Even more than chains, independent c-store operators need to earn consumers’ trust every time they enter the store, and nothing can destroy that trust more quickly than unsanitary food handling practice. Foodborne illness can cripple a c-store’s foodservice program, which makes teaching and enforcing the basics an essential part of an independent’s training program. The…

According to market research firm Brightfield Group, consumers are looking to CBD drinks for numerous reasons or occasions, from functional and fun beverages for wellness and as alcohol substitutes. “With so many existing occasions and reasons to enjoy a drink, CBD beverage companies need to get creative and specific with their positionings,” said Brightfield Group’s…

For two years, COVID-19 dictated much of the direction for the health and beauty aids (HBA) category in the convenience store channel. Hygiene products dominated, with soap beating out all other product lines by a very healthy margin — cashing in nearly $2.8 million more in sales for 2020 than second place skin care, per…

Traditionally, unit sales within the health and beauty aid (HBA) category, which covers a variety of products from toothpaste to pain relief, from contraceptives to cosmetics, pale in comparison with alcohol, beverages, tobacco or snacks, but COVID-19 lifted those statistics for certain elements. As the reality of the global pandemic set in, people became much…

Raise your hand if you had the word “pandemic” in your strategic plans at the start of 2020, and yet, unexpectedly, the world quickly changed as COVID-19 arrived. While convenience stores were spared total closure during the lockdowns and volumes were off – i.e., fuel – most survived. Now, with a changed landscape, c-stores can…

As the potato chip category stages a post-pandemic comeback, the most popular items continue to be those that feature spicy, dramatic flavors and/or are perceived as a healthier choice. Chips are a c-store staple, of course, but COVID-19 put a solid dent in the business. Sales within convenience stores declined in 2020 primarily because pandemic-related…

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology found that cannabidiol (CBD) can lessen the psychoactive effects of d9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) when taken together.  The goal of the study — by researchers Jose’ Bouso, PhD from the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service, and Alberto Sainz-Cort, MSc from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya…

While overall gum sales have struggled at c-stores during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, bubble gum is proving to be a bright spot for gum sales at convenience stores. At convenience stores, total sugar bubble gum enjoyed dollar sales growth of 7.7% for the 52 weeks ending Aug. 8, 2021, per IRI. Compare that to overall…

The marketplace for cannabis-derived products continues to grow. First came cannabidiol (CBD) oils, topicals and edibles, which quickly developed into a high-demand category. Now, manufacturers are introducing minor, or entourage, cannabinoid compounds that purport to elicit many similar beneficial effects as CBDs. The two substances gaining attention right now are cannabigerol (CBG) and cannabinol (CBN),…

Jerky and biltong are often considered the same or very similar — as both are dried meats that make a popular and tasty snack with a long shelf life — but they do have some real differences. To start, jerky comes from North and South America, while biltong originated in Southern African countries, like Zimbabwe,…