CStore Decisions recently spoke with Dr. Nancy Caldarola, president of The Food Training Group, to learn more about what c-stores can do to keep employees and customers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. First and foremost, Caldarola advised retailers to follow guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Board of Health. And…

Krispy Krunchy Chicken teamed up with New Orleans Pelicans rookie center Jaxson Hayes to provide 500 meals to members of the environmental services crew at Ochsner Health facilities across southeast Louisiana. “I’m grateful to be partnering with Krispy Krunchy Chicken and the Pelicans to provide meals for Ochsner’s environmental services crew across southeast Louisiana,” said…

Members of the American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association (APCA) delivered masks, food and donations to frontline workers, nonprofit staff and volunteers across California in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry group found that, besides health care workers, police officers and food bank staffers were in desperate need of gear to help prevent transmission…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published two documents to help retail food establishments prepare to reopen after being closed or partially closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This checklist addresses key food safety practices for retail food establishments to consider when re-opening and restarting operations,” the FDA said. “This is not a comprehensive list. We encourage…

7-Eleven is offering its most popular hot food items ready to bake at home, including cheese or pepperoni pizza, chicken tenders, buffalo and spicy bone-in wings, breaded boneless wings and Monterrey Jack chicken taquitos. “Before the pandemic, customers were out and on the go, grabbing breakfast on the way to work, buying lunch while running…

While wine, beer and spirts have each experienced a boost in sales during the pandemic across grocery, drug and c-store channels, the wine category has seen particularly strong sales growth, according to shopper intelligence firm Catalina, which compared sales data on buying behavior since mid-February with its partner Koupon. Catalina’s shopping data reveals a significant increase in…

Loop Neighborhood convenience store and marketplace is offering free lunches to kids ages 18 and younger in response to school closures. During these difficult times, Loop Neighborhood is aware of how many children rely on school meals for food every single day. To help fill this gap, Loop is offering kids a free slice of…

The Simón Bolívar Foundation Inc., the non-profit, private foundation of CITGO Petroleum Corporation, announced two grants of its Emergency Relief Fund to two nonprofit organizations working in Venezuela to alleviate the effect of the COVID-19 crisis. The Emergency Relief Fund is a special grant program to provide resources for immediate support to nonprofits with existing…

GasBuddy released a new report that analyzes more than 10 million consumer visits and 2 million ratings and reviews between January and April, revealing the top-performing brands and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer sentiment and behavior. “Convenience retailers are essential businesses during times of crisis, but COVID-19 is bringing consumers to the stores…

This is a challenging time for all of us as our nation continues to grapple with the current events. I remain amazed at the collective selfless response of those serving on the front lines — from healthcare workers and first responders, to convenience store team members working around the clock to serve customers and keep…