Convenience Retailer

ConvenienceRETAILER Volume 3, Number 2

March/A pril 2010

NACSTECH FOCUSES ON MOVING COMPANY COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FROM PAST TO FUTURE

PRETZELS, COOKIES UNITED AT LAST AT NEWLY RECHRISTENED SWEETS AND SNACKS EXPO

By Justyn Dillingham Think of the NACStech show as a form of stress relief for convenience store retailers.

“There’s a lot of ‘what-ifs’ that keep retailers up at night,” from having systems that don't coordinate to seeing operations fail altogether, said Jeff Lenard, Vice President of Communications at the National Association of Convenience Stores.

“NACStech is a good opportunity to get both the technology leaders and business leaders together to mitigate the ‘what-ifs’.”

He calls it “making the scary manageable.”

NACStech offers a different experience for attendees than the regular NACS Show, which is “more about products and possibilities,” according to Lenard.

“This show is about finding solutions…having a handle on technology and solutions to serve customers,” he said.

Moving companies forward from the methods of the past to the methods of the

Special Insert:

Convenience Retailer Show NACStech Extra 2010 @

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PCATS, A KEY PLAYER AT NACSTECH, WORKS TO SET STANDARDS FOR CONVENIENCE, PETROLEUM INDUSTRIES

JELLY BELLY UPDATES FRUIT SNACKS WITH NATURAL INGREDIENTS V8 V-FUSION JUICES NOW AVAILABLE IN SINGLE-SERVING CANS

By Justyn Dillingham

HISTORIC FUN FACTS FOR SNICKERS

new products ADD Systems AirTight Networks Inc. Dresser Wayne Excentus Corporation GasBuddy Retail Systems Inc. Hughes Network Systems NKL Cash Handling Sunshine Electronic Display Corp.

Those workshops you’re attending at this year’s NACStech didn’t materialize out of thin air. They’re the product of a year of research and planning by major behind-thescenes players at the show like PCATS. PCATS is a non-stock, nonprofit, limited liability company that spun off from NACS in 2004 in order to focus on setting standards for the petroleum and convenience store industries.

“We’re a standards organization,” explained PCATS Executive Director Scott Wood. “We define standards for electronic commerce for our particular industry.”

PCATS, which stands for The Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards, originated as the NACS Technology Standards Project, started in 1995. The project’s goal, according to PCATS Marketing and Standards Adoption Director Susan Hilaski, was to achieve greater efficiency Continued on Page 6

contents march/april 10

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news briefs top news new products

< Left: Sunshine Electronic Display Corp., based in St. Joseph, Mo., has a current line of digits ranging from 6 inches to 20 inches in height! Visit them at NACStech booth 529.

Lee M. Oser CEO and Editor-in-Chief

Steve Cox Senior Associate Publisher

Kim Forrester Michael Harris Deb McQueen Lyle Sapp Kate Seymour Associate Publishers

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Justyn Dillingham Associate Editor

JoEllen Lowry Senior Associate Editor

Valerie Wilson Art Director

Yasmine Brown

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Graphic Designer

Lorrie Baumann Business Affairs Manager

Enrico Cecchi European Sales

on the cover

iXTM Pay Secure Payment from Dresser Wayne helps protect dispenser transactions. Visit them at NACStech booth 637.

ConvenienceRETAILER

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Convenience Retailer is published by Oser Communications Group Š2010.

All rights reserved. BPA Worldwide Membership Applied for September 2008.

Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520-721-1300/Fax: 520-721-6300 www.oser.com/www.convenienceretailer.net European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy.

news briefs JELLY BELLY UPDATES FRUIT SNACKS WITH NATURAL INGREDIENTS The tastiest fruit snacks you will ever eat now feature natural flavors and colors derived from natural sources, announced Jelly Belly Candy Company of Fairfield, Calif. The newly formulated fruit snacks are

made with seven fruit juices: apple, cherry, lemon, orange, pear, raspberry and strawberry juices.

The new recipe for Jelly Belly Fruit Snacks avoids artificial colors by using turmeric, grape extract, black carrot and

V8 V-FUSION JUICES NOW AVAILABLE IN SINGLE-SERVING CANS V8 V-Fusion makes it easier to get vegetable on-the-go.

Campbell Soup Company is now making its popular V8 V-Fusion® 100% juice available in single-serving, 8-oz. slim cans. The new cans are available in sixpacks at supermarkets nationwide as well as 24-packs of 11.5-oz., multi-serve cans at select club stores.

Available in Pomegranate Blueberry and Strawberry Banana varieties, the cans are ideal for packing in a purse or in a child’s lunchbox. Each 8-ounce can provides a full serving of vegetables (1/2 cup) and a full serving of fruit (1/2 cup), as well as essential antioxidant vitamins A, C and E and no added sugar.

Currently, seven out of 10 Americans don’t get their governmentrecommended vegetable servings each

day, but research suggests the key to bridging this “vegetable gap” may be to focus on the factors that are often behind it: convenience and enjoyment. The makers of V8® juice continue to address these barriers through innovation.

“Most people know that they don’t get enough vegetables—but it can be challenging to find great-tasting options throughout the day,” said Dale Clemiss, Vice President, Beverage Marketing, V8 Beverages. “That’s why we are constantly striving to offer more and more ways to help people get their vegetables any time, anywhere through new products like V8 V-Fusion cans.”

Helping Ensure A Healthier Generation The 8-ounce slim cans of V8 V-Fusion juice are also a part of Campbell’s North America

HISTORIC FUN FACTS FOR SNICKERS The SNICKERS® Bar cost five cents when it was first introduced to the public in 1930.

The SNICKERS name came from a favorite horse of the Mars family.

SNICKERS Bar is made of peanut butter nougat topped with caramel and roasted peanuts and covered with milk chocolate. The peanuts are a crisptextured special grade, which have great flavor and stay fresh.

From 1933 to 1935, SNICKERS Bar was a two-piece bar and was called “Double SNICKERS.” Then in 1936, the bar returned to a single format. During the next 50 years, the SNICKERS Bar

evolved into various sizes.

In 1979, “Fun-Size” SNICKERS Bars hit candy shelves nationwide. “King Size” SNICKERS Bars were introduced in 1983 for out-of-home consumption and became nationally available in 1984.

In 1990, the introduction of bite-size SNICKERS “Miniatures” became available nationwide.

In 1970, the SNICKERS MUNCH Bar was introduced and later became “MUNCH,” which is a wholesome peanut snack that contains the highest-quality ingredients including a blend of fresh roasted peanuts in a real golden butter crunch.

In 1984, SNICKERS Bar became

NEVELLA WITH PROBIOTICS NOMINATED FOR BEST NEW PRODUCT The world’s first and only probiotic, nocalorie sweetener is creating quite a stir.

Nevella® with Probiotics recently hit the shelves and has already been named a finalist for the NutrAward Best New Finished Product. Heartland Sweeteners LLC developed Nevella in conjunction with Ganeden Biotech. The peer-selected winner of the best product was

announced at the Nutracon Supply Expo on March 13.

“It’s an honor to be nominated for this award,” said Mike Servie, President of Heartland Sweeteners. “As a global leader in the sugar substitute business, we are constantly looking for ways to address our customers’ needs, and response to Nevella with Probiotics has

black currant. Suitable for vegetarians, Jelly Belly Fruit Snacks are also an excellent source of Vitamin C. Most fruit snacks are made with grape juice and artificial flavorings.

Jelly Belly Fruit Snacks are infused with the fruit juices to create a distinctly flavorful treat.

Jelly Belly Fruit Snacks are also fatfree, gluten-free, dairy-free and certified OU Kosher. They will be available

nationwide this spring in 10 lb. bulk cases and 2.5-oz. bags in 12-ct. cases.

Jelly Belly Candy Company makes more than 200 confectionery delights including their flagship brand Jelly Belly jelly beans. Headquartered in Fairfield, Calif., the company is owned and operated by the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of the candy family.

For more information, visit www.jellybelly.com.

Foodservice division’s effort to expand its line of beverages that meet the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s nutritional requirements for products served in schools.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation and supporting products are sold in participating schools nationwide. Other Campbell beverages that meet the requirements include 5.5-ounce cans of V8 100% vegetable juice, 5.5-ounce cans of V8 Low Sodium Vegetable juice and 5.5-ounce cans of V8 Spicy Hot vegetable juice.

including Goji Raspberry, Passionfruit Tangerine, Acai Mixed Berry, Pomegranate Blueberry, Pomegranate Blueberry Light, Strawberry Banana, Strawberry Banana Light, Peach Mango, Peach Mango Light and Tropical Orange.

V8 V-Fusion juices and juice drinks are available in a variety of sizes at most grocery, mass merchandise, convenience and club stores nationwide. The suggested retail price for a six-pack of 8-ounce slim cans is $4.99, $14.88 for a 24-pack of 11.5-ounce cans and $3.99 for a 46ounce bottle. For more information, visit www.v8juice.com.

New Flavors On Shelves: Cranberry Blackberry And Acai Mixed Berry Light Campbell is also adding two new delicious, on-trend varieties of V8 V-Fusion: Cranberry Blackberry and Acai Mixed Berry Light which are available in 46ounce bottles. The addition of these new varieties brings the V8 V-Fusion juice portfolio to 12 juices and juice drinks,

About Campbell Soup Company Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup, baked snacks and healthy beverages.

Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of market-leading brands, including Campbell’s, Pepperidge Farm, Arnott’s and V8. For more information, visit www.campbellsoup.com.

the Official Snack Food sponsor of the Olympics in Los Angeles.

SNICKERS Brand launched its first ice cream product, the SNICKERS Ice Cream Cone, during National Ice Cream Month in July 1994. The SNICKERS Ice Cream Bar was introduced two years later in 1996.

The SNICKERS Brand performed an unprecedented task in the year 2000 by affording the American public the opportunity to determine a Super Bowl commercial. By voting online at www.snickers.com, the viewing public determined the most overused phrase of 2000 and had “What’s

up?” officially “crunched” to its final demise in the SNICKERS CRUNCHER Super Bowl Commercial.

In 2010, SNICKERS teamed up with famed actress Betty White to kick off the new “You’re not you when you’re hungry” campaign during the Super Bowl, which resulted in a No. 1 ad by many critics, including USA Today.

The SNICKERS Bar is currently the number one selling candy bar in the United States and is consistently named as the “Favorite Candy Brand” across all age groups in the United States.

SNICKERS is sold in more than 70 countries around the world.

been phenomenal!”

Nevella with Probiotics contains beneficial bacteria that support your immune system and promotes digestive health. The probiotics in Nevella survive the digestive process and deliver greater benefits than yogurt.

With no calories, Nevella with Probiotics is a healthy alternative to sugar and a great sugar replacement in coffee, tea and baked goods. To find a retailer near you, recipes and moneysaving offers, visit www.nevella.com.

Sweeteners LLC, is a leader in the production and development of innovative food products that are great for the whole family. Heartland produces and distributes branded and private label sweeteners for the food industry. Their branded products of Nevella and Ideal™ are great for the whole family, diabetics and people watching their calorie intake. Both Nevella and Ideal are perfect for baking and are distributed throughout North America, Europe, and Central and South America.

For more information, call Linda Jackson at 317-631-6400 or visit Heartland at www.idealsweet.com and www.nevella.com.

About Heartland Sweeteners Based outside of Indianapolis, Heartland

March/April 2010

ConvenienceRETAILER

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top news PRETZELS, COOKIES UNITED AT LAST AT NEWLY RECHRISTENED SWEETS AND SNACKS EXPO

By Justyn Dillingham The All Candy Expo is no more. The annual exposition changed its name this year to the Sweets and Snacks Expo to better reflect the makeup of its exhibitors and attendees.

Snack companies were included in the show for the first time three years ago. Now, more than 80 percent of the

show’s attendees come in search of beef jerky, pretzels and potato chips as well as candy, said Jenn Ellek, Director of Trade Communications and Marketing at the National Confectioners’ Association, which sponsors the expo, the largest confectionery and snack exposition in North America. Last year, the expo featured about 450 exhibitors and attracted more than 5,000 attendees.

“We realized our attendees who are buyers also bought snack products,” Ellek said. “It was time that our show name more closely reflected our community.” The decision came after polling both exhibitors and attendees, as well as making use of an independent research firm, she said.

The expo has also added a Connections Café, located on the show floor. It’s designed to allow attendees to check their e-mail and charge their laptops, cell phones and PDAs—as well as enjoy a cup of coffee, of course. The café is sponsored this year by Mars Chocolate North America.

“We’ve got some really big-name speakers for this year’s conference,”

Ellek said. Keynote speakers include Saatchi & Saatchi CEO Kevin Roberts, Food Network’s “Unwrapped” host Marc Summers, and Thom Blischok, President of Global Innovation and Strategy at Information Resources, Inc. Awards are another addition to this year’s show. Voters will be able to choose their favorite new products and merchandising concepts after checking them out at the New Product Showcase and Magic of Merchandising Display Gallery, and will be eligible for prizes.

The 2010 Sweets and Snacks Expo is May 25-27, 2010, in Chicago. For more information, call 202-534-1440 or visit www.sweetsandsnacksexpo.com. a very significant and well-respected company like Kellogg would one day set the example. Our hope is that it will be emulated by others around the world.”

Kellogg went beyond food donations, spearheading a downtown revitalization effort in Battle Creek, including the expansion of its global nutrition research facility, as well as committing to move more employees downtown, donating a building for potential use as a math and science education center, and partnering with various organizations to bring new businesses and jobs to the community.

“There has probably never been a more critical time for companies and their people to invest in their communities,” said David Mackay, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kellogg Company.

“I’m very proud of the commitment our company, employees and retirees have to making our communities stronger, in particular with our United Way partnership.

On behalf of our entire organization, I’m humbled and honored to accept the United Way Spirit of America Award.”

On March 19, 2010, United Way recognized Kellogg Company with its highest national award in honor of innovative actions the company and its employees took to improve lives and local communities. Kellogg Company is the first Michigan-based company to win Spirit of America®. General Mills Inc., Procter & Gamble, Dominion Resources Inc., and Wells Fargo received Summit awards.

“Kellogg Company and its employees have clearly demonstrated their commitment to improving lives by going far beyond just running a campaign. They’ve stepped up with increased product donations, volunteerism, social media outreach, cause marketing and even economic revitalization efforts in their headquarter city,” said Brian Gallagher, President and CEO

of United Way Worldwide. “We are proud to recognize our Global Corporate Leadership partner Kellogg with United Way’s highest national award for their innovation, leadership and generosity.”

Kellogg Company’s $5.9 million campaign pledge in 2009 was 19 percent over goal. Kellogg also stepped up with an incremental $600,000 grant to United Way of Greater Battle Creek to address increased basic health and income needs in the company’s headquarters hometown.

Among other outcomes, this grant provided 20 pounds of fresh vegetables weekly to nearly 2,000 people. Further, Kellogg employees across the U.S. held more than 45 food drives that collected more than 47,000 pounds of food. In fact, Kellogg has donated more than 94 million pounds

of food, or 66 million meals, over the past five years.

In 2009, Kellogg was the first to produce food solely for donation, donating an entire day’s worth of cereal production (3.7 million pounds) to Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization. The company’s innovation continued in a celebrity partnership with Katalyst, a social media studio cofounded by Ashton Kutcher. Kellogg teamed up with Katalyst to spotlight the issue through an innovative online video created with user-generated content and directed by Demi Moore to raise awareness that one out of every eight Americans struggle with hunger.

“I wanted to send the Kellogg Company a note of thanks for your ‘day of production.’ The role modeling Kellogg is playing within the food industry will have great influence and consequence,” said Bill Bolling, Founder and Executive Director, Atlanta Community Food Bank.

“We have talked for years about just such a program and have hoped and prayed that

NACStech (Con’t. from p. 1)

“What we’ve done is we’ve enhanced the show floor beyond the traditional areas, and we have a couple new ones that reflect where technology is today,” Lenard said, mentioning biometrics, wireless, mobile apps, knowledge management and sustainable systems.

“That’s just to reflect where we see technology moving beyond where it’s been.”

“We also have a couple CIO events working with other groups,” he said.

“We’ve added new elements partnering

with other groups to bring their technology events to our show.”

These changes, he said, were sparked by attendee feedback.

“Our conferences and the sessions are all based on what retailers want,” Lenard said. “We survey, survey, survey…to learn what worked, what didn’t, what could make it better.”

The show features 25 workshops “by retailers, for retailers,” as well as daily general sessions that are “designed to promote

thinking on a broad scale,” according to Lenard. The workshops are divided into five categories: Business Essentials, Marketing, Operations, Small Operator and Standards.

“You mix that in with some networking activities, and we find we have a pretty robust show,” he said.

And, of course, it’s in New Orleans. “I think people are also enthusiastic about that,” Lenard said.

For a calendar of events and more information, visit www.nacsonline.com.

ultimately decided to create a separate entity—thus PCATS. “NACS is primarily an advocacy lobbying group—they do a lot of lobbying on Capitol Hill,” Wood said. “The technical aspect of defining standards really wasn’t part of their core processing.”

PCATS maintains what Wood calls “a very tight relationship” with NACS, working to find new areas of focus for the future.

“We work very closely with NACS through their technology advisory board,” Wood said. “They help us find projects that we should be working on.

“One of the biggest items right now is data security—there’s a lot of technical issues there. NACS helped us

identify it,” he said.

PCATS is the driving force behind five workshops at NACStech this year: “Data Security Long Term Strategy,” “Data Security Standards Implementation,” “Looking into the Technology Crystal Ball: What Is PCATS Doing Next?,” “Why Doesn’t This Stuff Work Together? Device Integration Work Being Conducted By PCATS” and “Loyalty Standards Implementation.”

“We really don’t get involved in the marketing or planning of the NACStech show,” Wood said. “We do get involved in some of the sessions, but in terms of marketing…all that is run by NACS.” NACS plays a role in the workshops

that PCATS develops, directing them toward subjects of interest for the industry.

“We work very closely with NACS, so they kind of give us some direction as well,” Hilaski said. “We try to get within our own organization to see what retailers want.”

While PCATS’ membership is composed of both retailers and suppliers, there are about twice as many suppliers as retailers in the organization.

“We’d like to expand” the scope of PCATS’ membership, Hilaski said.

“This is a retailer-driven organization and we really would like to have more retailer input.”

For more information on PCATS, visit www.pcats.org.

KELLOGG COMPANY STEPS UP DURING ECONOMIC DOWNTURN WITH INNOVATION AND GENEROSITY

future—“from the back rooms to Facebook”—is an essential part of that.

“Technology is about communications,” Lenard said. “It’s about how to better communicate with a back office. It’s about how to better communicate with employees, and better ways you can do it.”

Even NACStech veterans can expect some surprises at this year’s show, which will host about a hundred exhibitors.

PCATS (Con’t. from p. 1)

and lower costs through the setting of industry-wide standards by bringing together the people best qualified to do it—the industry’s marketers and retailers.

“NACS in the 1990s decided the industry really needed a voice in technology standards,” said Jeff Lenard, Vice President of Communications at NACS. “So (PCATS) is a child, if you will, of NACS technology efforts.”

Wishing to turn over responsibility for setting standards to another organization while keeping the role within the scope of petroleum and convenience retailers, the NACS Board of Directors

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ConvenienceRETAILER

March/April 2010

new products Excentus Corporation is the leading provider of fuel rewards programs to the convenience store industry as well as the administrator of the fuelperks! Rewards program. It is a privately held company with more than 150 customers. Visit them at NACSTech in booth 437.

Excentus Corporation 972-793-6763 marketing@excentus.com www.excentus.com Booth 437

AirTight Networks’ PCI scanning solution provides automated, 24/7 wireless vulnerability scanning with comprehensive assessment and PCI compliance reports delivered directly to your inbox.

• No equipment to buy.

• No IT support required.

• Subscription pricing.

AirTight satisfies all PCI wireless scanning requirements with the least effort and lowest cost.

AirTight Networks Inc. 877-424-7844 www.airtightnetworks.com Booth 636

Dresser Wayne, a global innovator of fuel dispensers and technologies, introduces the iX™ Pay Secure Payment solution for new and installed dispensers. This innovative platform eases the upgrade path and features an encrypting keypad, a secure card reader, user prompt controls and application software authentication.

Dresser Wayne www.dresserwayne.com Booth 637

HughesNet PCI Wireless Scanning Service provides: • Automated PCI and other regulatory compliance.

• Wireless monitoring of cardholder data environment at all frequencies and 802.11 standards.

• Automatic detection, correlation and blocking of wireless threats.

• Range of options from basic compliance to integrated compliance and transport services.

• Managed service delivery including network deployment, operations and fault management.

Hughes Network Systems 866-251-2795 www.enterprise.hughes.com/nacstech Booth 928

Industry leader Sunshine Electronic Display Corp., St. Joseph, Mo., presents its super-bright LED fuel price display.

The bold, reliable displays are designed to offer high-vis outdoor service in red, green, blue or amber LED digits from 10'' to 9' in height.

Compatible with any application (new or retrofit), remotely updateable, and made in the USA. These brilliant displays will lure travelers to your site.

Sunshine Electronic Display Corp.

800-821-9013 www.sunshine.us.com Booth 529

OpenStore™ removes traditional convenience store boundaries, allowing store operators to connect with customers on social networks and mobile devices— anywhere and everywhere. Deliver electronic coupons and gather important customer feedback and reviews using the OpenStore turnkey solution.

GasBuddy Retail Systems Inc. www.gasbuddyretail.com Booth 620

Replacement 950 Thermal Printer: Direct Replacement for Verifone™ 950 Printer • Uses your existing Verifone 950 printer cable and adapter.

• Prints receipts five times faster than the Verifone™ 950 printer.

• Much quieter than the Verifone 950 dot matrix printer.

• Spill-Shield™ designed to prevent liquid spills from entering internal mechanism.

• Small size and front printing receipt make printer ideal for under counter location.

• Has a 425 ft. paper capacity, Verifone 950 has 150 ft. paper capacity.

• Stores journal electronically for daily or monthly printing (Depends on daily transaction amount, holds 32MB of info or approximately eighty, 425 ft. rolls).

New Autobank CX safes have onetouch capability, e-mail reporting and upgraded security features. Optional touchscreen advantages like the Support Beacon provide direct technical help from the safe with a network connection. With 120-tube capacity, vending and validating, the CX safes are some of the most customizable on the market.

ADD eStore™ is a home office/store manager software solution for the convenience store industry. Its intuitive data-centric design offers marketers unprecedented visibility into their operations, cost-saving automation as well as a dynamic and easy-to-maintain Price book. The Atlas Reporting™ Business Intelligence platform, part of ADD eStore suite, delivers detailed analysis and reporting and is a must-have for any business that requires efficient access to actionable information in order to make critical, timely decisions.

Allied Electronics Inc. 215-785-6200 www.alliedelectronics.com Booth 346

NKL Cash Handling 800-528-9900 www.nklcashhandling.com Booth 441

ADD Systems 800-922-0972 www.addsys.com Booth 935

Launching a new C-Store product?

Email editor@oser.com with “Convenience Retailer: New Product” in the subject line for a list of what to include and deadlines.

March/April 2010

ConvenienceRETAILER

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Convenience RETAILER

May 2010

Oser Communications Group

SHOWEXTRA @ NACSTech

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH NACSTECH

New Orleans

Sunshine Electronic Display Corp Lights Up Numbers Around Nation

Improve Overall Network Security With AirTight Networks’ Patented Solutions

FuelQuest Expanding Its Growing Reputation For Innovation In Field Of Fuel Management

Autobank CX Safes

By NKL One Of The Most High-Tech Lines On The Market

By Kendall L. Randolph, President and CEO, Sunshine Electric Corp.

David King, Chairman and CEO, AirTight Networks Inc., discusses his company and what they have to offer convenience retailers.

Matt Tormollen, Chief Executive Officer and President of FuelQuest, talks about the quest for better fuel management solutions that drives his company.

Sunshine Electronic Display Corp. is based in St. Joseph, Mo. We have been in business for more than 30 years and have manufactured many products over the years, but in the late ’80s we began to focus on making electronic digits, and by the early ’90s electronic digits became our only product. Our current line of digits range Continued on Page 12

DK: AirTight is the leading provider of wireless security and compliance solutions. Our focus is securing both Wi-Fi

FuelQuest is a leading provider of fuel supply optimization and regulatory compliance solutions and services for retailers of all sizes. Our fuel management

NKL® Cash Handling, a member of FireKing® Security Group, has added the new, technologically advanced Autobank CX line of safes to its extensive product offerings. The CX safes offer a simplified user interface with optional touchscreen advantages like the Support Beacon in which you can directly request technical help from the

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CRSE: What’s AirTight Networks’ main line of business?

Excentus Brings Benefits To C-Store Players With Fuelperks!

Rewards Program

Hughes Network Systems Helps C-Stores Maximize Their Technology Investment

ADD eStore Works To Address Changing Needs Of The C-Store Industry

Dresser Wayne iX Pay Secure Payment Helps Retailers Prevent Data Theft, Protect Their Brand

Dickson Perry, Chairman and CEO and Brandon Logsdon, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Excentus Corporation of Dallas, Texas, talk about their company.

Mike Tippets, Vice President of Business Solutions at Hughes Network Systems LLC (HUGHES), explains how his company can help convenience stores attract customers, discourage shoplifting and more.

Retail data theft is a growing stress point for convenience store owners. Every day, credit and debit card crime becomes more sophisticated, better coordinated and increasingly damaging. For retailers committed to safeguarding their operations and their customers’ card information, the Dresser Wayne iXTM Pay Secure Payment platform Continued on Page 10

DP: Excentus was founded in 1996 with an initial focus on fuel site control and enhanced data capture for the commercial

CRSE: Mike, could you give us an overview of the problems Hughes

Robert Culbertson―Sr. Vice President and COO, is a graduate of The University of Virginia with a B.S. in Applied Math. He joined ADD Systems as a programmer in May of 1978 after graduation from college and has risen to become the overall manager of programming development for the company. In 2002, Culbertson became the Vice President of Engineering, overseeing the

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CRSE: Tell our readers a little about your company.

Posiflex POS Terminals Will Ensure Fast Checkouts And Greater Profitability

OpenStore Opens Up World Of Social Networking For C-Store Operators

Mars Retail Group Partners With Alchemy3 To Develop Branded Lottery Games

Cigarette Taxes Are ‘Gold Rush’ For States Facing Financial Problems; Several Consider Hikes

Ron Chan, Director of Marketing at Posiflex Business Machines, discusses how POS terminal performance and reliability impact your profitability.

Mars Retail Group announced on March 18, 2010, that it has joined with new licensee Alchemy3 to develop branded lottery games. The games will hit participating lottery retailers beginning fall 2010 and will incorporate popular Mars brands including M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, SKITTLES®, STARBURST®, 3 MUSKETEERS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®.

“Branded lottery tickets are an exciting, new licensing opportunity for Mars,” said John Capizzi, General Manager of Licensing for Mars Retail Group.

Since last year, 22 states and the District of Columbia have increased or are considering increases to cigarette taxes.

RC: Posiflex is a 25-year design and manufacturer of Point-of-Service (POS)

O p e n S t o r e TM removes traditional convenience store boundaries, allowing store operators to connect with customers on social networks and mobile devices—anywhere and everywhere.

A rapid adoption and fundamental change in consumer behavior is occurring, where communication and information channels are moving to the Internet and mobile devices. What were once

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CRSE: Introduce us to Posiflex.

McLean, Va.–A March article in USA Today detailed how “cash-strapped states” are raising cigarette taxes to help address budget deficits.

So far in 2010, Utah has voted to increase cigarette taxes by $1 per pack and New Mexico has added an increase of 75 cents per pack. At least six other states have considered tobacco tax increases,

4

May 2010

Convenience Retailer Show Extra

Coca-Cola Smashes £1 Billion Retail Sales Barrier In Great Britain Despite a harsh economic climate that brought about a dip in consumer confidence over the past year, Coca-Cola passed £1 billion in cumulative retail sales in Great Britain for Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coke, FoodIngredientsFirst.com reports, the first time that the combined

sales of the three Coke brands have broken the £1 billion barrier.

Total sales increased 4.7 percent for total retail sales of £1.01 billion. The results suggest that despite a harsh economy, cash-strapped British consumers will seek out premium brands, the company said.

“We are delighted to have passed this milestone with an exceptional performance in very difficult trading conditions,” said Sanjay Guha, president of Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland.

“These figures show that when times are tough, quality and trust matter even more to consumers.”

The Great Britain results come as global sales for Coca-Cola have grown substantially in several other markets. In the last quarter, sales for Coke products increased 8 percent in Brazil, 20 percent in India and 29 percent in China.

Convenience RETAILER SHOWEXTRA @ NACSTech

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH NACSTECH

Lee M. Oser CEO and Editor-in-Chief

Steve Cox Senior Associate Publisher

Kim Forrester Michael Harris Deb McQueen Lyle Sapp Kate Seymour Associate Publishers

S.D. Gas Stations Carve Out Neighborhood Success An article in last month’s Rapid City Journal details the efforts of an independent gas station in a small South Dakota town, and its efforts to distinguish its offer from five competitors.

Bill and Sally Mason bought the Belle Fourche, S.D., station in 1998 and immediately began supporting the town’s civic groups and school

fundraising causes. Over time and because of its involvement, it has become a meeting place of sorts for everybody from Boy Scouts to retirees.

The Masons have expanded the store, which now includes a gift shop, two casinos, hunting and fishing goods shop and a fresh-prepared food program. Indeed, on any given lunch day, a designated cook

could be preparing beef stroganoff, chili, French onion soup, salads and sandwiches for a hungry lunch crowd.

“We believe in Belle, and you want to make it a better place for your kids and grandkids,” said Sally Mason, whose lone regret is that she never wrote a book about the funny things that have happened over the years at her store—like the time a customer paid for a rifle scope with a bag of squash.

“It’s such a compliment that people think of us this way,” Sally said. “We are still the hometown convenience store.”

JoEllen Lowry Senior Associate Editor

Justyn Dillingham Associate Editor

Valerie Wilson Art Director

Yasmine Brown Graphic Designer

Paul Harris Bill Morris Account Managers

Lorrie Baumann Business Affairs Manager

Enrico Cecchi European Sales

Fein Energy Crystals Create A Stir In The Energy Drink Category The world’s first flavor-free caffeine crystal product, Fein, adds a new twist to the $7.9-billion energy drink category: no sugars, no artificial ingredients of any kind, no carbs and no calories. It tastes the same as your favorite beverage. Fein is being introduced through a modified rollout in select markets with a television infomercial and national radio endorsements, announced Stephen Diaco, a management partner for Fein Innovations LLC. Revolutionary Fein energy crystals, with the trademark slogan, “Conquer the night, take on the day™,” can be added

to any favorite beverage, even water, to make it an energy drink without altering the flavor. Fein’s formula is all-natural caffeine citrate and a suite of secret, 100 percent natural “taste erasers.”

It is the only energy drink product to use caffeine citrate as its primary source of caffeine, making it an allnatural, soluble power plant for busy people on the go. Fein delivers 75 mg of caffeine per stick with zero sugar, calories, carbs and artificial ingredients with no taste or aftertaste.

“Fein is the answer for everyone

GasBuddy (Con’t. from p. 1)

abandon print media at an increasing rate, and communication is almost exclusively happening on their computer and smart phone. For the convenience store operator, OpenStore provides a solution to seamlessly

print ads in weekly circulars have now become online hour-by-hour ad placements targeting customers at the most ideal time. Consumers continue to

seeking an energy boost with all the flavor and pleasure of their favorite beverage, but without added carbs, calories, sugars and sweeteners,“ Diaco said.

Diaco said that with imagination, hard work and scientific ingenuity, Fein Innovations LLC researched 35 generations of product innovation to deliver the energy equivalent of existing 8.4-ounce energy drinks, at a best-available price of less than half a dollar per 0.6-gram serving, about 44 cents. Fein is a non-taxable food product, not a dietary supplement.

Spark Brand, Tampa, Fla., created the two-minute infomercial featuring millionaire-maker Kevin Harrington, infomercial pioneer and panelist on ABC-TV’s “The Shark Tank,” and topranked, nationally syndicated radio host, Bubba the Love Sponge®.

Select retail outlets and some

military bases carry Fein cubes containing 30 servings, and others are being added. Fein is on Facebook and Twitter (@Fein). Fein is not recommended for anyone under age 18, pregnant women or anyone with hypertension. Users should consume no more than four Fein sticks in any 24-hour period. Because Fein incites energy, users should not take within five hours of sleep.

For more information, call 800-506FEIN or visit www.getfein.com.

connect convenience stores with their customers through these new media channels. The OpenStore solution is a turnkey social network marketing platform for convenience stores, providing much-needed two-way communication between store operators and their customers.

OpenStore includes individual Web sites for each of your locations.

Each of the Web sites contains customized information and content related to that location. On OpenStore, now your location with a car wash or hot food menu will have a customized Web site to promote those features that matter to local consumers the most. The solution is designed so that whether you have one location or 500 locations it is simple and easy to manage your online presence. OpenStore is divided into various modules that lets you customize a solution that provides maximum benefit for your brand. Available modules include a robust customer feedback module to help collect reviews and feedback on your brand— it is a mystery shopper program that

happens every day.

The electronic couponing module includes dedicated mobile apps for the iPhone, Android and Blackberry where you can send scannable electronic coupons directly to consumers. Other modules include social media presence modules, job posting modules, and robust, map-based station locators.

The entire solution is delivered through cloud-based computing and requires no on-site hardware.

The OpenStore solution brings consumers into your store, boosting instore sales of merchandise and prepared foods and building your brand through targeted electronic promotions and constant consumer contact. Consumers gain brand loyalty from real-time, relevant communications such as customer alerts and digital coupons so that customers are connected to your brand wherever they are located.

Visit OpenStore by GasBuddy at NACStech 2010, booth 620, for a live demo. For more information, visit gasbuddyretail.com.

Convenience Retailer Show Extra is published by Oser Communications Group ©2010.

All rights reserved.

Executive and editorial offices at: 1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715 520-721-1300/Fax: 520-721-6300 www.oser.com/www.convenienceretailer.net European offices located at Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy.

6

May 2010

ADD Systems (Con’t. from p. 1)

development of Energy, RAVEN and Pegasus. In 2004, Culbertson was promoted to Chief Operating Officer where he currently oversees all aspects of the day-to-day operations of ADD Systems.

Here he talks to us about his company.

CRSE: I understand that you have recently launched two new products. Tell us about them.

RC: ADD eStore, released in December 2009, is a consolidated enterprise solution for C-Store marketers, which includes Home Office, Back Office, Business Intelligence and Inventory Scanning modules. Built from the ground up using the latest Microsoft database design and development tools, ADD Systems is able to deliver a progressive, flexible and scalable software product that will streamline store business processes, drive up profits and provide a strong foundation for growth.

Detailed analysis and reporting is delivered by our proprietary Atlas Reporting Business Intelligence platform, a powerful Performance Management application that is a must-have for any business that requires efficient access to actionable information. Atlas Reporting BI is Posiflex Business Machines (Con’t. from p. 1)

and industrial touch terminals with more than 30 patents awarded for innovative design to provide 24/7 reliability in the harshest environments. We produce a wide range of peripherals and terminals, ranging from small footprint electronic cash register replacements, to POS terminals, to robust back office file servers in our two ISO 9001/9002/14001 certified facilities.

CRSE: What makes Posiflex different from other POS manufacturers?

RC: Posiflex offers low total cost of ownership. To some buyers, a POS terminal choice is primarily based on CPU and price. However, Posiflex customers recognize in order to improve the customer checkout experience and increase employee productivity, terminal quality, reliability and support services are pertinent. A lesser-built terminal is often the most expensive piece of equipment when FuelQuest (Con’t. from p. 1)

solutions optimize the replenishment of more than 15 billion gallons of fuel annually for retail and fleet customers.

Our Zytax-branded, excise tax compliance and determination solutions are used to calculate and remit more than $65 billion in energy-related taxes annually on behalf of more than 700 customers. And, our environmental compliance solutions are used for realtime monitoring of more than 3,000 retail sites in North America. In all our solutions, we help our customers capitalize on the opportunities created by volatility―whether it is fuel prices, tax rate changes or environmental regulations.

Convenience Retailer Show Extra built with the latest technical tools, offers sophisticated data extraction and date warehouse features, and provides a full suite of customizable views and reports.

CRSE: Why did you decide to build these products from the ground up?

RC: The C-Store industry has changed dramatically over the past five years and will continue to change. Older software products cannot address the new needs of the marketplace, primarily data access and tighter management of merchandise.

Technology and tools have improved, Business Intelligence is now a ‘musthave’ feature, and the user experience is paramount. These facts obviate the need to rebuild rather than trying to enhance an older technology which is costly and generally ineffective.

system’s capabilities. We are very anxious to get into the Atlas Reporting Business Intelligence piece so that we can get a better view of what’s actually going on out there in our stores.’

CRSE: How can these products deliver profits to your customers?

service over 100 customers representing thousands of store sites across the United States. Our staff has vast practical knowledge of retail fuel and merchandise, many having worked for marketers prior to joining ADD Systems.

CRSE: What other products does your company offer?

RC: We see the value of ADD eStore as a combination of cost savings as well as improved revenue, both of which increase profitability. ADD eStore can drive down costs through a ‘manage by exception’ design that can identify traffic patterns, inventory turns, discrepancies in vendor costs, etc. Additionally, process automation reduces time-intensive data entry. Increased revenue is driven by timely promotion tracking, margin management, reduce out-of-stocks, and powerful inventory control which ensures that a retailer has the right product in the right place at the right time.

RC: Our flagship enterprise solution is ADD Energy E3. This robust diversified offering provides the foundation for all of our ancillary products. In addition to ADD eStore and Atas Reporting BI, ADD Energy E3 is the backbone for our mobile delivery and service solutions Raven, Raven Wholesale and Pegasus.

On the automation side, E3 supports SmartConnect, a toolkit that enables a Web site to communicate with the E3 database, and eCommerce which allows for efficient electronic communication with vendors and customers.

RC: The product is already exceeding expectations. Scott Goodridge, IT Project Manager for AE Robinson in ME, who rolled the new product out in January, had this to say about ADD eStore: ‘Maintenance of virtually everything in eStore is so straightforward and easy. It has a ton of possibilities, and I think I’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg with this

CRSE: Tell me about the history of your company.

CRSE: How can I find out more about ADD eStore and Atlas Reporting?

RC: Since 1973, ADD Systems has been a leading provider of technology solutions for the home heat, C-Store, wholesale fuels and lubricant industries. More specifically, we have 25 years’ experience in the C-Store market and currently

RC: To learn more about ADD eStore and how it can help you drive down costs and drive up profits, please contact our Sales Department at sales@addsys.com or visit our Web site at www.addsys.com.

downtime, repair and replacement costs are factored in.

warranty, with an additional optional two-year term. We also offer an Advance Exchange program, troubleshooting support, three Service Centers and nationwide on-site installation program to maximize terminal and business uptime.

more room for the ultimate showcase for impulse buying—the highly profitable front counter. Besides the XP model, we also have a wide selection of fanned and energy-saving fanless terminals.

CRSE: How is the new eStore product performing?

CRSE: Can you be more specific regarding competitive differences?

RC: Certainly. Here are a few examples.

Regarding Reliability. Posiflex uses a die-cast aluminum chassis rather than plastic. Aluminum has many times the heat dispersion capability of molded plastic. Coupling our unique patented chassis and motherboard design, there is less component overheating, translating into equipment longevity.

Also, Posiflex manufactures and designs its own terminals versus other vendors using OEM assembly houses. This means we have full component reversion control to assure software is always hardware-compatible and reliable.

CRSE: How can Posiflex make an impact to the convenience store’s profitability?

RC: According to the 10th Annual POS Benchmarking Survey by LakeWest Group, increasing customer speed through the checkout is a primary priority for retailers. Posiflex POS terminals enable speedy checkouts to create an optimal customer experience for longterm loyalty, leading to more purchases and profitability.

Regarding Services. Every Posiflex terminal comes with a full three-year

The mini footprint Posiflex XP is a purpose-built convenience store POS terminal integrating a magnetic stripe reader and printer. More space savings means

Our FuelQuest Fuel Management System (FMS) automates the complete fuel management lifecycle from procurement, inventory management, demand forecasting, strategic sourcing and financial reconciliation to margin analysis and environmental compliance monitoring. Its modular design allows a retailer to use the entire solution or just address a single area of need. And our pricing model does not require any upfront investment to get started. Larger retailers such as 7-Eleven and smaller ones such as John E. Jones Oil all derive cost savings and margin improvement from FuelQuest’s offerings.

One of the most exciting solutions we have right now is our newest product,

FuelQuest ForeSite™. ForeSite is a decision support application that enables convenience stores to implement a Just-In-Time (JIT) fuel inventory strategy. ForeSite’s primary value is simple, accurate visibility across a network of retail locations. It provides a map-based view of inventory spanning sites and tanks, so that users can determine inventory status at a glance, identify problematic conditions such as an impending runout, and take corrective action. Having this sort of visibility also enables retailers to weigh inventory position against fuel prices in order to optimize purchase decisions. Best of all, ForeSite is designed to be up in a day requiring no IT infrastructure purchases or maintenance.

CRSE: What’s your long-term objective of being in the convenience store industry?

RC: To continually innovate to be a pioneer in POS and touchscreen technology, and strive to be a leader in serving the convenience store community. As a commitment to our customers, we strive to understand their business to design and derive a purpose-built terminal.

Your convenience stores operate 24/7.

So should your POS terminals.

Not all POS terminals are created equally. For a whitepaper on POS terminal quality and reliability, visit www .posiflexusa.com/whitepapers.php or call 888-968-1668.

For a limited time, we are offering a complimentary 60-day trial of ForeSite to qualified retailers. This is a unique opportunity for small- to mid-sized retailers to leverage technology innovation that has traditionally been available for use only by larger chains.

FuelQuest is a profitable, privatelyheld company headquartered in Houston, Texas, with a reputation for innovation within the industry. In fact, we are investing more in 2010 on technology and infrastructure than in any other year.

For more information and a ForeSite demonstration, stop by booth 954 at NACSTech or visit www.fuelquest.com/foresite.

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May 2010

Dresser Wayne (Con’t. from p. 1)

offers industry-leading capabilities designed to enhance the security of the entire fuel dispenser payment terminal.

The iX Pay Secure Payment solution is designed to ease the upgrade path both today and tomorrow and help retailers stay up to date with Payment Card Industry (PCI) requirements like the upcoming July 2010 deadline. The upgradeable iX Pay solution allows retailers to leverage their investments in Encrypting Pin Pad technologies (EPP) when they move to nextgeneration security standards, like PCI Excentus Corporation (Con’t. from p. 1)

fuel market. Soon after we began to focus on integrating fuel rewards into conventional grocery loyalty programs which later led to providing C-Store programs such as Sunoco’s APlus program. In 2008 we launched our fuelperks! Rewards Program and acquired Autogas’ patent portfolio related to fuel discounts and rewards. Today, we focus primarily on creating standalone fuel reward programs for C-Store operators, creating standalone reward programs for grocery operators with C-Store cross-marketing, and providing our fuelperks! Rewards Program to key players in targeted markets.

CRSE: Would you explain how fuel rewards programs work?

BL: Generally, fuel rewards programs offer gasoline discounts to consumers for purchases of products offered by merchants enrolled in the program.

Our experience suggests the most successful fuel rewards programs offer Hughes Network Systems (Con’t. from p. 1)

solutions solve for the convenience store industry today?

MT: Major players in this industry turn to us to help them communicate dynamically to their customers via digital signage, prevent theft with video surveillance service and manage their enterprise and customer security through comprehensive PCI services, in addition to POS applications. Hughes serves more than 47,000 convenience stores across the country, many of which also rely on our network services to provide them with connectivity including DSL, cable, terrestrial wireless and satellite.

CRSE: What are you hearing from your customers today? What do they want from their investments?

MT: We’re hearing that increasing foot traffic is a top priority. As many of your readers know, money is made in this industry through in-store purchases, so if I’m an owner, it’s great if someone Cigarette taxes (Con’t. from p. 1)

including South Carolina and Georgia.

Last year, 14 states and the District of Columbia raised cigarette taxes. It’s only the 10th time since 1950 that so many states have raised cigarette taxes during the same time period, according to

Convenience Retailer Show Extra Unattended Payment Terminal (UPT).

This solution is also compliant with EMV standards that address global interoperability of chip cards with payment systems and it was the first payment product to be certified to the Version 2.0 standard for PCI Encrypting PIN Pad (EPP) Security Requirements.

The iX Pay Secure Payment platform leverages Dresser Wayne’s decades-long experience in outdoor payment products and reputation as a global leader in innovative technologies. It features an encrypting keypad, a secure card reader, user prompt controls and

application software authentication.

The user-friendly interface is based on an ATM-style display with soft keys.

Leveraging the iX Technology Platform’s flexibility, this module seamlessly works with country-specific and customerdefined payment schemes including PCI security requirements.

cents-per-gallon discounts based on a consumer’s total spend at a retailer or for purchasing specific promoted items. For example, most of our grocery customers offer a five or 10 cent per gallon reward for every $50 spent in their stores. In the convenience industry, most customers offer anywhere from two to 10 cents per gallon rewards on specific items inside the C-Store, ranging from margin-funded items such as coffee and soda fountain drinks to vendor-funded items such as candy bars.

average, five times per month. People appreciate it when they are able to save money on gas. And nothing reinforces that savings like watching the price per gallon roll down by 20 or 30 cents when you swipe your loyalty card at the pump. In fact, the 2009 NACS Consumer Fuels Report noted that 51 percent of consumers would drive 10 miles out of their way to save five cents per gallon on gas. 83 percent would drive 10 miles to save 25 cents per gallon. That tells you that cents per gallon rewards are effective.

CRSE: How would you compare fuel rewards programs to other loyalty programs that offer a variety of ways to earn and redeem rewards?

BL: We have found that fuel rewards programs do a better job of generating brand loyalty and increased sales than traditional loyalty programs. The reason is that buying gasoline is a necessary evil to most consumers. The price per gallon is posted on every street corner and the expense is felt every time they pull into the gas station, which is, on comes by and fills up at the pump, but it’s better if I can bring them into the store to make a purchase. That’s where Hughes can help. Innovative solutions, like digital signage at the pump, can drive in-store traffic and cost-effectively boost sales, and we’re already doing this today for a number of players.

CRSE: What new or emerging technologies or applications will become a force in the industry?

MT: Wi-Fi, either as a fee-based or amenity service, is poised to make a big impact and become a must-have technology in the convenience store market. We are already seeing how Wi-Fi impacts the quick service restaurant chain―many owners are now including a quick service restaurant in their store and they will need to offer Wi-Fi to compete. And if they offer it for the restaurant, they can easily extend that out to the forecourt. If a potential customer sees that a location has Wi-Fi, they will be more likely to stop for gas and synchronize their e-mail or other applications. While they wait for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The average state cigarette tax is $1.34, with Rhode Island the highest ($3.46 per pack) and South Carolina the lowest (7 cents). The federal tax is $1.01 per pack.

Among other states considering cigarette tax increases:

Security features include: • Tamper-responsive security modules.

• Built-in keypad privacy shields.

• Multiple display configurations.

• Protected data links between components.

CRSE: Fuel rewards programs seem to have started in the grocery industry.

Are you seeing interest growing in the convenience sector?

BL: We continue to see strong demand in the grocery industry, but we are seeing higher than normal interest from C-Store operators. First, barriers of entry that used to exist around technology have dissipated, and secondly, I think a few programs like the Sunoco APlus Rewards program and the Wesco Rewards the fill-up and the sync to happen, they will be more likely to go into the store and make additional purchases. Using Wi-Fi to entice customers to choose one location over another and, by extension, make a purchase, is a great way to increase foot traffic.

CRSE: What impact is video having on the convenience store?

MT: We think video will have a big impact on the C-Store. We are seeing video used in two primary ways―loss prevention and improved customer service. With digital video and a network connection, C-Stores can easily set up a video surveillance system to monitor inventory and reduce shrinkage. Employee training can also be conducted through that same connection, enabling video-on-demand services for a variety of training materials. Ultimately, effective employee training leads to a better customer experience.

And, of course, there’s digital signage both at the pump and in the store.

• Protected mag-stripe and ICC reader.

New Dresser Wayne Ovation and Vista model dispensers are available with iX Pay Secure Payment. Retailers can also upgrade installed dispensers with upgrade kits for Ovation, Vista and Tokheim Premier.

The Dresser Wayne iX Pay Secure Payment platform will be on display at NACStech, booth 637. Regional Dresser Wayne Sales Managers are available any time to discuss product features, fit and pricing. More information is also available at www.dresserwayne.com. program have opened eyes around the industry with the types of results they have generated.

CRSE: You mentioned that Excentus owns several patents related to price rolldown at the pump. How are you using those patents?

DP: Yes, we do hold eight U.S. patents and numerous pending patent applications covering, among other things, cents-per-gallon discounts and price roll-back at the pump. We use them to create differentiation for our fuelperks!

Rewards Program and partners. We also use them to help guide the appropriate level of competition between fuel rewards programs in markets while avoiding program saturation through licensing to certain C-Store and grocery market leaders even when their plans do not include using Excentus technology services.

For more information, e-mail marketing @excentus.com, visit www.excentus.com or stop by booth 437. store of the future’ look like?

MT: The C-Store of the future will definitely have multiple brands under one roof; a combination of your traditional convenience store and a quick-service restaurant will become commonplace. As this model emerges, C-Store owners will have to think about integrating numerous technology requirements. Brands will have their own POS systems, their own security requirements, and other technology components. Hughes is poised to help the C-Store owner maximize their investment in technology by sharing components when possible and designing the best possible solutions. Hughes has over 30 years of experience as a leader in broadband networks and services and today provides solutions to over 47,000 C-Store locations in the United States. We are the best choice to help owners build their C-Store of the future and maximize customer service and financial success.

CRSE: What does the ‘convenience

Visit us at NACStech 2010, booth 928, or visit enterprise.hughes.com/nacstech for more information.

• Washington: $1 per pack increase (bringing the total to $3 per pack).

• South Carolina: House lawmakers voted this month to increase the tax by 30 cents per pack; the Senate is considering the issue.

• Georgia: $1 per pack increase (bringing the total to $1.37 per pack).

• Kansas: 55 cents per pack increase (up from the current 79 cents per pack).

According to Terry Pechacek, associate director for science at the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, for every 10% cigarette tax increase, consumption drops by 3% to 4% among adults and double that range among youth.

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May 2010

Convenience Retailer Show Extra

the gasoline, the Times-Union reports.

“We give the customer the full service they deserve,” said owner Tom Charles. “It’s rare to find such hands-on and personal service anymore.”

Charles is carrying on the legacy of George Ebersole, who owned the station

for years before Charles bought it more than 10 years ago. Ebersole and his family pumped the gas for customers and provided additional services gratis, like washing windows.

“This is a family business. A neighborhood business,” he said, adding that he knew of the station long before he bought it.

With its history of service, Charles plans on keeping the station just the way it

is. “We offer people what they want, what they’ve come to expect from us,” he said.

“We have a full-service station with mechanics on duty and someone to check the oil, check tires, and other things while also pumping the gas. There is no reason to change that. The people like that and I like that, too,” said Charles.

Two states still require full-service fueling: New Jersey and Oregon.

buttons, e-mail reporting to three e-mail addresses and the Support Beacon option. Both the e-mail reporting and one-touch tech support feature require network and e-mail connection.

Measuring at 31H x 21W x 20D, the CX-C.Series is one of the smallest safes on the market and is ideal for the convenience store industry. The safe has two bulk validators and 120-tube capacity.

Additional features include three doors, cash for cash exchange, printed receipts and reports.

A unique option for the quick-service restaurant industry, the CX-Q.Series

safe measures at 32H x 27.5W x 23D and has the balanced combination of till storage along with validated and manual drop capability. A choice of an 80character standard display or seven-inch color touchscreen is also available, as well as printed receipts and reporting.

The CX-M.Series comes in a 21.5H x 13.25W x 18.5D ADA compliant package, with an optional 9H base and a manual drop door. Two single-note validators and a choice of a standard 80-character display or seven-inch touchscreen are included as well.

“The CX safes is one of few lines on

the market to offer such technologically advanced options combined with this level of versatility and security,” stated Terry Densmore, Director of Product Development. “With four models to choose from, including the CX-C. Series, one of the smallest safes available, this series suits the security needs of a plethora of business owners.”

The Autobank CX safes will be on display at NACStech, booth 441.

For more information concerning the Autobank CX safes, please visit www.nklcashhandling.com or call 800-528-9900.

some of the largest convenience store and truck stop operators in the United States and Canada. Our digits are currently in use on thousands of billboards, high rise and on premise signs all over the country.

Over the years methods of changing the signs has changed greatly. The first generation used a walkie-talkie type radio and then we used wireless pagers.

Now the options are unlimited—we use cellular, satellite, the Internet and over the last few years interfacing with the site controllers has become very popular.

We are approved partners with most of the major fuel pump and site controller companies and recently formalized a relationship with KSS to integrate their pricing data with our control technology. We are developing

additional new control technology that should be available by the end of this year that will allow customers to interact even more directly with their signs and have access to more data.

I hope you stop by booth 529 here at NACStech in beautiful New Orleans to take a look at some of our technology.

And don’t forget to visit us at www .sunshine.us.com.

done remotely, to meet the wireless PCI DSS, retailers must actually scan the airspace at each physical location.

Currently, most convenience stores are either hiring a third party auditor or using internal IT resources to perform quarterly on-site PCI wireless vulnerability scans. While this sounds simple, these ‘spot checks’ with a mobile analyzer are time-consuming and laborintensive, and when you factor in any associated travel costs it’s actually quite expensive. By using AirTight’s hosted service, these organizations can not only satisfy the PCI wireless scanning requirements but also ultimately improve their overall network security.

from all locations and delivered in a single PCI report at a customer-defined frequency. Not only can we satisfy compliance, we can provide security by automatically detecting, blocking and locating unauthorized devices. It is like getting compliance for free and being secure at the same time.

DK: AirTight offers both the industry’s leading wireless intrusion prevention system [WIPS] and the world’s first hosted wireless vulnerability scanning service. Our solutions work in any network deployment regardless of the infrastructure and can integrate with most security event management systems. Customers have a choice in how they buy and manage their wireless security without doing forklift upgrades to their infrastructure.

Filling Up The Old-Fashioned Way A full-service gasoline station with all the courtesies of a bygone era.

Pull into the Vine Street Service Station in Scranton, Pa., and an attendant will check your tire pressure, wash the windows and fill your tank all for the price of NKL Cash Handling (Con’t. from p. 1)

safe with a network connection.

Currently available in four models, the B.Series, C.Series, Q.Series and M.Series, standard features include a three-level, 300-user capacity, 20,000 lines of audit with reporting, optional Dallas keys, manual drop and monitored fourdoor support featuring time locks, delays, 24-hour lockout and armor car capability.

All models offer an optional touchscreen upgrade with advantages that provide an enhanced user experience, branding capability, programmable Sunshine Electronic Displays (Con’t. from p. 1)

from 6 inches to 120 inches in height!

We are a privately held U.S. company and we manufacture all of our own products at our headquarters in St. Joseph. Our company has enjoyed steady growth over the years and we are proud to say that we provide digital signage to 36 state lotteries and to AirTight Networks Inc (Con’t. from p. 1)

and no Wi-Fi network environments from wireless vulnerabilities. This is particularly important for retailers in order to protect card holder data and satisfy the PCI wireless scanning requirements.

CRSE: Why wireless protection when many convenience stores have either no Wi-Fi or a limited Wi-Fi deployment?

DK: Whether or not wireless is officially deployed in the card holder environment, consumer-grade Wi-Fi networking devices are easily installed by end users, ultimately compromising a secure network. Because these unauthorized devices can go unnoticed for long periods of time, these devices can be exploited by hackers, for example the TJX hackers. PCI mandates a quarterly wireless vulnerability scan of any location that collects, processes, transmits or stores card holder data.

CRSE: Why do convenience stores come to you? What challenges are they facing meeting PCI at this time?

DK: Unlike traditional wired network vulnerability scanning, which can be Mars Retail Group (Con’t. from p. 1)

“Alchemy3 has a successful track record developing solutions to increase brand awareness and sales by matching popular lottery games with major consumer brands. This new partnership will offer consumers fun and innovative lottery games showcasing our iconic Mars

CRSE: Compare the position of your products and their technology against the current market.

DK: Using mobile analyzers on a quarterly basis provides no data security— only a report that shows there were no unauthorized Wi-Fi devices during the 30 minutes the auditor was on site.

AirTight’s hosted PCI wireless scanning service deploys a wireless security sensor at each location and continuously monitors the airspace 24/7 for unauthorized Wi-Fi. Scanning results are consolidated confection brands.”

Alchemy3 was founded in Alpharetta, Ga., in 2007 by lottery industry veterans and quickly has become a leader in lottery branding. The company’s strategy is to create “smart matches” between licensed consumer brands and lottery games. Alchemy3 works with lotteries to capitalize on the power of consumer brands and lottery

CRSE: What would you say makes your solution unique?

DK: Ease of use, automation and costeffectiveness have proven to be our key value propositions. Meeting the wireless PCI compliance requirements can be achieved for far less money and considerably less effort.

AirTight’s patented detection and autoclassification techniques identify all Wi-Fi in the airspace and categorized it as authorized, external [neighbor] or rogue [unauthorized]. Once the devices are properly categorized, IT no longer spends time chasing after false alarms and threat prevention can be automated, eliminating travel costs and reducing IT intervention.

CRSE: To what do you attribute your company’s success? games and represents premier brands including The Grammys, CBS Consumer Products, Bass Pro Shops, Six Flags, 20th Century Fox and Royal Caribbean, to name a few. The company has also created A3 Rewards®—lottery prize packages that instantly award non-cash prizes including movie tickets, gasoline, CDs, DVDs, B&B stays, backyard grilling packages and more.

CRSE: Tell our readers about your trade show objectives, products, promotions, etc.

DK: We encourage NACStech attendees to stop by the AirTight booth, 636, and see a live demonstration to understand just how simply the wireless component of the PCI standard can be met. We are offering promotions for the conference that will provide a free upgrade of SpectraGuard Online services to the next level of service for customers who buy

by June 30. We will also be raffling off a full year’s worth of wireless PCI scanning and reporting to one lucky customer.

For more information, visit www .airtightnetworks.com/home/products/ spectraguard-online/pci.html#c3504 or stop by booth 636.

Potential licensees should contact John Capizzi of Mars Retail Group, john.capizzi@effem.com.

About Mars Retail Group Mars Retail Group is a division of Mars Incorporated. A private, family-owned company, Mars Incorporated employs more than 65,000 associates.