By putting fuel volume in the proper light and focusing on growing that fuel capacity, it can boost inside sales. By Jim Callahan, Contributing Editor There’s indeed an important correlation between the gallons of fuel convenience retailers sell and the number of dollars earned as part of their inside sales. Retail gasoline prices are among…

Best practices in food safety start with training and a food safety culture from the top down. By Francine Shaw, president of Savvy Food Safety Inc. Chipotle recently made news again for a food safety outbreak at an Ohio location that sickened 500+ people. Tainted romaine lettuce, pre-cut produce, and sandwich wraps have also been…

Cumberland Farms developed a management program, cultivating basic skills necessary for members to be successful. By John McMahon No one disputes that leadership matters in any organization. We all know good leadership when we see it because leaders inspire and engage us. We follow them for the right reasons. In fact, research shows the quality…

Utilizing universal character traits such as work ethic, judgment, natural leadership and good communication skills will ensure a higher rate of success. By Steve Sandman One of the most important responsibilities any operation’s current leadership has is its development of future leadership and ensuring that transition is smooth and seamless. As they say, it’s easy…

Sales of prepared foods in retail segments are expected to grow, and c-stores are angling to maintain a piece of a growing pie. By Tim Powell As retail professionals, many of us realize the historic stigma of c-store food. In 1980, Clark W. Griswold in Vacation set back the evolution of the segment with the…

By John Lofstock Honesty, integrity, respect, humility and innovation. These are the words that define Kwik Trip…and it shows. The La Crosse, Wis. convenience store chain exemplifies what it means to be a “people company.” It is fully committed to customers, employees and its vendor partners, not as a strategy to grow the business, but…

Weak spots in your operation can degrade the whole structure of a c-store. By Jim Callahan, Contributing Editor No matter how elegant or special your store is, whether you are a big retailer or a small-town community c-store, success often lies in paying heed to your weaknesses and capitalizing on your strengths. Weak spots in…

Electronic invoices offer clear and measurable benefits and are supported by Conexxus EB2B Working Group, but there’s a need for more supplier engagement. By Ed Collupy Store managers, cross functional retail headquarter teams, merchandise and consumer packaged goods suppliers, back-office solution providers, and technical standards all have something in common – what is it? They…

Communication is always a key motivator. By Jim Callahan, Contributing Editor While it’s never easy to discipline employees under your watch, it’s often necessary. Simply put, discipline is part of the job. It has always been my experience that when it comes to employees, corrective action should be done at the time of the offense.…

By John Lofstock, Editor. The convenience store industry’s young executives face unique challenges as they grow their businesses in the competitive c-store market. The National Advisory Group’s (NAG) Young Executives Organization (YEO) was formed specifically to addresses these challenges and help the industry’s leaders of tomorrow identify solutions with others in their age group. Last…