel production capability. The projects are expected to create more than 300 local jobs over the next three years. This…

If you’re in the convenience retail world, you’ve doubtless heard it many times: “The customer is always right.” In today’s digitally connected marketplace, technology and more demanding consumers seem to have called for an update to that old cliche: “The customer expects better.” That theme was the common thread that ran through a pair of…

CStore Decisions honored Texas-based convenience store chain Yesway as its 32nd Chain of the Year during a Wednesday, Oct. 6, reception at the National Association of Convenience Stores Show (NACS) in Chicago. CSD Editor-in-Chief John Lofstock explained that while many industry awards are focused on chain size and store counts, he stressed that CSD’s Chain…