By Brian L. Milne, Refined Fuels Editor, Telvent DTN The first week in February saw the most price volatility in the wholesale gasoline market since late September 2009 when crude oil started its march higher into October and pulled fuel prices up too, with wild price swings triggered during periods of market uncertainty. Interestingly though,…

The average price of regular gasoline at U.S. filling stations declined to $2.67 a gallon as gasoline futures plunged and demand weakened, Bloomberg reported. Gasoline lost 5.8 cents in the two weeks ended Feb. 5, according to a survey ending on the same day of 5,000 filling stations nationwide by Trilby Lundberg, an independent gasoline…

By Brian Milne, Refined Fuels Editor, Telvent DTN Gasoline costs in metropolitan wholesale markets across the U.S. are posting between a nickel and dime declines to start February compared with week prior pricing, as the market continues to slump after financially traded gasoline contracts spiked to a 15-month high in early January. The early year…

Now that customers are used to finding fresh food at their local c- stores the pressure is on the roller grill to maintain its share of foodservice sales. Thanks to the innovation of retailers and suppliers alike, the roller grill continues to turn out strong sales. Chains are bundling meals with fountain drinks and chips…

If you’re not doing foodservice, consider this your call to action. As the economic downturn eases, the restaurant industry will see a gradual improvement in 2010, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2010 Restaurant Industry Forecast. Industry sales are expected to reach $580 billion this year, up 2.5% in current dollars over 2009. But that’s…

In the fourth quarter, the economy soared at a faster pace than expected: 5.7%, marking the fastest pace in more than six years, as businesses made less-aggressive cuts to inventories and stepped up spending, Reuters reported. Economists had expected GDP to rise at a 4.6% pace. While the year closed out with a strong fourth…

Retail gasoline across the major metropolitan markets of the U.S. brought in the New Year with price increases, with pump prices to continue climbing during the first full week of 2010. Underpinning the advance has been a rallying financial market for crude oil and gasoline, with crude oil again above $80 per barrel and gasoline…

With jobs being transferred overseas and business burdened with new financial challenges, more and more employees are struggling to survive. Now I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have a great understanding of the global economy, but there’s a disturbing trend of outsourcing jobs overseas, while at the same time hamstringing American business…

TOP PERFORMERS Altria Sales & Distribution (John Middleton) Swisher Swedish Match HONORABLE MENTIONS Altadis USA Republic Tobacco The SCHIP tobacco tax rates that hit in April 2009 are costing cigar smokers more, but sales continue to persevere. As of April, the federal taxes on large cigars rose from 20.719% of the wholesale price with a…

As the economy worsened, the number of adult Americans without bank accounts grew exponentially—and the use of prepaid cash cards climbed to new heights as well. Directo, a company that tracks pay cards to unbanked workers, reported that the recession has sent the number of unbanked Americans soaring to about 50 million, well up from…