The National Advisory Group (NAG) Conference, scheduled for March 26-29 in Austin, Texas, will host a number of educational sessions and networking opportunities for members of the c-store industry. For members of the Young Executives Organization (YEO), there will be a breakout session where these retailers can discuss how to form relationships with members of…
Enhancing C-Store Security
During the pandemic, theft and robberies at retail stores soared to an all-time high. National Retail Federation’s (NRF) “2022 Retail Security Survey” found some 89.7% of respondents reported that COVID-19 had resulted in an increase in the risk of violence within their organization, and the majority of respondents noted that “overall risk” increased, as did…
C-Stores Find Foodservice Inspiration
Heading into 2023, three macroeconomic challenges will have a profound impact on overall restaurant industry performance, according to a recent Dining Industry report by Bounteous; these are labor, supply chain and inflation. Average operator profit margin in the restaurant vertical was 21% prior to the pandemic, but declined to 13% in 2022. As more convenience…
Morinaga America Promotes Current President and CEO
Morinaga America Inc. (MAI) promoted Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry) from president, CEO of MAI to chief representative for the USA and president/CEO as of this month. In his new role, Kawabe will oversee and supervise Morinaga America Foods Inc., the production facility in North Carolina, and Morinaga America Inc, the U.S. corporate division of the company.…
Circle K Offers Free Coffee for a Taste Test
Circle K announced it is giving customers a free cup of coffee on Jan. 25, so they can tell the difference between barista-brewed and Circle K coffee. To redeem, customers can first personalize their cup of coffee via the self-serve coffee machines and then take their coffee to the register. “At Circle K, we’re really proud of the…
Snack Sales Outlook
Both meat and salty snacks remain bulwarks of the convenience store industry. And during uncertain economic times, with other staple product categories facing some very real challenges, bulwarks are a good thing to have. “Both (salty snacks and meat snacks) are good categories that saw growth in 2022 and should grow in 2023,” predicted Rich…
Kum & Go Expands to New Market
Des Moines, Iowa-based Kum & Go opened the doors to its first store in the Grand Rapids, Mich., market located at 2134 Alpine Ave. NW in Walker, Mich., Jan. 19. The Walker, Mich., store is the first of several Grand Rapids, Mich.-area Kum & Go locations set to open in the next year. Its second…
Shell Acquires Volta
Shell has acquired Volta Inc. in a cash transaction valued at approximately $169 million. The acquisition brings Volta’s electric vehicle (EV) charging to Shell’s established brand with hopes of long-term growth opportunities. According to Volta, Shell will acquire all outstanding shares of Class A common stock of Volta at 86 cents per share in cash…
Spinx Donates Over 2,000 Meals
The Spinx Co. commemorated its 50th anniversary by donating over 2,000 meals to multiple non-profit organizations. Spinx celebrated 50 years in business on Dec. 1, 2022. Spinx launched The Cluk Truk in 2020 to serve its fried chicken in a new way for surrounding communities. As part of its year-long celebration, Spinx selected one organization…
Pilot Embarks on New Horizons
As it welcomes 2023, Pilot Co. is in full swing with its $1 billion New Horizons initiative, modernizing its fleet of U.S. travel centers and enhancing the guest and team member experience at its sites. The Knoxville, Tenn.-based company announced the New Horizons initiative in March. The goal behind New Horizons is to create a…