Convenience & Carwash Canada by edge advertising

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2019

Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most read Canadian owned and operated Convenience, Retail Petroleum and Carwash Publication

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SPECIAL OCCASIONS & HOLIDAYS PAGE 12 HOT & COLD BEVERAGE DISPENSERS PAGE 25 MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE PAGE 38 CARWASH BRUSH SELECTION PAGE 19 POINT-OF-SALE EVOLVES OVER TIME PAGE 44 KEEPING FUEL FLOWING PAGE 48

UPI Energy FS: Focusing on Full-Serve PAGE 29

BOB MCKENZIE Director, Retail and Operations, UPI Energy FS ROB MCINTOSH General Manager, UPI Energy FS

JEFF BROWN Director, Finance, UPI Energy FS

JOHN CANJAR Director, Sales and Marketing, UPI Energy FS

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CANADA’S VEHICLE WASHING CHEMICAL & EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER Protecting The Environment

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CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

Cover Story

Petroleum and Carwash

Industry News

Instore and Nutrition

29 19 06 12 UPI Energy FS The Full-Serve Experience

Carwash Bush Selection Questions & Ansswers

Publisher’s Message Hello Autumn

Washtalk Port Alberni’s Posh Wash

Editor’s Message Making Your World Less Plastic

High-Volume Sites Keeping Fuel Flowing

CICC National Convenience Industry Summit

Blueprint to Foodservice Special Occasions and Holidays

Mental Health in the Workplace Assisting Employees

Vape and Cannabis Accessories Walking the Line

Absenteeism Impact on Business & Bottom Line

Gum & Mints Breath of Fresh Air

53 Single-Use Plastics Don’t Be Left Holding the Bag

25 Beverage Dispensers Running Hot & Cold

44 Point-of-Sale Evolving Over Time

What’s New

Women in Carwash™ Conference

Upcoming Events September 24 – 26, 2019 Convenience Industry Council of Canada (CICC) Toronto, ON www.convenienceindustry.ca October 1 – 4, 2019 PEI Convention at the NACS Show Georgia World Congress Centre, Atlanta, GA https://www.pei.org/show

Cover photo by: Juli Paladino, FS PARTNERS.

October 21, 2019 Retail Convenience Awards Halifax Convention Centre, Halifax, NS hammoud@conveniencestores.ca Mike Hammoud (902) 880-9733

January 20 – 22, 2020 Women in Carwash™ conference Arlington, Texas www.womenincarwash.com 204-489-4215 / 778-772-3057 Brenda Johnstone/Andrew Klukas

October 22, 2019 Atlantic Convenience Expo Halifax Convention Centre, Halifax, NS Hind@hammoudconsulting.ca Hind Hammoud (902) 877-8132

June 22 – 24, 2020 Women in Carwash™ conference Niagara Falls, Ontario www.womenincarwash.com 204-489-4215 / 778-772-3057 Brenda Johnstone/Andrew Klukas

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Publisher’s Message

So Long Summer, Hello Autumn

It’s the end of summer and we’re heading into one of the busiest seasons of the year. Students grappling with new schedules, moms and dads with new schedules and lists of must buy, or must do and must drive. This edition we bring you some ideas for holiday menus with our Blueprint to Foodservice feature article that offers some great time-saving suggestions. We share the story of UPI Energy, a fixture across the landscape of rural Ontario for almost 35 years lending that special personal touch to their customers. We are providing information from our human resources expert, Barbara Bowes, who talks about Absenteeism while Carter Hammett’s article delves into the issue of mental health in the workplace. We hope that by bringing these topics to the forefront of your thinking, we are helping you and your staff open up about issues that could be affecting your business. What is your company doing to combat single-use plastic? I recently watched a television program that talked about and showed video of beaches around the world and the vast amount of plastics that washed up on the shores. All of these plastics started somewhere on their path to the beaches. We bring to you Compostable Plastics – Part II to get you thinking about what we all, as consumers, could begin consciously doing to stop the usage of single-use plastics. There is much to say about plastic; lamented in the ‘50’s as “forever products.” Sadly, with the creation of singleuse plastics the world gained a huge industry but the planet, and what happens after we open the products, was forgotten, or maybe never considered. It’s time we, both as retailers and consumers, begin to say no to the excess packaging and start demanding a better alternative. We hope these articles start you thinking about this world crisis. How bright is your store? Do your customers feel safe stopping in your parking lot in the evening hours of darkness? LSI Lighting brings insight into the newest technology and how to best use it at your site. Welcome to Fall. We hope you enjoy reading this edition, the first edition of our 12th year of publishing, and as always, your business is my business and my open-door policy to your valuable feedback remains, not only intact but stronger than ever. If there is a topic that you’d like to see us cover, or you’d like to have your business featured in an upcoming edition, please send me an email to bjjohnstone@convenienceandcarwash.com

Brenda Jane Johnstone Publisher

Convenience & Carwash would like to introduce you to our new advertisers. Waleco Inc. – page 30

Wayne – Dover Fueling – OBC

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

Editor’s Message

PUBLISHER Brenda Jane Johnstone bjjohnstone@convenienceandcarwash. com SALES Cody Johnstone Vice President, Sales 416-838-4674 codyj@convenienceandcarwash.com Brenda Jane Johnstone 204-489-4215 bjjohnstone@convenienceandcarwash. com Diana Signorile National Sales Media Solutions 403-607-8133 diana@convenienceandcarwash.com MANAGING EDITOR Angela Altass editor@convenienceandcarwash.com DIGITAL/SOCIAL MEDIA Cody Johnstone codyj@convenienceandcarwash.com DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Doug Coates, Edge Advertising Keith House, Production EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Ian Burton, Istobal Scott Findlay, Core-Mark Int’l Kim Hansen, MI Petro David Hoy, Peninsula Co-Op Andrew Klukas, WCSA Dave Watson, The Chamois & Convenience Store Ltd. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Angela Altass Meline Beach Barbara J. Bowes Carter Hammett Ed Kammerer Tania Moffat

Making Your World Less Plastic

As a child, I remember going shopping with my mother and leaving the store with a big paper bag full of purchases. We had a store at the corner of our street, where things didn’t come pre-packaged in plastic. The cheese was a big round cheese wheel and the clerk cut off as much as you wanted and the deli meats were much the same (young children would often be treated with a free extra slice to eat in store). There were some bins of loose candies and little brown paper bags to put them in. Time changed. Specialty stores may have these same features but that’s partially what makes them special. Most of our purchases today, unless we consciously focus on looking for other options, consist of pre-packaged items that we grab off shelves or from coolers. We have consumed the products and discarded the packaging and wrapping without much thought. The thing is, more and more people are now thinking about it and are looking for other options. In the articles on single-use plastics – part one appeared in the July/August issue and part two is in this issue – we get a glimpse into the future as government regulations start to place bans on items we have taken for granted and used freely and frequently without consideration to their impact on the environment. Take a moment to consider how much plastic exists in your everyday world and see if there are ways that you can limit, reduce or eliminate your reliance on them. Keep on top of what is available as an alternative, especially single-use plastics, so you are as prepared as possible when the government decides exactly what the announced 2021 ban will detail. At the very least, join the ranks of people who have started thinking about it. If you haven’t already realized it, there are changes afoot and we are counting on them to improve our overall global ecological footprint.

Angela Altass Managing Editor

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For advertising information and rates contact: Diana Signorile at 403-607-8133 or email: diana@convenienceandcarwash.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Join CICC at its First Summit in Toronto The Convenience Industry Council of Canada will bring together retailers, distributors, and manufacturers from across Canada at its first National Convenience Industry Summit in Toronto at the new Hotel X. The event will provide relevant research, inspiring keynotes and networking events that will offer insight into future opportunities, challenges and trends. The Networking Party kicks off the summit on the evening of Tuesday September 24th. Anne Kothawala, president of CICC, encourages all registrants to join in on the evening, “meet up with old industry friends and meet new ones.” The next day features a full day program with speaker sessions, a new roundtable session ‘The Inside Scoop: Meet with Retailers and Distributors’ and ends with the gala awards event. The final half-day of programming includes a Trade Exchange and keynote speaker – beer baroness, entrepreneur, and television personality – Manjit Minhas. Sessions

The summit program features business sessions that focus on the matters that affect members’ businesses. Speakers like: Neil Parischa shares his story of how resilience, change, and growth can come from times of challenge, how the mindset one cultivates ultimately enables success, how the secret to getting happy is to be happy first. Attendees will leave his session with the tools needed to achieve their biggest goals and learn

how leadership comes from within. The Inside Scoop: Meet with our Retailers and Distributors is new to the summit program. Anne Kothawala, president of CICC, is excited to add it to the programming. “This roundtable offers our vendor partners a great opportunity to meet directly with our retailer and distributor members. In a timed rotating style, host retailers and distributors will discuss their company’s priorities and short-term strategic plan.” Bobbi Sahni, co-founder of Ethnicity Matters, a multicultural marketing and advertising agency leads a panel discussion on shopper diversity – attracting and understanding newcomers. Customer diversity awareness is essential for living and working in Canada today. For convenience stores, manufacturers, and distributors, understanding how to harness this knowledge in the form of effective business strategies is increasingly becoming a key catalyst for growth. With his finger always on the pulse of the CPG landscape, Carman Allison joins the summit again to provide vendors, retailers, and distributors the consumer insights they need to

make strategic and impactful business decisions. And, Manjit Minhas joins the summit to speak on two topics on which she is undoubtedly an expert: empowering women and the beer and wine industry, particularly in convenience stores across Canada. Trade Exchange

A key networking component of the summit, the Trade Exchange is a minitrade show where vendors showcase their products and connect with senior retailers and distributers for future business. National Convenience Industry Awards Gala

On the evening of the 25th at neighbouring Beanfield Centre, CICC will honour individuals and companies for industry excellence and innovation as the recipients of the Convenience Innovation Awards and the Awards of Excellence are celebrated together. The Convenience Innovation Awards recognize top product development in the convenience industry. The program provides a benchmark for leading innovation, recognizes those top products in the industry, and awards suppliers for outstanding research and development. The Awards of Excellence recognize individuals and businesses that contribute to the growth of the convenience industry. The Awards of Excellence ceremony pays tribute to the recipients, acknowledges their accomplishments, and announces their induction into the CICC Hall of Fame. The 2018 National Convenience Industry Summit is taking place in Toronto, Ontario at Hotel X, Toronto on September 24-26.

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By Tania Moffat

WALKING THE LINE: Selling Vape and Cannabis Accessories Vape products and cannabis accessories are a profitable vertical for c-stores but are governed by the same stringent rules as tobacco. How do retailers enter this heavily regulated sector when they can’t display or advertise the product?

Stats Support Strict Regulations

Most manufacturers are supportive of the laws that have been put in place to limit the sale of these products to young adults. The results of recent studies showed an increase in youth vaping, necessitating restrictions. The Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey conducted in 2017 showed that 15 per cent of Canadians had tried a vaping product, and of that, youth, 1524 years had the highest rates at 32 per cent. Health Canada is concerned about the acceleration in experimentation and the uptake of vaping. Also alarming is the introduction of high content nicotine products. Anecdotal evidence suggests vaping increases the risk of teens using cigarettes, which has been on the rise for the first time in 30 years. The Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA) drastically changed the landscape of this once grey market area in 2018. The Act limits the promotion of vaping products by prohibiting lifestyle advertising and any advertising that appeals to youth. Many provinces have additional vaping legislation, with the exception of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories (as of January 2019). Like vaping, the sale

of cannabis accessories follows similar regulations, and again retailers must be aware of their provincial legislation which stacks on top of federal law. The Right Niche

Kyle Britton, vice president of marketing at ReCreation Marketing, manages a portfolio of their manufactured brands as well as partner brands that they represent in the cannabis industry. “After cannabis was legalized, there was a green rush into cultivating the flower, but the accessories market was a lot slower to develop,” says Britton. “We took aim at the accessories market and looked towards the convenience channel as cannabis continues to become more and more mainstream. There is still a lot of grey area when it comes to displaying products, however, we assist our retail partners with their compliance obligations.” In regards to vaping products, Leo Vynnyk, marketing manager at STLTH, agrees: “The public is used to purchasing their smoking products from convenience stores, and it makes sense for them to venture into the vaping industry.”

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Cannabis Accessories

In the first quarter of 2019 approximately 5.3 million Canadians had used cannabis, an increase of 14 per cent from last year according to Statistics Canada. The Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) report indicates the industry is moving toward extracts, forecasting they will account for half of Canada’s cannabis market. Of this, they estimate vape pens will lead with 20 per cent of the sector. It is relatively inexpensive for retailers to enter the cannabis industry. “We recommend products below $10, rolling papers, hand pipes, spoons, chillums, tips, mini torches. Stores can enter the industry for around $200 and still provide their customers with the essentials,” says Britton. Vaping Accessories

Regarding vape products, Britton adds: “There are open (self-fill juices) and closed (pre-filled cartridges) systems for vaping. The closed system is almost exclusively run by larger companies which have decreased costs and made several of these products enticing for retailers.” “Stores generally carry individual pods and refills as well as starter kits;” explains Jesse Maxwell, vice president of sales and business development at Masaru International Sales Inc. “Our systems start in $35 range. Salt-nicotine formulas are more popular as they are more akin to smoking a cigarette with similar reaction times and throat hits. Some c-stores have made themselves a destination shop carrying three to four brands of pod systems, 30-60 ml juices and other hardware for the intermediate and advanced users,” says Maxwell. “In terms of flavours, fruits are the most popular while tobacco is a slow and steady seller. People generally like to try every flavour; our most popular is Quad Berry.” Making it Work

So why are some c-store operators shying away from this lucrative sector? “Some retailers believe selling these types of products is illegal. Others are afraid to stock their shelves with new vaping products after a failed foray into the industry with the oldfashioned e-pens and liquids,” states Vynnyk. In terms of vaping products and cannabis accessories, there remains a significant amount of grey area around the laws, leaving retailers feeling like they

New Vaping Products MYLÉ is a high-end pod system sold at an affordable price through The Juice Punk. It has a perfect throat hit and the e-liquids are manufactured in Canada. Their latest product Ki is the first compact 25.5 mm pod system compatible with nicotine, CBD and THC pods. STLTH devices come with a 420 mAh battery capacity, providing a full day of use without charging and allow customers to instantly switch between eight flavours and two levels of nicotine. JUUL Labs Canada has just released a portable charging case that allows users to charge their device up to three times while on the go. Compatible with all JUUL devices, it is compact enough to fit in your pocket for on-the-go charging.

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Education is the key to success in this market. “Our market is adult smokers who want a less harmful alternative to smoking; this consumer base has used the same product, cigarettes, for years. background. Price signs may indicate are walking a fine line. There is a huge base that doesn’t ‘cannabis accessories available here’ or know about vaping, and the best form of ‘vape products starting at.’ At least price advertising in this industry is education. lines start questions, and legally, retailers Our job is to educate retailers and em- can only respond to questions posed by ployees so that they can, in turn, have adult customers.” those conversations with their customTania Moffat is a freelance writer, editor, ers,” explains Maxwell. Britton agrees: “There isn’t anything publisher and photographer. She has retailers can do except use a price line. worked in the publishing industry for the These signs are provincially legislated; last 15 years on a wide variety of B2B and generally speaking, they are located consumer publications, both in print and in the designated selling area and can online. You can connect with her at info@ only contain black letters on a white chiccountrylife.com

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Rev# Docket # : NCON-18100444

1B Internal Contact: Cindy

Project: S.Pellegrino C & C Ad Operator : KM Date: Nov 2, 2018 Legal Line: 5 pt.

Client: Nestlé Waters Canada Description: Convenience & Carwash Ad Trim Size: 3.375” x 4.875” Bleed Size: 3.6267” x 5.1267”

Colour: 4/0 Version: ENG File Prepared at: 100% Proof Output at: 100%

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Blueprint to Foodservice

By Meline Beach

SPECIAL Occasions and Holidays

Country Style – As an iconic Canadian foodservice brand since 1963

How to celebrate and profit through strategic foodservice

You’re never too old to celebrate the range of holidays and special occasions recognized throughout the year. Each one offers a big opportunity for C&G foodservice. Not only does it create revenue potential, but it also helps build customer loyalty. Convenience & Carwash Canada spoke with the following three C&G retailers on how they leverage the holidays and special occasions to enhance foodservice sales: Leslieville Pumps – Located at 292 Queen Street East in Toronto, ON, Leslieville Pumps General Store & Kitchen is co-owned and operated by brothers Judson and Greg Flom. Previously a Country Style, the two renovated and reinvented the store with gas pumps eight years ago to give it an old, southern small-town feel, complete with an authentic foodservice offering with limited indoor/outdoor seating. Open 24 hours, prepared meals are available as take-out from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., after which is available via steam tables. Pointe Au Baril Shell Station – Located along the Trans Canada Highway near the east coast of Georgian Bay, this gas station

features a complete c-store with a small dining-in foodservice program. Restaurant manager Lynne Beaudry has been cooking up a storm for 21 years. Privately owned and operated, this station is a popular stop for food, fuel and sunglasses for cottage goers. Country Style – As an iconic Canadian foodservice brand since 1963, known for its coffee and premium donuts, Country Style also serves a variety of soups, sandwiches and salads across its traditional and xxpress network. Vice president of new business development for express brands, Karen Weldman has seen this category evolve across her 22 years of industry experience. To date, Country Style has over 400 express kiosks across Canada with programs designed specifically for the C&G channel. Which holidays and occasions do you typically celebrate at your location? Judson Flom: We mostly celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Canada Day. Lynne Beaudry: We typically celebrate Thanksgiving, Halloween, Canada Day and Christmas.

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Karen Weldman: At Country Style, the Christmas season is the holiday we place the most emphasis on. We also promote Halloween and Canada Day. Our specific offerings are for commercial holiday seasons.

What types of food or drink do you offer customers in celebration of various holidays and special occasions? Flom: We typically offer specially designed and decorated cookies on a stick. For example, for Canada Day, we would offer cookies in the shape of a maple leaf, decorated red and white. For

Beyond sweets, we also offer themed meals, such as turkey with all the trimmings, including cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing and beet chips. – FLOM

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Christmas, we would have cookies in the shape of snowflakes, gingerbread figures and Santa Claus. For Thanksgiving and Halloween, we would offer cookies in the shape of pumpkins. In addition to traditional holidays, we also celebrate a number of occasions, such as the Raptors’ win with basketball shaped and decorated cookies. We sell these specially decorated cookies in single format and boxed quantities. Beyond sweets, we also offer themed meals, such as turkey with all the trimmings, including cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing and beet chips. And, nothing beats the smell of hot apple cider with cinnamon which we sell throughout the cool fall and crisp winter season. Beaudry: While turkey is most popular during the holiday season, we serve it year-round. As a result, our special occasion and holiday-themed foodservice offering is strictly related to baked goods. In the fall, we offer pumpkin pies and gingersnap cookies. During the winter season, we offer shortbread cookies shaped as angels and Santa Claus. And in the summer around Canada Day, we offer an assortment of fresh pies, including peach, raspberry, bumbleberry and mixed berry. Weldman: We produce customized red and white donuts for Canada Day and a special pumpkin spice muffin for Halloween. During the Christmas season, we produce a specific holiday cup and during the fall season we offer a gingerbread chai tea. However, some holiday bakery items may not be available in the express network. Do you in-source or out-source your holiday-themed foodservice offering?

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Flom: Our southern style BBQ smokehouse food offering and holiday-themed meals are all cooked in-house. Our holiday and special occasion sugar and soft gingerbread cookies are out-sourced. Beaudry: All of our baking is done in-house. I’ve been baking 15 of my 21 years at this c-store restaurant and our customers have come to depend on these fresh baked goods during different times of the year. Weldman: Product is provided and baked in-house across all traditional and express locations. For example, our pumpkin muffins come in three formats: bake and decorate, scratch bake, and thaw and serve.

How far in advance do you celebrate the holidays? Flom: Our lead time is three weeks before and one week after every occasion. Foodservice sales spike during this period and especially two days leading up to the day.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Beaudry: We start offering these specialty food items four to six weeks in advance of each occasion. Weldman: Our promotional items last for eight weeks.

How else do you celebrate these occasions at your store? Flom: We also decorate the store but don’t go overboard. We display tasteful decorations like a Christmas tree with lights and other indoor items. We also change up our outdoor planters on a seasonal basis to help create better curb appeal and invite greater foot traffic. In warmer seasons, we’ll feature a bright assortment of flowers and in winter, we’ll feature birch bark and evergreens. Beaudry: We prepare and sell Christmas tins of our baked goods, featuring an assortment of cookies, fudge, butter

tarts and mini muffins. Customers know to visit us during the holidays where they can purchase these tins of baked goods for themselves, as presents or hostess gifts. Weldman: During the Christmas season, our stores also create customized baskets for sale. The Holiday Gift Basket Making Guide and the Visual Merchandising Guide, along with direction from our marketing department and dedicated business development manager, help locations drive sales during peak holiday periods. What’s the benefit of celebrating special occasions and holidays at your store? Flom: Being located in downtown Toronto, we have a lot of competition for foodservice and gas. It’s extremely

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Key Takeaways 1. CELEBRATE HALLMARK

HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. While Christmas is traditionally a religious holiday, it has become quite commercially known and celebrated. 2. CREATE AN AUTHENTIC

AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCE WITH HOLIDAY AND SPECIAL OCCASION-THEMED FOODSERVICE OFFERING – from traditional meal items to fun shaped and decorated baked goods.

important for us to stand out from the rest with an authentic foodservice offering and great curb appeal. The special occasion and holiday-themed food items and decorations keep us personable with our customer base. The aroma of our hot apple cider during the cooler part of the year can be picked up at our gas pump. We intentionally don’t have a pay-at-the-pump feature so all patrons need to come in to conclude their purchase. The quality and aroma of our holiday food and drinks not only draws in loyal customers but it also helps drive impulse purchases. Beaudry: We’ve established a reputation for quality, homemade baking to the point where our customers will ask about it before the season starts. Our customers have come to see us specifically for these items and appreciate the opportunity to buy an assortment as a takeaway gift.

Weldman: Franchises are encouraged to engage in our corporate social media channels and promote their themed foodservice offering through photos of their customers drinking from our holiday cups (referred to as holiday cups versus Christmas cups to ensure we are inclusive to all) and participating in our holiday gift basket giveaways. We also have our franchises complete a feedback survey at the end of every promotion to ensure they are effective and successful.

Meline Beach is a Toronto-based communications practitioner and frequent contributor to Convenience & Carwash Canada. In addition to freelance writing, Meline provides communications and public relations support to businesses across Canada. She can be reached at www.mlbcomms.ca.

3. IN AN EFFORT TO MAXIMIZE

YOUR SALES OPPORTUNITY, run your themed foodservice program six to eight weeks in advance and one week after each occasion.

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4. WHETHER OUT-SOURCED

OR PREPARED IN-HOUSE, NOTHING BEATS THE AROMA OF FRESH COOKED OR BAKED GOODS to build a loyal customer base and entice impulse purchases. 5. CREATE A PERSONA AND

OFFER CUSTOMERS A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE with your themed foodservice program. Your reputation will draw loyalty and drive sales that will ultimately boost profitability.

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1A Internal Contact: Josie

Project: PERRIER & JUICE_Ad

Operator : Shoaib Date: Nov 2, 2018 Legal Line: 5 pt.

Client: Nestlé water

Colour: 4/0

Description: PERRIER & JUICE_Ad Trim Size: 3.375” x 4.875” Bleed Size: 3.875 x 5.375

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By Angela Altass

Gum & Mints: A Breath of Fresh Air

Many a gum or mint purchase has been made at convenience stores across the country and reports are now indicating that changing consumer interest in these items coul d be resulting in a breath of fresh air from this category. Reports from Mordor Intelligence state that the mints market is expected to register a compounded annualized growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2 per cent during a 2019-2024 forecast period while chewing gum is anticipated to grow at a CAGR rate of 4.3 per cent over the same period. Mordor Intelligenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mints Market report says that North America is the largest market for mint and breath fresheners, driven by an increase in the consumption of breath fresheners by smokers and alcohol consumers. Clean label ingredients are boosting sales and consumer preference for mint confectionery remains high.

The Chewing Gum Report from Mordor Intelligence indicates that functional gum that helps consumers with teeth problems is driving sales, while sugared chewing gum sales are declining. Teeth whitening gum leads the functional gum market with more than 50 per cent share, followed by nicotine gum, while chewing gum that claims weight loss benefits is gaining traction among developed countries. An indicator that the category is changing can be seen with Ganongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent announcement that it is discontinuing the classic white and pink double-thick wintergreen mints that have been on the market for 130 years.

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Bubble gum has suffered the most among all gum categories, largely due to lack of innovation and a rise in competing products, says Euromonitor’s Gum in Canada report. New items in the gum category include a glitter gum introduced this year by the Hershey Co. under the Ice Breakers brand, a product combination of mint and gum. “Next year, we’ll be bringing Trident Vibes pouches in our top two flavours to the convenience channel in a format to encourage trial,” says Melani Melnyk, shopper marketing manager – channels, Mondelez Canada. “Indulgent craving is an even more important factor than brand. However, we have seen a direct correlation with media investment and performance in market on both our gum brands, which leads me to believe that being top of mind does influence a shopper’s purchasing decision.”

With 70 per cent of gum being consumed out of home, keeping a good stock and variety in store is very important, – says Melnyk

With 70 per cent of gum being consumed out of home, keeping a good stock and variety in store is very important, says Melnyk. Consumer preference for simple ingredients on products labels has fueled mint market growth, indicates a Market Watch Mints 2019 Global Industry research report, also noting that mints consumption is primarily driven by impulse

purchases. Product innovation, convenient packaging, low sugar content and oral benefits are other attractions to consumer interest in mint purchases. The report indicates that despite the increased sugar-free gum market and gum infused with vitamins, gum sales are growing at a negligible rate while North American mint demand has risen by a double-digit growth rate over the past five years.

18â&#x20AC;&#x192;

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

Q&A: How Carwash Brush Selection Impacts Profitability Brush selection plays a critical role in enhancing cleaning, profitability, and improving social media reviews. Whether you own or operate a self-serve wash, Q: Why should I care about social media reviews? conveyor wash, flex wash, or full-service wash, your A: In today’s world, where people search out customer choice of brushes can attract or drive away business. satisfaction reviews before they buy online, chose Choosing a sub-par brush that fails to clean where to eat, or try out a new business, social media properly – or that rubs in grit, dings or scratches a can make or break a carwash operation. Bad reviews vehicle – can prompt customers to express their dis- are like repellents that keep customers from ever pleasure on social media platforms, complete with stepping foot in your establishment. On the flip side, there is nothing quite like glowing photos or video. Fortunately, with proper brush selection and oth- social media reviews to get the word out and elevate er best practice cleaning techniques, carwashes can your business’ reputation. When customers offer their increase the number repeat customers and improve positive real-world experiences with your carwash, it word-of-mouth. These same customers may even can inspire others to try it out as well. end up praising your operation’s quality service and attention to detail on social media platforms that Q: What role does selecting brushes have in improving my business? drive business to you. To examine how brush selection can enhance an A: For carwashes, the best way to show customers you operation’s cleaning, profitability, and social media care about their car washing experience is by installing reviews, we spoke with Dan Pecora, an expert on high quality equipment, and brushes play an essential carwash supplies and owner of Erie Brush (www. role because they are in direct contact with vehicles. eriebrush.com), a Chicago, IL based manufacturer of This demonstrates you are going the extra mile to ensure their car is properly cleaned and safe from any carwash brushes and detailing supplies since 1948. damage.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Q: What difference can a poor quality versus a high quality brush make to my operation? A: A poor quality brush can do a poor

For more information call 800-711-3743 (ERIE) in US, 773-477-9620 internationally; email sales@eriebrush.com; visit www.eriebrush.com; or write to Erie at 860 West Fletcher St., Chicago, IL 60657.

minimize the grit problem. A continuous flow of soap foam will help to cleanse grit and dirt from the brush head to provide a better cleaning. Some brushes like Erie’s FoamMaster offer six foam holes on a typical nine-inch brush. This spreads the soapy foam far more thoroughly than brushes with typically two to three foam holes.

cleaning job from the first wash. It can have the wrong filaments, be too hard or soft, or the backing can be wrong, allowing the material to pull out. Poorly constructed brushes may also prematurely tear, rip or fail. On the other hand, a quality brush Q: What are some of the gentlest starts with quality filaments, laid in types of foam or brushes available correctly at the right angle, so that it is today? neither too hard nor too soft for the job. A: An exterior carwash using a highA well-designed brush will consistently quality gentle foam with smooth carwash wash vehicles well over time. Each brush equipment can reduce damage claims must also provide enough friction to while offering a quieter wash and better dislodge dirt from the vehicle’s surface, final polish. Unlike typical foam, which is usually offered at standard levels without damaging the paint or trim. No matter the type of brush or cloth, of softness, gentle foam significantly it should stand up to the rigors of car increases the level of softness. For any trouble spots that commonly washing for a long time to minimize replacement costs. A good brush can need to be touched up on your conveyor last many years before needing to be re- wash, such as around headlights, license placed, which saves money in the long plates and door handles, it is a good idea to use a hog’s hair brush at the carwash run. Conferring with the carwash supply entrance. Hog’s hair – actual hair that comes manufacturer can help you tailor your materials to the job, provided their fo- from hogs – has the smallest diameter cus is on the carwash industry and not tapered filament, which helps to make it something unrelated, like construction the softest. Since it is soft, tapered, and feathered at the tips, it tends to release or scrubbing steel. grit when properly lubricated and will Q: What types of brushes are best for not grind it into the car surface. Because removing grit? of the taper, the hairs still retain stiffA: Gritty road debris, such as small sand ness for washing up close, if scrubbing particles, often stick to car surfaces is needed. due to adhesion, particularly when adhered with dirt or oil. Grit can act Q: How can brush selection improve like sandpaper, rubbing against the the quality when cleaning wheels? automotive paint jobs that carwash A: Instead of inefficiently having staff hand scrub, hard-to-clean vehicle tires owners are trying to clean and shine. Since sand is many times harder than and wheels in tunnel washes, using an the paint surface, it can mar the surface automated conveyor carwash brush designed to clean tires and wheels can of paint jobs if left in place. Although express and full-service improve wheel cleaning quality and washes can do a good job removing grit profitability. Some with unique names like Wheel with filament, cloth or foam brushes, it is important that these provide a soft Wonder or Poodle Brush can get into touch. The softer the brush filament the nooks and crannies better than used, the easier it is to release grit. high-pressure sprayers with heated waTough cloth or foam might last a long ter and cleaning solution. The brush’s time, but won’t clean the car’s nooks and filaments vary in length between four crannies. Soft cloth or gentle foam, when to seven inches so that as a vehicle utilized correctly, is gentler on paint and travels through the automated carwash, the longer bristles reach deep into will clean hard-to-reach areas. For self-serve foam brushes, provid- wheel crevices while the shorter brising more foam for lubrication can also tles clean the tire and wheel surface.

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Washtalk By Tania Moffat

Port Alberni’s Posh Wash Port Alberni is home to the Horvath family’s state-of-the-art carwash, Port Posh Wash. This carwash sets high standards in customer service and choice, offering both touchless and soft-touch automatics as well as self-serve wash bays with a few cool features. Kelly Horvath has been involved in the carwash industry for several years and is the mastermind behind this unique wash and its success. He diligently takes care of every aspect of the business from planning and development to growth and finances; Kelly does it all. Kelly purchased his first carwash in Saskatchewan in the mid-1980s, which he later sold. By 1997, he and his wife Gail had subleased a small wash in Chestermere, Alberta. Three years later, they had undertaken the task of building a new state-of-the-art facility to keep up with the town’s rapid growth. They ran the new seven-bay facility for five years before selling to a friend. Far from finished with the industry, the couple built their second carwash in Strathmore, Alberta, a small community located 35 kilometres east of Chestermere. “Both of our previous carwashes, West Creek Auto Wash and Strathmore Auto Spa, are still going strong. We continue to have an excellent relationship with Malkeet who purchased the wash in Chestermere,” says Kelly. After selling the Strathmore location, the Horvath family

“Kelly is the mastermind behind this unique wash and its success.”

made the move British Columbia. Tyler Horvath, Kelly and Gail’s son, has been working the family business for the last seven years. “I got involved in the industry out of high school and started working in the parts centre for Washtech Ltd. in Calgary before returning to B.C.,” he says. Kelly and Gail also own and operate Washtech West, a distributor for Washtech Ltd. and Washworld Automatic Wash Systems. Kelly and Tyler’s work with Washtech has given them a great experience, and both are well-versed in equipment installation, maintenance and repairs. The operation of Washtech West also proves beneficial as an extensive parts inventory is on hand and reduces downtime at their site. The Horvath’s businesses are 100 per cent family run. Kelly oversees the operations of both Port Posh Wash and Washtech West operations while Tyler and Gail split the shifts at the carwash. Besides providing friendly and knowledgeable customer service, Tyler and Gail look after the bulk of the site operations, including repair and maintenance. Nitty-gritty Details

“We wanted to offer our customers a choice,” says Kelly of their decision to include three types of washes. “We have a touchless and a soft touch automatic wash as well as self-serve bays. We used the Washworld Razor because of my experience with the company. Having installed and serviced a few of these washes in my time with Washtech Ltd. I was able to see how durable the Razors were. I saw how the machines held up after 150,000 washes. I have owned several other machines, and by far the Washworld Razor is the most trouble-free and best wash on the market, at least in my opinion,” adds Kelly. “Our soft-touch wash (friction style automatic) is manufactured by Autec,” Kelly goes on to explain. “This is the preferred wash for customers who have a film buildup on their vehicle’s surface. This wash will impress even on the toughest cleaning conditions.” For customers who would rather wash their vehicle themselves,

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

“We did a lot of work with Transchem testing soaps in this area before coming up with a formulation.” Port Posh Wash has four oversized tandem bays. They were designed to accommodate two vehicles at a time or large boats/trailers, recreational vehicles, or semitrucks. Included on the self-serve dial options are: marine flush (to flush the water through boat motors), and interior cleaner (which is a professional interior cleaning extraction system fabricated by Kelly). Product Information

“We did a lot of work with Transchem testing soaps in this area before coming up with a formulation,” says Kelly. It took four years of testing different combinations and ratios with their installation company before they found the right mix. “Our private label, Washtech Chemical Solutions Soaps are designed to work in the Port Alberni environment as well as Vancouver Island and the lower mainland,” adds Tyler. The Horvaths also distribute their soaps through Washtech West. Paul Romaniuk, business development manager at Transchem Group, says has known Kelly since he helped install and service his carwash in Chestermere, AB. “We have stayed friends since then, and I’ve worked with Kelly on differing cleaning issues over the years in his carwashes. In Port Alberni, he is using a two-step presoak for his touchless automatic. We have reformulated some of the soaps and presoaks for Kelly to get better cleaning results on the island while still being environmentally friendly. Transchem Group works closely with the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to meet or exceed environmental standards for carwash chemicals. All of our products are biodegradable and safe for the environment. The raw materials used in our products are all on the CEPA registry, including those in our private label products.”

New Wash in the Works

Kelly says they are planning to build a second location in Parksville, also on the Vancouver Island, 48 kilometres east of Port Alberni. “We are still in the planning stage but hope to begin construction next summer. When construction starts both Kelly and Tyler will be hands-on, overseeing the daily operations. Kelly and Gail’s daughter, Megan, will most likely take over Tyler’s position at the Port Posh Wash operation. “The layout for Parksville Posh Wash will be basically the same. This time we will use Wash World products for both automatic washes, specifically the Razor and the Profile,” states Kelly. The profile uses Washworld’s digital surface profile system to measure the vehicles contours for precise cleaning with super soft polyethylene foam wash media. When asked if they would make any changes, Tyler adds, “we will move the vacuums outside to keep them dryer, and that will also clear up bay space and reduce waiting times.” Utilizing his past building experiences, Kelly has learned to incorporate site and operational improvements into each subsequent wash that he builds.

Tania Moffat is a freelance writer, editor, publisher and photographer. She has worked in the publishing industry for the last 15 years on a wide variety of B2B and consumer publications, both in print and online. You can connect with her at info@chiccountrylife.com.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

• Sales • Installations • Design • Maintenance • Parts & Service • Support • Serving AB, SK, MB & BC 7110 Fairmount Dr. S.E. Calgary AB T2H 0X4 Canada Tel: 1 (403) 293-1188 Toll Free: 1 (888) 447-2077 www.rockyviewindustries.com

By Angela Altass

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

Meeting Consumer Demand for Hot & Cold Beverages Convenience store customers tend to be busy people who appreciate when something is quick to find, easy and fast to access and use, while offering options and variety. Self-serve hot and cold beverage equipment offers c-stores the flexibility to meet all consumer’s preferences, says Amy Brown, marketing manager, Franke Coffee Systems North America. “With the simple touch of a button consumers can choose from a wide variety of top quality, freshlybrewed bean-to-cup hot or cold coffee – from traditional coffee, espressos, cappuccinos, mochas, lattes, macchiatos and more,” says Brown. Franke Coffee Systems offers both bean-to-cup and espresso-based beverage equipment and has recently introduced the A800 Fresh Brew, a beanto-cup machine that offers hot and iced coffees. “All equipment has capabilities of both hot and iced beverages,” says Brown. “These machines are the perfect solution for even the highest volume establishments that want to provide a wide variety of both traditional and espresso-based beverage options to their customers. Operators, staff, and customers alike love the large touchscreen featured on all models. The touchscreen is not only easy to use to select your drinks but also provides a great opportunity for operators to educate consumers on the drinks available, or other offerings available

in store through screensavers and video capabilities. Additionally, with our espresso equipment, you can add up to six different syrup flavours, allowing you to serve limited time offers, such as pumpkin spice lattes, peppermint mochas, chai lattes and more.” Using whole beans ground fresh for each and every cup, Franke’s Fresh Brew offers a fresh cup of coffee every pour and can hold up to three bean varieties. “The A800 Fresh Brew is great for operators who are elevating their traditional drip program,” says Brown. “For those consumers who utilize large mugs, this machine also has the capacity to fill up those mugs. It elevates a coffee program with the availability of fresh coffee all day, reduces cost with less waste and increases ease with less labour for the operator to maintain and an automated cleaning process.” Operators are implementing bean-to-cup machines for their traditional coffee programs, using whole beans, ground fresh for each cup, says Brown. “With these new bean-to-cup machines, operators enjoy less waste as they no longer have to dump pots of coffee that are not consumed within a certain timeframe,” she notes. “The modularity of the coffee and add-on units, coupled with use of similar components across our machine portfolio, simplifies the serviceability and maintenance

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

process. Additionally, for Franke Coffee machines, we offer training to our operators, as well as having a vast network of service providers across Canada for service and maintenance.” Placing the hot and cold beverage equipment in store next to or near the ice machine, cups, and other condiments, such as sugar and creamers, makes things simple and convenient for consumers, says Brown. “By having things centrally located and easily accessible, operators will keep consumers happy and create loyalty,” says Brown. “With many consumers opting for iced beverages, operators are offering traditional coffee in an iced format with bean-to-cup equipment. Additionally, other popular beverages in both hot and cold formats include lattes, caramel macchiatos, cappuccinos and Americanos.”

hot beverage, which is what consumers are demanding in this category.” In the cold category, frozen carbonated beverages (FCB) are “hands down” the most popular choice with consumers, says Saliba. “In the hot category, coffee still leads the pack but specialty coffee, particularly customized specialty drinks, are being driven by millennials,” says Saliba. Canadian consumers tend to veer to the right when entering a retail establishment and Saliba advises keeping this in mind when choosing a location for your beverage machine. “Alternatively, to drive the consumer through the store and generate impulse purchases, the rear of the store is also a good choice,” she notes. “When choosing a machine, select the most robust model with the best track record to assure your investment. Validate that

your equipment provider offers local parts and service and that the service trucks are staffed with factory trained technicians that carry original equipment manufacturer parts. All foodservice equipment requires maintenance to assure the consumer is receiving the best product possible. Taylor FCB equipment requires modest maintenance, while Franke A series of equipment has fully automated cleaning programs that coach the operator right on the touchscreen, customized to their program.” The coffee equipment channel has been, and continues, evolving at an incredibly rapid pace, notes Saliba. “Touchscreen interfaces, finely nuanced grinders to optimize the quality of the product, and disruptive technologies like Franke’s iQ Flow that personalize every beverage’s profile in one machine are just some of the innovations being engineered.”

Premium Choices

Coffee consumers want premium choices with both top quality and a variety of options, adds Brown. “By offering a fresh bean-to-cup choice coupled with espresso-based beverages, operators can attract all consumer groups and provide their consumers efficiency with a one-stop-shop,” says Brown. Dispensed beverages in the C&G channel are both impulse and intentional purchase occasions, notes Judi Saliba, senior sales executive, TFI Food Equipment Solutions Inc., while stating that the production speed from the Franke A800 bean-to-cup machine is unparalleled in its’ classification. “The margins in this category are unmatched by anything else inside a c-store,” remarks Saliba. “The Taylor Model 349C FCB machine is the mainstay of the c-store channel in central and western Canada. It requires modest maintenance and produces the rich, fullbodied frozen carbonated beverages that Canadians prefer. The unit is incredibly robust, offering a field life of as long as 20 years, unmatched by any similar equipment. The Franke Coffee Systems A series of full-automatic machines offers a suite of equipment models to satisfy both specialty and bean-to-cup occasions and produces the highest quality

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UPI Energy FS CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

UPI Energy FS – Experience our Energy By Tania Moffat

In the good old days going to the gas station was a pleasurable experience. A friendly attendant in a clean, crisp uniform, usually adorned with a rag hanging out of his back pocket would greet you within seconds of your arrival. Customers were always asked if they would like their oil checked or windows washed. And, chances are if you went to the same station on a regular basis, it was likely staff knew you by name and what services you usually requested. As gas prices spiked in the 1970s, these full-service stations began to disappear. Price wars erupted and customers searched for the best deal. Each successive price war led to the demise of more and more full-serve stations until self-serve became the norm. At UPI Energy FS, that is not the case. Focusing on full-serve

At UPI Energy FS the full-serve experience is here to stay. While most of UPI Energy FS’s stations have always been full-serve at self-serve prices, the company is upping its game. “Our new branding is catering to that old-style gas bar experience. We think there is an ever-growing population, that prefers not to pump their own gas or even get out of

the car if they don’t have to,” says Robert McIntosh, general manager, UPI Energy FS. “We are one of the few that still offer that complete full-service at selfserve prices.” Tracy Hoffman, retail manager, oversees UPI Energy FS’s gas bar network. “All of our customers are welcomed by our friendly attendants who will wash their windows, offer to check their fluid levels, and bring convenience items from the store directly to their car. Customers can then pay from their vehicle with a wireless point of sale device. We want customers to come back to us because they received extraordinary service,” she explains. Thirty of UPI Energy FS’s 34 stations are full-serve. Propane is available at all sites either through a filler station or propane exchange program and several stations have carwashes. UPI Energy FS also supplies energy to a handful of unbranded wholesale accounts. “As we reestablished the importance of extraordinary full-serve at our sites, we’ve promoted our superior performers. We have them mentor other station owners and their staff with what they’ve found to

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

AUTHORIZED WAYNE FUELING DISTRIBUTOR AND TRAINING CENTER

(Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada) Ontario 5611 Matheson Road Mississauga, Ontario 905.712.4915 Quebec 3515 Boul. Thimens Ville St-Laurent, Quebec 514.337.9872

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UPI Energy FS CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

UPI Energy provided petroleum, propane, and lubricants to tens of thousands of customers through a variety of sales channels.

be successful based on their experiences,” says John Canjar, director, sales and marketing. “By having owners and managers share how they grew their sales, they help our other locations to implement similar changes. In this respect, we are developing a brand-standard of extraordinary service within our training.” “It takes time to train a person to manage our business and customers properly. Even with owner-operated sites, we believe their customers are our customers and we want to empower them to offer extraordinary service. Our full-serve offering leads to repeat customers and increased sales,” adds Canjar. A history of quality, dependability and value

The foundation of UPI Energy FS has been an integral part of the cooperative and petroleum landscape in rural Ontario for over a century. Its roots can be traced back to the early 1900s when farmers began to form buying groups to secure preferred prices for their farm needs. These groups eventually formed the first cooperatives. UPI Energy’s story begins in rural

Ontario of 1925. Early pioneer petroleum clubs acted as buying groups to get preferred pricing; these buying groups eventually became United Cooperatives of Ontario or UCO. The cooperative expanded over several decades to include farms, businesses, and residential customers throughout rural Ontario. The early 1980s recession was hard on many companies, including cooperatives, which found it harder and harder to meet member demands. UCO was feeling the pressure and experiencing financial difficulty by the early 1990s. While the company as a whole was suffering their energy division remained profitable. To recoup some of its losses with UCO, Suncor Energy Products Inc. (Suncor) and UCO joined forces in a 50/50 joint venture and formed UPI Energy in 1991. Suncor supplied the energy resources, while UPI Energy provided the customer base which would serve as a fuel distribution system for the cooperative network in Ontario. “The joint venture was a pretty new idea at the time; it was intuitive as it foreshadowed what could be and what was

coming down the road for UPI Energy. Joint ventures would become part of our overall structure and are still an integral part of our business,” says McIntosh. UPI Energy provided petroleum, propane, and lubricants to tens of thousands of customers through a variety of sales channels. It was and still is the supplier of choice for Ontario’s agricultural cooperative system (still a vital part of UPI’s success). Clients included agricultural cooperatives, commercial, industrial and automotive industries. UPI Energy became a leader in Ontario’s energy services offering dependable service, quality products and great value to its customers. Acquisitions and change

As of 1994 United Cooperatives of Ontario remained the largest farm supply and marketing co-op in Ontario with 40 member co-ops, several affiliates and 21 independent dealers. Unfortunately, it was still in financial trouble. GROWMARK, Inc. (GROWMARK) a large regional American cooperative, based out of Bloomington, Illinois offered

UPI Energy FS 32

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“UPI Energy LP was, and still is, the third-largest independent petroleum company in Ontario. We are the largest supplier to the agricultural community.” to purchase UCO’s assets, which included a 50 per cent share of UPI Energy. The move into Canada was a first for the American company and it faced several hurdles including federal approval from all levels of government before the sale was finalized in February 1995. The purchase guaranteed that the Ontario coop network would be maintained along with 200 of its staff, and included UCO’s ownership in UPI Energy. In 2004, UPI Energy underwent a name change to become UPI Energy LP to pay patronage to its owners. Being owned by two multi-billion-dollar companies made some customers question the company’s local roots. “We needed to reinforce our position as a local supplier of quality energy products and services, and most importantly to continue fostering our connection with the communities we served. To this end, we created a family orientated TV presence that would enter the homes of rural families in our markets,” says Canjar. The first ‘kid commercial’ aired on CTV in 2015 and received rave reviews including fan mail. The popularity of the ad led to the creation of several more. A second ad featuring its propane products was made in 2016. In September 2017 a third ad ran announcing the company’s name and brand change to UPI Energy FS and a fourth in 2018 promoted its full-serve stations. “UPI Energy LP was, and still is, the thirdlargest independent petroleum company in Ontario. We are the largest supplier to the agricultural community and our commercials reinforced our exceptional level of service and more importantly helped us connect with our rural customers and local roots.,” states McIntosh. Over the years UPI Energy FS has made 12 acquisitions, mainly small rural companies in Ontario which supported its customer base. Five of these purchases occurred prior to 2010 as UPI Energy. Five-year strategy

“In 2015, UPI Energy LP’s senior management team sat down and looked at

in Cambridge, Guelph (southwestern Ontario), Hanover, Putnam and Utopia as well as one location in Paisley, Ontario under McCullough Fuels: a division of UPI Energy FS. Drivers and salespeople are also located in the communities where they make deliveries. Farmers are UPI Energy FS’s niche, but it also delivers who we are, who we want to be and where energy resources to construction, transwe wanted to go. We developed a five-year port and other industries that require strategic plan to reach 600 million litres energy services. “We began selling our DEF three years annually. That strategy has paid off,” says ago. UPI Energy FS recognized that the Jeff Brown, director of finance. “When UPI Energy was first formed, we demand for DEF in diesel engines would focused on our bulk delivery business, the continue to grow as engine manufacturmore profitable sector. Our retail gas bars ers strived to meet emission standards. didn’t get the focus they deserved. We have As of today, we are over our initial projecstepped that up over the last five years as tions by 400 per cent. Our DEF sales will part of our strategic plan,” says Canjar. surpass 12 million litres for 2019, grow“Like our energy delivery services, our gas ing on average 3O per cent per year. We stations are rurally based to serve our were able to enter the market and capmarkets. One of the facets of our strategic ture a substantial share of it very quickly,” plan is to encourage a notion of family so adds Brown. In addition, UPI Energy FS’s premium that people understand that our gas bar network, bulk drivers, branch employees diesel product Dieselex Gold, is a top-tiand everyone are part of a bigger picture.” er fuel sold off of its bulk delivery trucks. UPI Energy FS gas bars started with a Dieselex Gold serves to function in tocomplete rebranding effort two years ago day’s high-tech diesel engines to allow beginning with company-run locations. them to run at peak-performance. It is The full rebrand across all of its retail gas one of UPI Energy FS’s most successful bar stations is expected to be completed products. UPI Energy FS recently shared its rollover the next three years. UPI Energy FS’s 34 stations are either company-op- out model for Dieselex Gold with the erated (13), run by commission- based United Federation of Agriculture to inoperators (13) or owner-operators (eight). troduce Dieselex Gold into the Alberta Meanwhile, stations are improving their marketplace. A year later, and the prodimage by emphasizing their customer uct has been an enormous success, provservice. The unified look and customer ing UPI Energy FS is ready to create deservice have already set a precedent mand wherever there are markets across across the brand and their customers have Canada. “We are on target to meet all of our noticed. “We don’t own a refinery, so we don’t goals a year early,” says UPI Energy FS’s have a competitive advantage in terms of GM, McIntosh. “Five years ago we sold costs. Our extraordinary customer service 475 million litres of energy products. We is a key differentiator for us in the market- believe we will be over our target of 600 place. It sounds simple, but it makes a dif- million this year. Our gas stations acference to our bottom line. Whether it’s at count for 125 million litres (20 to 25 per our gas bars or through our bulk delivery cent of our business). The rest of our volbusiness, customer service is our core ume is sold through our direct delivery competency. We flow that service into all to the end-user.” of our products, like our Dieselex Gold and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). It’s all part UPI Energy FS of the same UPI Energy FS experience,” ex- When UPI Energy LP’s management plains Canjar. “We are in the early stages of team developed its strategic plan in this model and are on target to make the 2015, they had no idea that its ownership was going to change. “We came out of UPI Energy FS experience different.” That’s why UPI Energy FS has district the old farmer cooperative system and offices across Ontario, to take care of all the funny thing is we’ve gone full circle of its customers locally. Offices are located and returned to our cooperative roots,”

UPI Energy FS CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

Brown says of the changeover. GROWMARK bought out Suncor’s 50 per cent stake in UPI Energy LP on Oct. 31, 2016, ending their joint venture of over 20 years. UPI Energy LP’s holdings included Beselaere Fuels of Delhi, Scott Fuels of Woodstock and McCullough Fuels of Paisley. An agreement was reached whereby, GROWMARK, would continue to be supplied with petroleum by Suncor in Ontario. “We wanted assurance from a refiner in the province that we’d have product and Suncor wanted assurance from a distributor that their product would available in the marketplace. It worked out well for both of us,” said Kevin Carroll, GROWMARK’s vice president for energy and logistics in a press release. “It was a difficult time; we changed our name to UPI Energy FS and amalgamated with GROWMARK’s other Ontario division, FS PARTNERS. This created two brands for our company – UPI Energy FS (energy brand) and FS PARTNERS (agronomy brand). Bringing together these two businesses and cultures wasn’t easy. In addition to all this we had to change our enterprise resource planning system (ERP) to align with GROWMARK’s. It was the ultimate change trifecta of people, culture and systems. This period highlighted the strength of our people. To be able to endure all that change and still perform is a remarkable story,” UPI Energy FS’s finance director Brown explains. UPI Energy FS’s biggest asset is its’ people. With a family-based company culture, UPI Energy FS prides itself on promoting from within. The company has several highly-skilled, tenured staff that have been able to assist with keeping the strategic plan on track despite the challenges that arose. UPI Energy FS employs 258 staff, and together with FS PARTNERS there are 424 employees in the Ontario GROWMARK system.

have access to financing to help them guaranteeing a pre-set maximum price through the growing season. Typically, on customer’s fuel purchases for up to loans mature after customers’ crops have 12 months. The plan’s flexibility allows been harvested and marketed,” explains customers to pay less if market prices decrease. Brown. Focused on environmental stewardship, Various service plans assist UPI Energy FS’s customers with their unique energy UPI Energy FS was the first fuel marketer needs. The Comprehensive Fuel Service in Canada to use double-walled abovePlan is tailored for businesses who re- ground fuel storage technology in gas bars. quire storage and delivery of energy prod- Above ground fueling stations reduce the ucts to their sites. UPI Energy FS provides property’s environmental impact and state-of-the-art storage equipment for allows them to be easily relocated. UPI their sites outfitted with electronic sen- Energy FS currently has four above ground sor to monitor their fuel inventory 24/7. fueling stations across the province loDelivery of UPI’s high-quality energy cated in Woodstock, Glencoe and two in products is automatic based on a cus- Chatham. Three additional above ground tomer’s needs. The plan includes annual fueling stations have been built and are inspection and maintenance of storage ready for future installation. Companies who require easy access to equipment by UPI Energy FS and flexible fuel for their fleets can choose between payment options. UPI Energy FS’s Price Guard pro- UPI Energy FS’s two charge programs. gram gives consumers and businesses EnergyCard provides quick access to fuelthe power to manage their resources by ing at over 34 locations province-wide with

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Today, agronomy services continue to be offered through FS PARTNERS. “Because we are a cooperative, our members pay into a membership and we in turn, based on profits, pay a patronage back to them at the end of the year. As part of our offerings we provide various tools including market updates on our website. An AgriFinance product is offered through our partnership with Scotiabank. When purchasing our products, growers

UPI Energy FS 34

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

no annual or transaction fees. Expense and market,” states Robert McKenzie, dicontrols, carwash and vehicle repairs, rector retail and operations. The greatest support that UPI Energy FS detailed monthly billings and payment options help keep fleets in motion. UPI provides to its members is gaining market Energy FS’s IPN program is ideal for fleets efficiencies through working partnerships with multiple users. It allows companies in shared markets. These efficiencies are to identify specific products for each user reflected in the member cooperatives botand provides access to more than 60 fuel- tom line. Over a half-billion litres of UPI ing locations and self-serve card lock fuel- Energy FS products are sold annually through these partnerships, ranking UPI ing facilities across Ontario. “As part of our joint venture with other Energy FS among the top three suppliers cooperatives we assist them with the pur- in rural Ontario. “We maintain a solid agricultural preschase, maintenance and repairs of their fuel trucks. UPI Energy FS maintains its ence in Ontario today, supplying our direct own fleet which is subject to strict main- customers and all of the cooperatives in tenance guidelines. Currently, our fleet of the province with their fuel. UPI Energy FS petroleum and propane trucks includes has 50/50 joint ventures with most of them 63 trucks with an additional 46 through- and owns almost 50 per cent of the retail out our cooperative joint ventures. We energy sector in Ontario,” McKenzie adds. deliver energy products from the Quebec border in the east to Windsor in the west, Looking ahead south from Niagara and as far north as “We have to offer more than a competitive Timmins, Ontario. We also provide emer- price, and that is our extraordinary service. gency response measures across the prov- Our focus is to have our entire team be the ince, to serve our employees, customers best provider of fuel in the province. The

old days of always receiving excellent service are gone at most service stations. We want our customers to know they will have a great experience every time. That means everyone from gas pump attendants to management has to be on board in order to achieve consistency across the brand,” adds McKenzie. As UPI Energy FS looks to the future, it will continue to be a growth orientated company, ensuring extraordinary customer service is at the forefront of everything it does.

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The Downward Spiral: Mental Health in the Workplace

With initiatives like Bell Let’s Talk helping to shatter the stigma surrounding mental health, c-store owners have an opportunity to assist employees who might be struggling with issues that were previously not up for discussion. By Carter Hammett

For years Angela Stern dreaded going to her job. At first, work in the c-store was initially pleasant, but then over the years, incidents started accumulating. First, she says, it was verbal abuse from customers, the work, in her words, became “mindnumbing” and she felt constantly micro-managed by her superiors. Perhaps worst of all was the impact of shift work. “Shift work is stressful. You never know what the next two weeks of your life will be like,” she says. “It’s impossible to plan.” Unable to find alternative solutions and not knowing where to turn, she eventually began a downward spiral that led to anxiety, depression and chronic stress. She felt she had no choice but to finally quit after five years and seek counselling.

While there’s undoubtedly many benefits and pleasures to be found working in the c-store sector, there’s also a flip side that can be incredibly stressful on both employees and employers alike. “Working in a stressful and sometimes unsafe environment can have a great impact in terms of stress and anxiety,” says psychologist Dr. Hadley Koltun. “An employee’s sleep and eating cycles can become severely compromised as does their ability to handle stress.” According to a report by the Workers Health and Safety Centre Federation of Ontario (WHSCFO), c-store workers and others who handle cash are among those at the highest risk for

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violent encounters, including verbal abuse. Often these employees are working in isolation with little or no contact or support from fellow employees. Aside from the obvious risk to physical safety, there’s an undeniable impact on mental health as well. The WHSCFO report states that: “A lack of contact and social support from coworkers can create a sense of helplessness, anxiety, frustration and isolation when problems arise on the job. This anxiety and helplessness can lead to stress. Research has shown that workers with little control over their work and little or no social support from co-workers, supervisors or management are at greatest risk of developing stress. Ongoing stress can lead to colds, flu, viruses, and cold sores as well as psychological problems such as loneliness and depression. Chronic stress can also trigger pre-existing diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, skin diseases and asthma. In severe cases it can lead to cancer.” According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, during any given week, approximately 500,000 Canadian workers will not go to work because of mental health issues. Mental health concerns like anxiety and depression account for 30 per cent of short-term and long-term disability claims and 70 per cent of disability costs. Collectively, employers lose more than six billion dollars annually. When combined with other variables, including health care costs, lost productivity and other factors, the economic burden of mental illness in Canada escalates to $51 billion per year. Those are pretty serious numbers. So what can be done about this issue? According to a 2018 white paper jointly produced by Employee Assistance Program giant Morneau Shepell and the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), mental health can effect any worker at any time. Throughout the workplace lifecycle, employees can move back and forth along a mental health spectrum through seven categories, that include “healthy in work” and “in work struggling.” Workplace stress has become cyclical – it is a major contributor to mental health issues, which can subsequently impact workplace productivity. Close to three-quarters (70 per cent) of respondents stated that their work experience impacted their mental health, while a higher number (78 per cent) reported mental health as the primary reason for missing work. Corresponding with those figures is an increased awareness and a shift in understanding how employers respond to mental health issues in the workplace. Not only is the worker impacted but so are colleagues throughout the workplace, as well as family and friends who are indirectly impacted by these issues. While stigma surrounding mental health issues is on the wane and awareness is now on the table and open for discussion, over 60 per cent of Canadian corporations still lack any kind of mental health strategies for

their staff MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES Whether your orFOR A HEALTHIER WORK PLACE ganization is large or Workplace Strategies for Mental Health small, solutions can www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com be implemented. Working Through It (Video Series) Hadley Koltun www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com/ thinks that both wti/Home.aspx workers and employThink Mental Health ers can step up to the www.thinkmentalhealth.ca plate to start addressing these issues and Canadian Mental Health Association mutually work toward www.cmha.ca a healthier workplace. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health “C-store workers www.camh.ca can form a buddy sysMental Health Commission of Canada tem. These arrangewww.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English ments have positive Workplace Mental Health (Ontario Ministry of social and emotional Labour) implications. Having www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/mental_ someone you can call health.php can help you manage stress more successWorkers Health and Safety Centre fully,” he suggests. On www.whsc.on.ca the other hand, employers can implement several strategies including regular check-ins with employees, especially those working in isolation. This breeds a feeling of being cared for the employee, but can also be a source of strategies and problem solving.” MHCC takes those suggestions a step further by suggesting that employers base their mental health strategies on an occupational health and safety model. This approach uses a management system to reduce the number of work-related injuries and accidents. This approach is gaining traction as an everincreasing number of employers look for solutions to address mental health issues in their workplaces. Once formulated, the strategy needs to be constantly evaluated and updated. Measurable outcomes should be established and tracked for continuous improvement. Seek out feedback and annually and review key finding, and, if necessary, make revisions to the program design. C-store owners who place emphasis on the health and well-being of their employees will foster greater workplace commitment and employee longevity says, Koltun. “Taking steps, including SMART—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely—goals, will help employees feel safe and valued,” he says. “It’ll reduce recidivism and absenteeism while helping staff feel more connected to their workplace.” It’s something we can all benefit from. Carter Hammett is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor.

By Barbara J. Bowes

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Absenteeism

I’m not coming in today, I have a cold, I have to drop my mom off at the doctor’s office, I’ll be late, or I have to take my dog to the vet. On and on it goes, one excuse after another regarding employee tardiness and absenteeism. And here you thought employees wanted to work! Yet, while many retail owners complain about the lack of a labour force in the retail industry, they fail to realize that absenteeism is also a big issue and one that also has a substantial financial impact on the bottom line. In fact, the impact of absenteeism and general poor attendance is often called a hidden cost because most small retailers don’t track their absences and don’t accrue these costs. In other words, they are often unaware of the total financial impact on their retail performance. So, how big of an issue is absenteeism? While employee absenteeism in the general corporate world sits around 9.3 days per full time employee, a recent study by Kronos, a human capital management firm marketing technology solutions for human resources, suggests that the retail industry experiences unplanned absences at approximately seven per cent of scheduled labour hours. Not only that but 40 per cent of managers in Canada identify they typically only receive one to three hours notice of the absence, which leaves them scrambling to fill their work schedules. Another technology firm, Oracle Retail, suggests that retailer’s fear of employee absence is second only to the failure of their website! That’s because absenteeism has a very noticeable impact on customer service, which in turn can significantly impact customer loyalty. Not only that but the retailer is often forced to use temporary and less experienced staff to manage the staffing shortage. This can also lead to lost productivity, time spent on training, increased errors and morale problems and, of course, the cost of replacement employees and/or overtime pay. However, before you jump to a technology solution, it is important for owners to conduct an investigation to determine just what is causing the absenteeism problem. The question is whether the challenge of absenteeism is a personal problem, the result of poor training and/or a performance problem.

Absenteeism can also be due to a lack of clear direction and expectations from management and/or poor communication and leadership. In this case, the issue is often not setting and communicating attendance expectations, holding employees accountable for their attendance and failing to manage the overall situation of the employee absences at the earliest stages. Also, in my experience as a human resource consultant, I find the issue of absenteeism in smaller business organizations is often related to the interpersonal relationships between the supervisor/manager and the employee. These managers are often young, and inexperienced with little to no management training. On the other hand, if the manager is older, they will often be quite set in their ways. Both of these leaders frequently apply a top down, do as I say approach to supervision. However, the issue of absenteeism isn’t about an employee who is occasionally absent from work, it’s about an employee who is frequently absent without a valid excuse. This is what commands most of a manager’s attention. The following provides some basic strategies to begin dealing with this issue. Establish absenteeism policy – Create an attendance and absenteeism policy including the start/finish work times, absence notice requirement and meet with each new employee to set attendance expectations. Review the HR policies in general and especially focus on the absenteeism policy and how to report the need for time off and the need for physician notes. Discuss the importance of a positive attitude toward attendance versus that of entitlement and inform the employee of the potential loss of pay provisions. Train your managers – First and foremost, train your manager(s) to use a coaching leadership style so that if employees are experiencing personal challenges, they will inform the manager in good time, which in turn enables advance

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planning. Train managers on how to apply the absenteeism policy and the importance of dealing with issues as soon as possible. Also provide training to help managers understand the financial impact of absenteeism and the impact it may have on their own bonus and reward structure. Explore reasons for absenteeism – There are plenty of reasons for absenteeism, including personal illness, but it also includes issues of job satisfaction. Explore the reasons for the absences and determine if issues such as job structure, tasks, challenge, and/or goals and objectives and/or staff skillsets are playing a role. If so, analyze the job and determine if positive changes could be made so as to enhance job satisfaction. Keep track – Take time to track your employee absences and as soon as you discover a pattern, meet with

the employee and raise the issue. Most employees don’t think about tracking their own absences and will be surprised when you confront them with your tracking data. Be sure to conduct return to work interviews to clarify the reasons for absenteeism and to discuss expectations. Check for burnout – If the retail business has been short staffed for long periods of time, it may well cause burnout for remaining staff. Working overtime and doing two jobs for long periods of time is not good for employee health. Be sure to have backup staff on call. Integrate attendance into performance appraisal – While many smaller business owners have more of an informal performance management approach, be sure to include attendance as part of your performance appraisal process. Consider a reward system for good attendance. This could be as simple as

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a gift card or being recognized as employee of the month. Allow shift-swaps – Allow the manager to work with staff to enable voluntary shift swaps where possible and appropriate. If a shift swap is allowed between employees themselves, be sure to consistently report who is on duty and when. Keep accurate documentation for payroll. Offer employee benefits – While many business owners feel providing benefits is too financially onerous, it really does pay off. Employees become more personally health conscious and can also access wellness services that help them stay well. Employee benefits are also an excellent recruitment and retention tool. Engage in effective change management – It is well known that when new ways of doing things and new technology are introduced, absenteeism may increase. Plan your change processes effectively so that employee fear and anxiety is reduced as training and new procedures are implemented. Absenteeism in a retail environment is a serious problem yet we know that many businesses do not track absences, do not conduct return to work interviews and/or do not determine the accumulated financial impact from these absences. However, there are definitely solid human resource solutions, as suggested above, that can be applied to the issue of absenteeism. Give them a try, it’s worth it!

Source: White Paper: Absence Management is the ‘Last Easy Money’ for Retailers, Craig Patterson, December 12, 2018; Managing the Cost of Absenteeism in Retail, Oracle Retail, Viewpoint. Barbara J. Bowes, FCPHR, CMC, CCP, M.Ed., is a Manitoba based human resource consultant, the author of eight books, a radio personality, a speaker, an executive coach and a workshop leader. Additionally, she is chairwoman for the Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council. She can be reached at barb@legacybowes.com.

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By Angela Altas

Point-of-Sale Evolves Over Time As the Bob Dylan song says, The Times They are a Changin’ and this means that things change with the times, point-of-sale systems (POS) included. “Like the vehicles that we wash, the point-of-sale systems used in the carwash industry have evolved over time to keep pace with advances in technology,” notes Jason Sears, director of business development, Innovative Control Systems. “While the early point-of-sale systems looked and operated like Ford’s Model A, today’s systems feature the same innovative design, automated functionality, and high performance found in most technologically-driven vehicles.” IBM released its 3650 and 3660 systems in the mid-1970s, which were wired back to a central mainframe that looked after the processing of transactions. One of the first microprocessor controlled systems is said to have been built by William Brobeck and Associates in 1974 for McDonald’s. The first user interface with a touch-screen was Atari’s 520ST system in 1986 while the 1990s saw the standardization of POS coding language. Today’s systems involve cloud-based computing that allows POS users to access information from anywhere on a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets or laptops. For many years, what a transaction involved was a customer coming in, buying some merchandise, paying for it and leaving, notes Dave de la Plante, strategy and program director, Bulloch Technologies. “It was very much a functional experience,” says de la Plante. “Over the last five to 10 years, the marketing activity has crept in predominantly around adding loyalty programs and making for a better customer experience. Now, there is all kinds of

functionality being integrated into one experience. There’s the ability to pre-pay and go pick up the item, for example.” Bulloch Technologies is working on bringing together solution architecture to tie the various functions of the automobile experience together in one app. “The challenge isn’t as much the technical ability to bring the experience together as the fact that every retail brand, whether it’s petroleum, quick service restaurant, or parking, wants their own app and they want to control the experience,” says Brad Bossert, director of sales, Bulloch Technologies. The United States market doesn’t use tap payment technology like Canadians do, notes de la Pointe. “The US experience will be EMV but they won’t necessarily use a pin number,” he remarks. “They’ll just put their card in the machine, it rings the card and they take it out. Canada has Interac. The US doesn’t. In order to get into the United States market, you need to have a mobile payment offering. Here in Canada, we do have mobile payment apps but we don’t use them a lot. It tends to have a fairly low adoption rate in Canada. Here, we love to tap. It’s so fast and easy. We don’t see value in pulling out our phone, pulling up an app and using it. Whereas in the U.S., it’s about forgetting the path of the card and going right to the mobile.” As technology changes and customer functionality and experiences increase, it is important to stay on top of things, as well as ensuring PCI and certification compliance. De la Plante notes that businesses reply on companies like Bulloch to ensure they are meeting these requirements. Technology Transformation

“Point-of-sale technology has undergone massive transformation in recent years to combine payments with the many other aspects of running a business,” said Jeff Guthrie, chief sales officer, Moneris. “iPad-based solutions allow you to gain insight into areas such as inventory management, staff performance and customer history, which can help businesses save time and identify more opportunities for growth. Retailers and restaurants opting to use the old style of register are missing out on a significant opportunity to streamline their operations.” Changes in carwash point-of-sale systems

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over the years have been driven by the operators’ desire to increase wash volume, reduce labour costs, and provide a superior customer experience, says Sears. “Technology is the tool that has helped them achieve these goals,” comments Sears. “The advances in point-of-sale technology, as well as the technological advances in all segments of our industry, have enabled operators to achieve more with less and have greatly contributed to the development of the carwash empires that we see today. While our roots are firmly planted in the point-of-sale segment of the industry, over the course of the past 30+ years, ICS has expanded our offerings to include a wide range of visionary products designed to make it easier to own and operate a carwash, or multiple carwashes, while increasing profitability.” The Innovative Control Systems lineup of point-of-sale solutions features Auto Sentry payment terminals and the WashConnect point-of-sale management system. While much has changed, Lee Barter, senior vice president, Infonet Technology Corporation, describes the evolution of point-of-sale systems as slow when compared to the

development of iOS and Android phone apps, “but well measured given the unique demands that the retail fuel and convenience industry have with the variety of hardware – POS computers, scanners, printers, price signs, fuel dispensers, and loyalty programs – that require integration and control.” Infonet Technology Corporation offers modern dynamic point-of-sale software that is designed specifically for the needs of Canadian fuel retailers. “Our products can be fine-tuned, as well as customized, to meet the unique requirements that our customers must have in place,” states Barter. “When I think of the history of pointof-sale systems, what comes to mind are integrated systems, payments, fuel, loyalty, digital marketing, gift cards, CRM, dynamic inventory management, detailed sales and product analysis and reporting. All of these have allowed for a better customer experience, improved product/sales and marketing, better product management and improved profitability.” Point-of-sale changes have been brought about by a number of different drivers, says Barter. “Customer requirements are first and foremost,” states

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Barter. “There are regulatory drivers, chip and pin technology, payment card industry (PCI) processing changes, dial-up to high speed internet, operating system changes, better hardware, more intense system integration, and big data needs. In the future, the expectation is for POS to be smaller, faster, contactless and adaptive.” Initial point-of-sale advancements in the carwash industry were more consumer focused, providing a simple system to purchase a wash with any payment method the customer chose, says Rich Carpenter, director of customer solutions, Unitec. “Now, the focus has shifted to operators and providing them with more powerful tools to grow and manage their businesses,” says Carpenter. “Unitec provided customer-activated payment and control systems for automatic carwashes. These products allowed customers to enter a code to activate the carwash and had no POS functionality. Around 1990, cash acceptance was added to allow for purchases at the carwash entrance, followed several years later with credit card acceptance. Our product software has evolved to provide carwash specific marketing applications, such as unlimited washing programs. Additionally, sophisticated carwash management systems provide operators with a single point of access to all their carwash locations.” Unitec’s first point-of-sale solutions, commercialized over 30 years ago, were simple, keypad-based code entry systems. “Current products are touchscreen activated and accept payment in all forms commonly available in retail applications,” notes Carpenter. “Our product software is far more complex, offering a variety of tools for growth and analysis of the carwash business. Cloud technology is leveraged to provide a single point of access from the office, home or when travelling.” Most evolution is customer driven with carwash operators looking for better ways to meet their customers’ expectations and grow their businesses, states Carpenter. “Evolution in technology is a secondary driver, allowing suppliers to deliver more innovative options,” he says. “Regulations created to protect customer data have led to many changes, most notably in securing point-of-sale and payment applications in compliance with PCI standards and in the adoption of EMV payment technologies.”

Carpenter foresees the continuance of the migration of data and point-of-sale functionality from on premise systems to cloud services. “Automation will continue to be the centerpiece of the point-of-sale segment of the carwash industry, and the industry as a whole,” notes Sears. “Through the use of innovative new technologies, forward-thinking suppliers will help operators achieve their goals by automating all aspects of the carwash. Imagine, at some point in the not-too-distant future, vast numbers of self-driving vehicles monitoring the after-hours offers presented by automated carwashes, selecting the best option based on a pre-programed set of criteria determined by its owner, travelling to the carwash autonomously, executing the wash, and returning home – all while its owner and the carwash operator are sound asleep. Sounds unimaginable but only a few decades ago, a robotic home vacuum cleaner did too.” Modern fully automated, cloud-based solutions offer comprehensive reporting and data analysis, and enable businesses to identify sales opportunities and make smarter, more informed business decisions. Times have come a long way from the simple cash register of days gone by. Contactless transactions now account for the majority of card present transactions in Canada, according to the MonerisMetrics Quarterly Report, recently released by Moneris Solutions Corporation. “The impressive share of contactless payments is a signal that tap-to-pay is here to stay,” said Angela Brown, president and CEO of Moneris. “It’s clear that as we shifted into the spring and summer months, Canadians continued to move quickly through the checkout process. Contactless is driving real change in consumer behavior and it’s exciting to watch. We’re witnessing a shift in the market that’s accelerating the adoption of digital wallets and changing the payments landscape.” Provinces leading the contactless transactions trend are Prince Edward Island at 57.5 per cent, Manitoba at 56.0 per cent, Ontario at 54.8 per cent, British Columbia at 54.6 per cent, Nova Scotia at 54.4 per cent, Alberta at 53.3 per cent, Saskatchewan at 52.3 per cent, and New Brunswick at 50.0 per cent.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Forecourt Insight

By Ed Kammerer

How to Keep the Fuel Flowing at a High-Volume Site Innovative system design simplifies repairs and maintenance for reduced fuel-dispenser downtime

A business that features a retail-fueling operation – whether it be a traditional service station, convenience store with a fuel offering or truck stop – has one main motivation: ensure that fuel can be dispensed into the driver’s fuel tank when needed. Fueling sites that are unable to do that, exemplified by fuel nozzles that are constantly covered by “out of order” bags, aren’t likely to be in business for very long. Even those that have only infrequent dispenser shutdowns can still experience significant hits to the bottom line. In fact, some estimates indicate that the amount of revenue that can be lost when a single diesel-fueling lane at, for example, a truck stop is idled can be as much as $25,000 a day. The challenge for fuel-site operators in keeping the fuel flowing is that there is any number of points in the fuel-delivery system where a breakdown can occur. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that a large amount of the fuel-delivery system’s equipment is buried underground and not visible to the naked eye. Therefore, whether it is a malfunctioning valve, detached coupling, cracked pipe or leaking sump, it may take quite some time before the problem is identified. Then, when repair or maintenance is required, concrete will likely need to be broken in order to access the problem area.

This creates a number of negatives for the fuelsite operator, from elevated repair costs to fuel-bay shutdowns that can last up to two weeks. In The Loop

Relief in the area of maintaining and repairing underground fuel-dispensing systems and their equipment, and readily identifying problem areas was provided some 10 years ago when OPW invented and introduced the patented FlexWorks Loop System. The Loop System consists of a collection of underground fueling equipment that works together to create an efficient fuel-dispensing network in which all service can be performed aboveground. Specifically, the system offered the following benefits to its users: • All piping is accessible through sumps that are shallow and can be accessed from the surface, meaning no concrete needs to be broken, removed and repoured when component repair or replacement is needed • Continuous flexible piping eliminates connection points buried in the ground • Pipe couplers are stainless steel and have built-in test ports for easier monitoring • Pipe can be removed, checked and replaced

In addition to supplying a steady flow of fuel, the system enhances the ability of fuel-site operators to inspect, maintain, monitor, identify and repair any potential problems before they develop into environmental or safety issues that can shut the site down.

The Loop System was a revolutionary innovation – the fueling industry’s first true plug-and-play fuel-delivery system, one that combined hassle-free component inspection with streamlined maintenance and repair, all without needing to excavate the site.

through the sump opening without the need to remove the dispenser from the island • Rigid double-sided entry fittings installed in the factory, not fabricated in the field, prevent fuel leaks into the ground, reducing the chance the environment or groundwater supplies will become contaminated All told, the Loop System was a revolutionary innovation – the fueling industry’s first true plug-and-play fueldelivery system, one that combined hassle-free component inspection with streamlined maintenance and repair, all without needing to excavate the site. Ten Years After

In the decade since the introduction of the Loop System, the retail-fueling industry has continued to evolve. One significant advance was the growth in the number of high-volume truck stops with upwards of 10 to 20 fueling lanes that catered to long-haul drivers, while also serving the automobile market. Second was the increased popularity of so-called “hybrid” convenience stores. These larger c-store sites feature traditional automobile fueling islands up front with several truck-fueling lanes at the rear of the property. The operators of truck stops and hybrid c-stores face the same concerns as traditional service-station operators: how to best keep the fuel flowing and identify when any equipment malfunctions or leaks may have occurred. Even if a leak is detected, some truck stop operators might be tempted not to fix

it right away because of the need to break concrete and the resulting cost and downtime. This approach can be really dangerous at a truck stop or hybrid c-store because those types of locations handle so much more fuel at higher volumes and pressures that a leak can be really catastrophic. Compounding the concern for truck stop and hybrid c-store operators is that their fuel-delivery systems must be able to pump diesel fuel at flow rates up to 30 gallons per minute (114 liters per minute), which allows the driver to get back on the road as quickly as possible. As revolutionary as it was, the Loop System could not produce the flow rates that would allow it to be utilized at a truck stop or hybrid c-store location. The unique design of the pre-fabricated, 45-degree angled sump walls would also not accommodate the footprint of highspeed dispensers. Until now.

Recognizing the needs of these highvolume fueling locations, OPW has developed the High-Flow Loop System. This upgraded system takes a bigger is better approach to fuel delivery and system monitoring. It takes the standardsetting components of the original system and supersizes them for truck stop and hybrid c-store applications: High-flow dispenser sumps that produce high-volume flow rates and highspeed dispenser footprints while also accommodating fuel dispensing on both sides of the truck, including the satellite dispensers.

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In addition to supplying a steady flow of fuel, the system enhances the ability of fuelsite operators to inspect, maintain, monitor, identify and repair any potential problems

Six-inch (up from four-inch) access pipes that resist crushing and allow easy access for maintenance, repair, removal and replacement Three-inch (up from 1.5- and twoinch) stainless-steel double-wall pipe couplings (DPC) that eliminate the need for a rubber test boot and the trimming back of secondary jackets, while allowing for continuous monitoring Three-inch (up from 1.5- and twoinch) double-flexible rigid entry fittings (REF) that provide double containment protection that prevents fuel contamination and groundwater intrusion Three-inch (up from 1.5- and twoinch) UL971-listed coaxial pipe that is easy to install, requires no adhesive or welding, and eliminates leak points and exposed joints and fittings

The Loop System seamlessly delivers cost-savings and performance.

• Shorter installation cut your installation time in half

• All accessible all the time you will never break concrete again

• Above-ground maintenance -

The High-Flow Loop System also comes standard with a two-inch version of OPW’s 10 Plus Series Emergency Shut-Off Valves. The upsized 10 Plus valve matches the high-flow inlets of the dispenser while allowing the larger diameter three-inch pipe to connect to the valve. These valves protect against lowimpact fractures in the fuel dispenser’s shear groove, which reduces the risk that undetected dispenser leaks can result in ground contamination or a fire/ explosion hazard. In fact, the capabilities of the HighFlow Loop System mean that truck stop or hybrid c-store operators will no longer need to put off repairing leaks. Interstitial monitoring of the system allows easy identification of and access to the leak point. Repair is as easy as isolating the leaking section of pipe, removing it and replacing it. Rather than days or weeks, this repair can be completed in as little as a day. Conclusion

Keeping the fuel flowing keeps the fueling-site operator in business and the development of the Loop System played an undeniably pivotal role in making that task easier to accomplish. All of the benefits are now available for use with high-volume fuel operations at truck stops and hybrid c-stores with the High-Flow Loop System. In addition to supplying a steady flow of fuel, the system enhances the ability of fuel-site operators to inspect, maintain, monitor, identify and repair any potential problems before they develop into environmental or safety issues that can shut the site down.

saves you time and money Learn more about the Loop System benefits at opwglobal.com/loopsystem

Ed Kammerer is the director of global product management for OPW, based in Cincinnati, OH, USA. He can be reached at ed.kammerer@opwglobal. com. For more information on OPW, go to OPWGlobal.com.

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Single-Use Plastics: Don’t Be Left Holding the Bag

By Angela Altass

The Government of Canada has stated that it is taking steps to

reduce plastic pollution, including banning single-use plastics by 2021. The next couple of years will pass quickly and without taking action now you could be left holding the bag when the time comes. Therefore, it is necessary for yourself, your business, and the planet, to be considering options and looking at what can be done to incorporate plastic changes into your life, both professionally and personally. Less than 11 per cent of plastic used in Canada gets recycled, according to the Canadian advocacy organization Environment Defence, which would like to see Canadians living in a plastic-free environment by 2025. “One thousand metric tonnes of plastic enter the Great Lakes every year and that’s just a tiny glimpse of the overall problem,” says Ashley Wallis, plastics program manager at Environmental Defence. “This is a once in a generation opportunity to make progress on plastics. We need to get it right and focus on policies that will build a circular economy and change our wasteful and destructive system.” Under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the 2021 ban is expected to include such items as bags, straws, cutlery, plates and stir sticks. The government has stated that the specific products and measures to be included in the ban will be determined following a State of the Science assessment on plastic pollution in the environment. Additional regulatory action could include requiring products to contain a set amount of recycled content, or be capable of being recycled or repaired. “We’ve all seen the disturbing images of fish, sea turtles, whales,

and other wildlife being injured or dying because of plastic garbage in our oceans,” says Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna. “Canadians expect us to act. That’s why our government intends to ban harmful single use plastic products where science warrants it, and why we’re working with partners across Canada and around the world to reduce plastic pollution.” Approximately one-third of the plastics used in Canada are for single-use or short-lived products and packaging, which means that Canadian businesses and individuals need to get ready to change. As a retailer, it is time to seek out information and guidance, which probably means finding a waste collection company that can collect single use plastic alternative products, such as compostable plastic. Currently, most municipal curbside programs do not collect compostable plastics. The website www. findacomposter.com might be one place to start the search for a composting facility that does. BioCycle’s FindAComposter.com site was launched in 2007 in collaboration with the Biodegradable Products Institute as a publicly searchable database of composting sites in the United States and Canada. “In most cases, retailers would have to rely on privately operated haulers and composters for compostable plastic disposal,” says Ken Hsu, general manager, Eco-Packaging. “A composting facility would be required to provide a proper composting environment for PLA (polylactic acid) products to compost. The proper conditions require a temperature of between 111 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, moisture and bacteria.” It is imperative that information is garnered from the right sources.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

“There are some untruthful comments about PLA products in the marketplace, and there are many untruthful representations from companies that don’t truly practice green,” states Hsu. “At this time, we encourage retailers to connect with their local or nearest private composting facility to inquire about the disposal of certified compostable products. In an ideal situation, certified compostable products should be disposed with food scraps and be collected by municipal curbside programs. However, this will require municipalities to properly equip their composters.” A commercial composting facility should have the following equipment to compost products efficiently, says Hsu: • Depacker – De-packs package products, such as a sealed bag of soup, pineapple can, etc. • Sorter – Screens compostable products from other plastic products • Grinder – Chops compost items into small pieces for faster compost reaction • In-Vessel Composter/Anaerobic Digestion – Composting process • Screener – Screens out residuals that are not compostable Hsu expresses some skepticism towards the government’s 2021

ban of single-use plastics. “For Canada to ban single-use plastics by 2021 is impossible from our current best knowledge,” states Hsu. “The majority of developed nations are aiming for 2030 or 2050 for a full ban of single-use plastics. It is not quite feasible to complete in two years. Every day we use countless singleuse products, not just from the foodservice industry, but also consumer packages like individually wrapped candy, gift cards, tape, etc. The federal government needs to come up with a solution, not just an announcement/enforcement. Compostable products are currently the best material to address the requirement of single-use products. However, for compostable products not to be included in the single-use plastic ban, either the federal government or private sector will have to build a proper waste streamline for compostable products. At Eco-Packaging, we are currently working with local composters to initiate the network building process and aim to have something up by April 2020.” Further information on Eco-Packaging’s products can be found at www.ecopackaging.ca.

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Greenmunch is a Canadian company, based in Sherwood Park, Alberta offering eco-friendly products to wholesale customers, including retailers and the foodservice industry. “Eco-friendly products do not have to be overpriced and boring,” says their website www.greenmunch.ca. “We have found unique and high quality products that are practical and fun at the same time. Our line of foodservice items includes biodegradable wooden cutlery, palm leaf plates and paper straws that are great for the earth and also provide elegance and style that plastic and Styrofoam could never do.” There are several alternatives to consider when it comes to replacing your single-use plastics, some of which may be more viable than others for consideration in a foodservice environment. Be prepared though, the various terminology can get confusing and seem somewhat overwhelming at first glance. Bioplastics are plastics that are made from plant-based petroleum. Polylactic Acid (PLA) is made from corn, cassava, sugarcane or beets. Plant starch material (PSM) is made from starch derived from plants and requires an additive, such as poly bonding agents, to become final products. “Earth friendly material is a description that can be misleading as we’ve seen a plastic bag printed with earth-friendly literature,” says Hsu.

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Sugarcane fibre products are made from sugarcane pulp, a byproduct of sugar production. “Sugarcane fibre is microwavable and compostable,” notes Hsu, “however, it absorbs moisture and becomes soggy. It is not transparent and does not provide see-through features for food presentation.” Paper board or paper pulp products are made from paper board and cannot hold liquids without coatings. Wood products are compostable but have limitations regarding shape and size. We are already seeing paper straws replacing plastic ones at many restaurant and foodservice establishments. “Since the straw ban announcement in Vancouver in 2018, we have seen some other materials to make straws but we don’t quite see them to be feasible,” says Hsu. “Rice straws have food safety concerns regarding expiration, hygiene and it’s a waste of the food supply chain. Bamboo fibre straws are not economically feasible. Stainless steel straws are reusable but the amount of rinse and wash required makes us concerned about the tradeoff from water pollution. Glass straws are hard to clean and poise a potentially high safety hazard.” The NextGen Cup Consortium was founded by Starbucks

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

and McDonald’s in recognition of the need to reduce single-use packaging in their operations. The consortium welcomes reuse and alternative delivery system submissions for the entire cup system: lids, straws, and NextGen also believes design sleeves. Further information and material innovations to is available at www.nextgenfibre cups could be applicable consortium.com. The conto other foodservice packaging sortium’s long-term goal is to solutions. solve a range of foodservice packaging waste challenges and is prioritizing the fibre hot and cold cup because it’s a “common and voluminous waste challenge and a solution could be adopted across the large foodservice industry market.” NextGen also believes design and material innovations to fibre cups could be applicable to other foodservice packaging solutions. “No one is satisfied with the incremental industry progress made to date,” says Colleen Chapman, vice president, global social impact, Starbucks. “It’s just not moving fast enough. This is

a moon shot for sustainability to work together as an industry to bring a fully recyclable and compostable cup to the market.” Hsu calls on municipalities to conduct research on their current composting capacities and limitations. “PLA can possibly be recycled if it’s properly categorized,” states Hsu. “Currently it is being categorized under number seven and this is the number that sorting facilities would simply dump to landfill or incinerators. If we can properly categorize PLA to another number, such as eight, it can be collected, similar to what recyclers do for number one PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and repurposed into other products. We hope to see true solutions and actions from all levels of government; not just announcements.” Editor’s Note: This is Part II of a two-part feature about singleuse plastics. To read the first article in this series, please see the July/August issue of Convenience & Carwash Canada, or visit www.convenienceandcarwash.com.

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Rabba Fine Foods celebrates ‘C-Store Day’ with fundraiser and a special visit from various Members of the Provincial Parliament Mississauga, Ont. – Rabba Fine Foods joined more than 200 Ontario convenience store locations throughout Ontario on August 28 as part of ‘C-Store Day,’ an initiative organized by the Ontario Convenience Store Association that brings together politicians, local dignitaries and the convenience store industry to highlight the important role that convenience stores play in Canada, while raising money for Children’s Health Foundation and Sick Kids Toronto Hospital. To mark the occasion, Rabba also welcomed Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and MPP for Milton, Lisa Raitt; Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure and MPP for Oakville, Stephen Crawford; Parliamentary Assistant to the president of the

Treasury Board, Rudy Cuzzetto; and MPP for Mississauga-Malton, Deepak Anand to its store locations in Milton, Oakville, and Mississauga. “It was an absolute honour to have welcomed all our MPPs in our locations,” says Rick Rabba, president, Rabba Fine Foods. “Convenience stores play an important role in local communities across the country. They act as a one-stop shop to fulfill the needs of Canadians, many of whom we come to know, oftentimes by name. In the course of our business, we also gain an appreciation for the issues affecting members of our community. This reality often goes unnoticed. Initiatives such as C-Store Day allows us to effectively remind politicians, as well as the public, of the many ways in which we enrich the lives of so many in our community.”

This is the second year that Rabba participated in C-Store Day. In 2018, the Canadian Convenience Store Association raised more than $130,000 for Children’s Wish Foundation through the one-day event, which included the visit of more than 250 community leaders into 300 convenience stores across the country. “We’re grateful for the wonderful support all our community leaders, convenience store teams and consumers have shown for this annual event, and especially our partnership with Children’s Health Foundation,” states Dave Bryans CEO Ontario Convenience Stores Association. “The generosity of our customers and members makes organizing this initiative extremely gratifying. We look forward to continuing to work with our local politicians and convenience store community to make next year’s event just as successful.” For more information about C-Store Day visit www.OntarioCStores.ca and follow @sickkids and @ontariocstores using #OntarioCStoreDay.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Town of New Windsor, NY Approves Ground Lease, Clearing the Way for LSI New Windsor Facility Transaction PepsiCo Foods Canada Leadership Changes: Jason McDonell, President, Departing PepsiCo; Cara Keating Appointed President PepsiCo is committed to attracting, developing and retaining world-class people and offering unparalleled service to its customers. The company recently announced two significant leadership changes in its PepsiCo Foods Canada business: Jason McDonell, who has been the president since 2015, is leaving the company to pursue an opportunity outside PepsiCo as of July 26, 2019. Cara Keating, currently vice president of customer development, has been promoted to president. McDonell has been with PepsiCo for 21 years. He has a wealth of knowledge in general management, sales and marketing from his roles in PepsiCo’s businesses in Canada and the United States. In these roles, he worked on some of the company’s biggest brands, Lay’s, Doritos and Cheetos, and led initiatives that drove growth and profitability with key customers in Canada and the United States. As the chief marketing officer for PepsiCo Foods Canada, he led the team to deliver strong innovation results, and to implement the Canadian snacking demand moments approach, which transformed how the company markets some of Canada’s most loved food brands. Subsequently McDonell moved to an operating field assignment as GM field sales, leading the Ontario area before becoming the VP/GM field sales for Canada, where he was responsible for the DSD GoTo-Market, Foodservice and the Ontario, Quebec/Atlantic and West regions of Canada. As president, McDonell and his leadership team rolled out the Lean Forward to 2020 mindset and behaviours and led the company through a significant cultural and business transformation. Keating has been with PepsiCo for 15 years and has a wealth of critical experiences in account management, customer insights, field and customer leadership roles. Keating joined PepsiCo in 2004 and held roles of increasing responsibility in the Western Canada market before moving to Toronto for a number of roles, including director of business development and senior director of sales strategy, planning and insights. After her promotion to Ontario area vice president in 2015, Keating led the team to back to back PFC Pingel Award wins in 2015 and 2016 for the top-performing Frito Lay Canada geography. Keating is a talented people leader and passionate supporter of PepsiCo’s diversity and engagement agenda. Keating led PepsiCo Canada’s Women’s Inclusion Network Employee Resource Group (ERG) for three years and expanded its scope across PepsiCo Canada, which was recognized with the prestigious PepsiCo Global Harvey C. Russell Diversity and Inclusion award in 2016. As a member of the Forward Together board of directors, Keating is a valued contributor to this industry-leading annual professional development event for 200+ women. In recognition of these efforts, Keating was honoured with a 2017 Star Women in Grocery award from Canadian Grocer magazine. “Cara’s deep experience in account and field management and customer insights, and her extensive knowledge of the Canadian customer and consumer landscape will be integral in continuing our growth momentum at PFC,” said Jason McDonell, president, PepsiCo Foods Canada. “I’m confident that Cara will be very successful in bringing the next chapter of PepsiCo Foods Canada to life.”

Cincinnati, OH – LSI Industries Inc., (NASDAQ:LYTS), a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of outdoor and indoor lighting and graphics for commercial, industrial and multi-site retail applications, just announced that the town of New Windsor, NY, has approved the restated ground lease for its New Windsor facility. With the town’s approval, LSI Industries – the building’s owner – and a well-known, real-estate investment firm, can proceed with their transaction. “Congratulations are in order for the town of New Windsor for its approval of the ground lease, which clears the way for a new owner to offer quality jobs in an otherwise dormant commercial space,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO, LSI Industries. “We’re thrilled to be close to completing this transaction.”

Wallace & Carey Selects New President Pat Carey, chief executive officer of Carey Management Inc., is pleased to announce that Dan Elrod has been appointed as Wallace & Carey’s new president. Elrod is a well-known executive within the logistics and distribution sector, bringing decades of supply chain experience to his new role with Canada’s leading independent distributor, Wallace & Carey Ltd. “Dan’s exceptional background and years of executive management uniquely qualify him to become the first non-Carey president of Wallace & Carey, following three generations of leadership from within our family,” Carey says. “His track record and proven capabilities make him ideally suited for this position.” Formerly a successful executive with a leading North American wholesaler, Elrod brings 34 years of progressive sales, operational and mass-market experience to his desk at Wallace & Carey. Most recently, he served as vice president, mass markets, with responsibility for serving the logistics and product needs of large leading retailers throughout North America. “Dan’s passion for operational efficiencies in all facets of the supply chain has produced outstanding results,” Carey emphasizes. “The entire wholesale industry is increasingly competitive and continually changing, which demanded we look for exceptional talent to help us maintain our competitive edge. We’re excited to have Dan on the Wallace & Carey team and look forward to capitalizing on his leadership and strategic insights as we begin our next exciting chapter as a leading Canadian wholesaler.” Elrod’s focus on all facets of the day-to-day operations of Wallace & Carey will allow Carey to concentrate on the longterm, strategic direction of Carey Management Inc., with its’ diversified portfolio of domestic and international business interests. “I’m excited to be given this opportunity with such an established, highly regarded organization,” Elrod says. “Having joined Wallace & Carey last year, I’ve seen in a very short time the strength of the company culture and the talent of teammates right across the country. It’s an honour to serve this proud company and its’ existing client base as president and I look forward to building out our service proposition to our customers (retailers and suppliers) in the coming months and years.”

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Ad Index

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