Members of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) and the Pennsylvania Convenience Store Council (PCSC) joined state Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) as he unveiled legislation that would make sweeping and historic changes to the state’s beer laws. In addition to announcing its support of the beer bill, PFMA/PCSC revealed its new Web site, www.sixpacktogo.org,…
Colorado C-stores Take Step Toward Full-Strength Beer
Colorado’s convenience-store owners won a victory this week when the state’s House Business Affairs and Labor Committee approved a measure Wednesday that would allow c-stores of under 5,000 feet to sell products with a higher alcoholic content than the reduced-strength beer that they now are limited to selling, Denver Business Journal. The proposal won by a…
Heineken and Femsa Reach $7.6 Billion Deal
Heineken is set to acquire the beer operations of Mexico’s Fomento Económico Mexicano (Femsa) for about $7.6 billion, a move that will help the Dutch brewer expand its operations in the Western Hemisphere, CNN Money reported. The all-stock deal will give Heineken, which brews Amstel and other beers, control of Femsa’s key export brands, including…
Aztex Buzzing Over Beer Sales
When beer sales were made legal last August in formerly dry Clay County, N.C., Aztex Fuel & Food Centers’ Hayesville location was ready to pounce, becoming the first c-store in the market to supply cold suds. Aztex, an experienced c-store marketer, knew from its other stores that alcohol sales can drive foot traffic and increase…
Competition Brews for Beer Sales
Convenience stores across the country are facing burgeoning competition on beer and wine sales from drug store giant Walgreens, which is branching back into the adult beverages category. Walgreens is adding beer sales due to “a direct response to consumer demand,” said Robert Elfinger, spokesperson for the Deerfield, Ill. drug store chain. It plans to…
Building a Beer Strategy
Beer sales have held relatively steady despite the economic maelstrom of the past several months, and one reason is that c-stores are asking for help. Operators are seeking and getting assistance of various sorts from their suppliers in an effort to make up for lost dollars. Help is coming in the form of promotional programs…
Get a Grip
The Can Grip is a newly developed novelty drinking accessory that easily clips onto 12-ounce cans giving them a stein style handle. The Can Grip ensures the can stays cold and the hand stays warm and also eliminates the need for a coaster. It can be used on sodas or beers making it a versatile…
Light Beers Poised for A Big Year
Think the U.S. leads the world in beer consumption? Think again. Though America has a larger population than beer-drinking countries like Germany or Britain, the winner in this year’s beer sales sweepstakes is a brew many Americans have probably never heard of: A Chinese beer named Snow. “SAB-Miller was going to roll Snow beer into…
Beer
TOP PERFORMERS Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. MillerCoors Heineken USA HONORABLE MENTIONS Mike’s Hard Lemonade Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.) Corona (Crown Imports) The economy may be slowing, customers may be spending less, but beer sales remain solid at convenience stores. A recent report by AC Nielsen shows beer sales are least affected by the current poor…
Important changes
Newcastle Brown Ale, one of America’s fastest growing imported beers, has a redesigned label and packaging materials. The eye-catching design makes the product easier to recognize on the shelf while telling some of the great stories that surround the beer. By making the iconic blue star bigger, the brand name easier to readand de-emphasizing…