Merchants Grocery Co. plant tour aims to help FDA better understand the distributor’s role in the tobacco distribution process. A group of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators visited AWMA member Merchants Grocery Co. in Culpeper, Va., on Wednesday, July 18, and viewed the company’s tobacco processing operation at the invitation of AWMA and Merchants. …
AWMA Summit & Business Exchange Expecting Record Attendance
“We are up 11% in distributor company participation and 17% in manufacturer company participation,” says AWMA president. The AWMA Summit & Business Exchange (ABX), to be held Sept. 10-13 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Amelia Island, Fla., is on pace to set new attendance records as convenience distributors and suppliers prepare for the annual conference…
Sweeten the Deal for Chocolate
Market researchers report that between 82% and 92% of Americans admit to indulging in chocolate candy. Even more important is the revelation that the majority of them do it at least once a month. By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Associate Editor. Americans aren’t eating out as much as they used to, but they are eating more chocolate,…
AWMA To Introduce Hall of Fame at 2012 Show
Steve Shing and Jim Colucci are set to be the inaugural inductees. AWMA has announced that Steve Shing, corporate vice president, sales and marketing at GSC Enterprises Inc. and James Colucci, recently retired as executive vice president of sales and marketing, at Altadis U.S.A., will be the first recipients of the newly established AWMA Hall…
AWMA’s Closing Super Session Panel Announced
AWMA’s 2012 Show Closing Super Session titled “What’s Driving the Changing Retail Landscape?” is set to be held Friday, Feb. 17., and will include insights from a panel of leading retailers that includes Tedeschi Food Shops President & CEO Peter Tedeschi, Open Pantry Food Marts of Wisconsin COO James F. Fiene, and CPD Energy CEO…
AWMA Announces Education Sessions
The American Wholesale Marketers Association (AWMA) plans to offer more than 18 hours of education during the 2011 AWMA Show scheduled to take place Feb. 8-10, 2011 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. “Distributors, brokers, retailers and manufacturers will experience an entirely new event as we continue on the path to re‐invent the Show…
AWMA Show To Feature Expanded Exhibit Hall
The American Wholesale Marketers Association (AWMA) has announced its 2011 Show will feature an expanded Expo and the addition of a dedicated Foodservice Pavilion highlighting the latest foodservice products, programs and equipment for the convenience retailing industry. The AWMA Show is scheduled for Feb. 8-10, 2011 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. “Foodservice is…
Outlook Strong for Salty Snacks
The recession of the past couple of years has not swayed consumers from their salty snack habits. In almost every type of data, salty snacks continue to thrive. According to NACS’ 2010 State of the Industry report, convenience store salty snack sales climbed 3.4%, while margin dollars climbed 4.8%. Since 2007, sales of salty snacks…
Sonja Hubbard to Kick Off AWMA Show
The American Wholesale Marketers Association (AWMA) has announced that Sonja Hubbard, CEO of E‐Z Mart, is scheduled to serve as the Opening Session Speaker during AWMA’s 2011 Show, Feb. 8-10 in Las Vegas. During Sonja’s presentation, Insights & Perspectives on the Future of Convenience Retailing, she plans to provide her views on the challenges, changes…
Efficient Exit Strategies Sweeten Candy Profits
Developing an effective exit strategy for candy and reviewing product performance regularly can boost profits in the candy segment. “On a basic level you want to discontinue the slow moving items that rank in the bottom of the category to bring in something new that is going to contribute sales and margins to the category,”…