While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to evaluate cannabidiol (CBD) to determine a new regulatory pathway for CBD in foods and supplements, customers are nonetheless still purchasing CBD-containing products. Ready-to-drink tea and coffee that contain CBD saw a 3.3% increase in dollar sales at convenience stores for the 52 weeks ending April 23,…
Unpacking FDA’s Very Low Nicotine Plan
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noted earlier this year that its proposed very low nicotine regulation could be published by this fall. While a comment period and review would follow, if the regulation were to go into effect, it would prohibit the sale of almost all cigarettes currently on the market. Background In July…
C-Stores Elevate Chicken, Pizza, Roller Grill Menus
Chicken, pizza and roller grill items have been convenience store mainstays for years, but there is always room for innovation and experimentation among these core convenience store offerings. C-store retailers are finding new ways to elevate these foodservice staples as they look to attract new customers. Kwik Trip and Kwik Star stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin…
Online Food Ordering Offers Convenience
As foodservice continues to climb in importance at convenience stores, retailers are taking advantage of technology to allow customers more options when they order. At GetGo Café + Market, headquartered in Pittsburgh, customers can place foodservice orders via the company’s website or the GetGo app on iOS and Android up to 24 hours in advance,…
LEDs, Energy-Efficiency on the Rise at C-Stores
Convenience store retailers are increasingly considering energy-efficient options when looking to renovate existing sites or build new locations, and installing LEDs is a popular method to accomplish this. In fact, many chains are looking to move even farther forward with their alternative energy goals. TXB, which operates 48-plus locations in Texas and Oklahoma, uses LED…
C-Stores Embrace Automation
Automation is offering new ways for convenience stores to cater to customers, and it’s expanding at a rapid pace. From robotic fresh smoothie kiosks at Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores (pictured right) to self-checkout and checkout-free stores to mobile apps that provide customized deals, retailers are embracing technology as another way to connect with…
Candy, Gum & Mint Sales See Upward Momentum
While chocolate dollar sales grew 14% for the four weeks ending Jan. 28, 2023, according to NielsenIQ, consumers have been especially gravitating toward non-chocolate confections, including gum, mints and gummy candy. Confection dollar sales were up 21.4%, while gum sales increased 37% and mint sales ticked up nearly 25% for the same four-week period, per…
A Look at Tobacco’s Legislative Landscape
On the heels of Californians voting to enforce a statewide ban on flavored tobacco and nicotine products, including menthol, legislators introduced a bill that aimed to eventually outlaw tobacco sales. Assembly Bill (AB) 935 looked to prohibit anyone born after Jan. 1, 2007, from buying tobacco products in the Golden State. The California Association of…
C-Store Transformation From Food to Tech
As I step into the role of editor-in-chief, I can’t help but reflect on how much this industry has changed since I first began writing for CStore Decisions as an associate editor in 2009. In those days, c-store retailers were focused on their core customer “Bubba,” a blue-collar, white male stopping in for cigarettes, beer…
Snack Sales Projected to Rise in 2023
Trends across a trio of popular snack categories — meat, salty and sweet snacks — point to continued growth throughout 2023, powered by customers’ love of snacking and their desire for value and healthier options. As CStore Decisions recently reported in its annual Trends Handbook, the meat snack segment saw sales of nearly $2.2 billion,…