CStore Decisions January 2023

Decisions®

EDITORIAL

VICE PRESIDENT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

John Lofstock jlofstock@wtwhmedia.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Erin Del Conte edelconte@wtwhmedia.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Emily Boes eboes@wtwhmedia.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Zhane Isom zisom@wtwhmedia.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Marilyn Odesser-Torpey

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Anne Baye Ericksen Howard Riell

COLUMNISTS

Thomas Briant Mark Radosevich

SALES TEAM

PUBLISHER

John Petersen jpetersen@wtwhmedia.com (216) 346-8790

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REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Patrick McIntyre pmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com (216) 372-8112

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Jake Bechtel jbechtel@wtwhmedia.com (216) 299-2281

CUSTOMER SERVICE

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Stephanie Hulett shulett@wtwhmedia.com

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Jane Cooper jcooper@wtwhmedia.com

LEADERSHIP TEAM

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Scott McCafferty smccafferty@wtwhmedia.com

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CREATIVE SERVICES

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EVENTS

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DIGITAL MARKETING

VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL MARKETING Virginia Goulding vgoulding@wtwhmedia.com

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Taylor Meade tmeade@wtwhmedia.com

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VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Jay Hopper jhopper@wtwhmedia.com

Through

CStore Decisions is a three-time winner of the Neal Award, the American Business Press’ highest recognition of editorial excellence.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Robert Buhler, President and CEO

Open Pantry Food Marts • Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

Lisa Dell’Alba, President and CEO

Square One Markets • Bethlehem, Pa.

Raymond Huff, President HJB Convenience Corp. • Lakewood, Colo.

Bill Kent, President and CEO

The Kent Cos. Inc. • Midland, Texas

Patrick Lewis, Managing Partner Oasis Stop ‘N Go • Twin Falls, Idaho

Reilly Robinson Musser, VP, Marketing & Merchandising Robinson Oil Corp. • Santa Clara, Calif.

Bill Weigel, CEO Weigel’s Inc. • Knoxville, Tenn.

NATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP (NAG) BOARD

Vernon Young (Board Chairman), President and CEO Young Oil Co. • Piedmont, Ala.

Joy Almekies, Senior Director of Food Services Global Partners • Waltham, Mass.

Mary Banmiller, Director of Retail Operations Warrenton Oil Inc. • Truesdale, Mo.

Greg Ehrlich, President Beck Suppliers Inc. • Fremont, Ohio

Doug Galli, Vice President/General Manager Reid Stores Inc./Crosby’s • Brockport, N.Y.

Derek Gaskins, Senior VP, Merchandising/Procurement Yesway • Des Moines, Iowa

Joe Hamza, Chief Operating Officer Nouria Energy Corp. • Worcester, Mass.

Brent Mouton, President and CEO Hit-N-Run Food Stores • Lafayette, La.

YOUNG EXECUTIVES ORGANIZATION (YEO) BOARD

Kalen Frese (Board Chairman), Food Service Director Warrenton Oil Inc. • Warrenton, Mo.

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CStore Decisions (ISSN 1054-7797) is published monthly by WTWH Media, LLC., 1111 Superior Ave., Suite 2600, Cleveland, OH 44114, for petroleum company and convenience store operators, owners, managers. Qualified U.S. subscribers receive CStore Decisions at no charge. For others, the cost is $80 a year in the U.S. and Possessions, $95 in Canada, and $150 in all other countries. Single copies are available at $9 each in the U.S. and Possessions, $10 each in Canada and $13 in all other countries. Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CStore Decisions, 1111 Superior Avenue, 26th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114. GST #R126431964, Canadian Publication Sales Agreement No: #40026880.

CSTORE DECISIONS does not endorse any products, programs or services of advertisers or editorial contributors. Copyright© 2023 by WTWH Media, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Circulation audited by Business Publications Audit of Circulation, Inc.

Jeff Carpenter, Director of Education and Training Cliff’s Local Market • Marcy, N.Y.

Megan Chmura, Director of Center Store GetGo • Pittsburgh

Ryan Faville, Director of Purchasing Stewart’s Shops Corp. • Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Caroline Filchak, Director, Wholesale Operations Clipper Petroleum • Flowery Branch, Ga.

Cole Fountain, Director of Merchandise Gate Petroleum Co. • Jacksonville, Fla.

Alex Garoutte, Director of Marketing The Kent Cos. Inc. • Midland, Texas

Daillard Paris, Director of Petroleum Supply and Trading Sheetz Inc. • Altoona, Pa.

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Foodservice Continues to Drive Traffic

Thanks to an increasingly busy lifestyle, today’s convenience store customers regard food prepared away from home as a necessity, and the industry’s top-quartile retailers have benefited handsomely from meeting the growing demand for fresh foods.

For the past decade, the convenience store industry has consistently posted yearly sales gains in foodservice. Retailers are to be commended for the work they have done cultivating the demand for foodservice by enhancing their focus on quality, consistency, freshness and value.

While the industry has made strides, this isn’t to suggest that 2023 and beyond will be easier, as foodservice is a very complex and competitive business. As the country wrestles with a sinking economy and surging inflation, costs are going up, and that is starting to present concerns for convenience stores. This is just one of the topics we will tackle at the 2023 National Advisory Group Conference in Austin, Texas, March 26-29.

M. David May, director of food services for Kwik Stop in Nebraska, reminded us this month that the industry’s most prosperous category, while a vital part of consumers’ daily lives, is still very much tied to the economy.

“The price of fuel has a tremendous impact on our foot traffic in the stores,” May said. “Customers weren’t coming in as much or buying as much when gas was approaching $5 per gallon, but now that gas prices are retreating, we’re seeing our store sales go up.”

To attract cost-conscious consumers, May always tries to have some type of meal deal combining chicken and a small side for a value price of between $5 and $8. This bundling has proven effective.

Retailers are going to have to be innovative and be quick on their feet to maintain their foodservice business as customer discretionary spending dwindles. The key to maintaining sales is remembering to excel at the basics. Customers are busy, hungry and increasingly price sensitive. Retailers must focus on meeting customers’ demands on their schedule with healthy options, affordable prices and outstanding service. I realize this is no secret, but in tough times like this, growth isn’t always the best course. Basic blocking and tackling to maintaining existing sales is an effective solution.

Among the convenience store industry’s greatest competitive advantages over the past two decades has been its ability to provide great service and meet customers’ immediate demands, so much so that it’s become instinctive to top-quartile chains.

But the stakes are changing. The foodservice space sees increasing impacts and competition from online. Third-party delivery services have created unprecedented options for foodservice, and not just for the food itself, but on price. Customers simply have more options and many different price points to choose from. These are some difficult waters to navigate.

All of this means if you are not tracking the trends and your customers’ other options, you will fall behind.

GOOD TO GREAT

Convenience store retailers must do everything possible to entice customers to try new products and return for more, without negatively impacting why the stores exist: to provide convenience.

Whatever level of food you feel comfortable delivering — the simplest or the most complicated — you must focus on freshness, quality and value. But the ultimate piece is consistency. You have to be able to deliver great food consistently.

What’s more, these don’t necessarily need to be elegant upscale menu items. It’s whatever you feel you can do great. If you are comfortable selling sandwiches, sell the best sandwiches you can. If it’s fried chicken, have the best fried chicken in the market. It is a rigorous endeavor, but this is where market leaders excel.

Again, this doesn’t mean venturing out into uncharted waters if you are not ready. Visit any chain with a thriving foodservice business and you will see that, across the board, great execution is the rule, not the exception. Whatever your strategy, your customers will let you know how you are doing. Listen to them, react to their needs and execute.

John Lofstock

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INFLATION CONCERNS MOUNT HEADING INTO 2023

GROCERY SHOPPING SHIFTS

Current economic conditions, including rising food costs, are impacting customer shopping habits.

• 83% of survey respondents rely on some form of coupon, rewards app or loyalty program.

• 74% have changed their grocery shopping habits in the last year.

• 70% of respondents prefer to shop in-store at a local grocery store.

• 33% are shopping in-store more than in years past.

Source: Swiftly, "Consumer Trends and Sentiment Survey on Grocery Shopping," Nov. 2022

OMNICHANNEL COMMERCE TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2023

• Payment choice will help businesses meet consumer needs.

• Businesses will optimize payment flows to protect against economic uncertainty.

• Businesses will move their payments data to the cloud.

• Businesses will enhance digital wallet experiences to deepen consumer loyalty.

Source: Fiserv, "Four Omnichannel Commerce Trends to Prepare for in 2023," Dec. 2022

RECESSION OUTLOOK

35% of Americans believe the U.S. is in a recession. 24% of Americans think the U.S. will enter into one in the next month. 10% believe the U.S. will be in a recession in a year or more. 30% believe the U.S. will never be in a recession. A number

INFLATION WOES

Customers are overwhelmingly concerned about inflation.

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Source: Smallpdf, Dec. 2022, smallpdf.com

96% of Americans noted they were concerned about inflation. 43% of Americans are extremely concerned.

30% of Americans are very concerned. 23% of Americans are somewhat concerned.

Source: NCSolutions, “NCSolutions CPG Inflation Survey and Insights,” Nov. 2022

The nationally representative study polled 2,216 respondents, ages 18 and older.

Source: Civic Science, "Immediate Insights: Majority of Americans Still Believe the U.S. Is in a Recession or Headed Toward One," Dec. 2022

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Federal Judge Invalidates FDA Graphic Cigarette Health Warnings

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) graphic cigarette health warnings are found unconstitutional.

Thomas Briant • NATO

On Dec. 7, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a decision vacating the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) graphic cigarette health warning regulations because the regulations violate the free speech protections under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. By vacating the regulations, the graphic cigarette health warnings are nullified and devoid of any legal effect.

This is a significant legal decision for both cigarette manufacturers and retailers that sell cigarettes because the FDA graphic cigarette health

warnings would have applied to not only cigarette manufacturers, but also to retailers, and there would be criminal and civil penalties if the regulations were violated by either a manufacturer or a retailer.

BACKGROUND

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which is the federal law that authorized the FDA to regulate tobacco products, provides that the agency adopt new cigarette health warnings that have both words and a graphic picture to replace the current Surgeon General warnings that manufacturers print on the side of cigarette packages and on manufacturer-created cigarette advertisements. Note that the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, which is the law that requires the Surgeon General warnings be printed on cigarette packs and cigarette

advertisements, does not require retailers to print a Surgeon General warning on cigarette advertisements that the retailer itself makes or produces.

Eleven years ago, on June 22, 2011, the FDA issued its first rule (i.e., regulation) requiring nine text and graphic picture health warnings on the top half of the main front and back panels of cigarette packages and 20% of the top of cigarette advertisements made or produced by manufacturers or retailers. However, cigarette manufacturers sued the FDA, and the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the graphic cigarette health warnings were unconstitutional because the government would be requiring private companies to advertise the government’s anti-smoking message. This Circuit Court ruling remanded the regulations back to the FDA to allow the agency to change the graphic cigarette health warnings to conform to constitutional standards.

FREE SPEECH UNDER FIRST AMENDMENT

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the freedom of speech. This freedom includes the ability to speak and the right to not speak at all. The U.S. Supreme Court has also held that speech includes commercial speech, which is advertising. That is because advertising is how manufacturers and retailers “speak” to customers about the products that they sell. A government regulation requiring private companies to print and display anti-smoking graphic health warnings on product packages and in product advertisements has a direct impact on commercial speech and must meet constitutional standards.

To be constitutional, government mandated statements such as cigarette health warnings need to be accurate, non-controversial and factual. Moreover, the government statements must be narrowly drafted so as not to be more extensive than necessary.

SECOND GRAPHIC CIGARETTE HEALTH WARNINGS

On March 18, 2020, the FDA finalized a second rule with a new set of 11 graphic cigarette health warnings. Then, in April and May of 2020, two

lawsuits were filed seeking to overturn this second set of graphic cigarette health warnings. One lawsuit was filed against the FDA by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., ITG Brands LLC, Liggett Group LLC and several other companies. The second lawsuit was filed by Philip Morris USA Inc. and Sherman Group Holdings LLC.

The decision issued on Dec. 7, 2022, involved the first lawsuit filed by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and other plaintiffs. In this decision, the court determined that the second set of graphic cigarette health warnings violated the First Amendment’s right to refrain from speaking. That is, the government’s cigarette health warnings would have compelled manufacturers and retailers to speak by displaying cigarette packages on store shelves and advertising cigarettes when, if given the choice, manufacturers and retailers would choose not to do so.

Moreover, the court also found that the graphic cigarette health warnings were not purely factual, but rather open to interpretation by consumers. In addition, the warnings were not narrowly tailored, but rather more extensive than necessary. This means that the government could have pursued other, less burdensome alternatives, such as increasing funding for its own anti-smoking advertisements or expanding education efforts about the health impacts of smoking.

With the FDA’s graphic cigarette health warnings being vacated, the regulations have been revoked and cannot be enforced against manufacturers or retailers. This also means that retailers that create or produce their own cigarette advertisements are not required to file a graphic cigarette health warning rotational plan with the FDA, which describes what warnings would appear on retailer advertisements over a certain period of time.

At this time, it is not known whether the FDA will appeal the court decision vacating the graphic cigarette health warnings.

Thomas Briant is the executive director for the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO). NATO’s mission is to enhance the business interests of retailers that sell tobacco products, support the legislative and regulatory interests of members, and encourage the expansion of the retail tobacco segment in a responsible manner.

For additional information, contact NAG Executive Director John Lofstock at jlofstock@wtwhmedia.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 26

9:00 AM

1:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Golf Outing at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa

Registration NAG/YEO Board Meeting NAG Networking Reception NAG Opening Night Dinner

Registration/Info Desk Open Breakfast Welcome/Conference Overview

President | Young Oil Co. Executive Director | NAG

GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #1: Developing and Refining Your Corporate Culture Strategy and culture are among the most important responsibilities for leaders in the workplace as they focus on the never-ending quest to maintain e ectiveness. Strategy o ers a formal logic for the company’s goals, and culture expresses these goals through values and beliefs. A strong company culture instantly reflects the values of a company, its leaders and its employees. What values define your company? What matters most to you and your employees? In this session, retailers will discuss the intense amount of work it takes to develop and maintain an outstanding culture in the convenience store industry and the communities they serve.

Speakers:

• Stephanie Stuckey, CEO | Stuckey’s

• Kevin Smartt, CEO | TXB Stores

• Greg Ehrlich, President | Beck Suppliers Inc.

9:15 AM – 9:45 AM Networking Break

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM

GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #2: Understanding Foodservice Customers: Forecasting Future Demand Sta scheduling, inventory management, menu analysis, guest satisfaction, profitability and so much more rest on the shoulders of accurate foodservice forecasting. Understanding the foodservice market is more important than ever as store trips are forecasted to drop and third-party delivery services are gaining more traction. This session will examine how customers currently purchase food, what they are looking for and what the convenience store industry can expect over the next three years.

Moderator: Jessica Williams, CEO | Food Forward Thinking Speakers:

• Derek Thurston, Director of Food Service Operations | Cli ’s Local Market

• Ernie Harker, Brand Therapist | Ernburn Brands

• Brian Scantland, Vice President Fresh Food Operations and Business Planning & Analytics | Thorntons

John Lofstock, Executive Director | NAG

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM Networking Break

11:00 AM – 12:30 AM Information Exchanges Part 1

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Lunch

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Free Time/YEO Networking

1:30 PM – 6:30 PM NAG Retail Store Tours

Exploring the Best Retail Concepts in Austin

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM Dinner on Your Own to Explore Austin

TUESDAY, MARCH 28

7:00 AM – 4:00 PM Registration/Info Desk Open

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Breakfast

2:45 PM – 4:00 PM YEO BREAKOUT SESSION:

Getting Involved: Why Young Executives Need Political Relationships All politics are local, and for convenience store operators, that means having a personal relationship with the legislators who can enact laws that a ect your businesses. These relationships can be complicated and di cult to develop, but they are vital for the c-store industry. Young leaders should be working on these relationships, but they need advice that’s realistic, granular and nuanced when it comes to making political connections. In this exclusive Young Executives Organization (YEO) workshop, hear what you can do to build political relationships and mentor young leaders who are beginning to journey into the cut-throat world of politics.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #3: Exclusive NAG Research: The Convenience Experience Report

The National Advisory Group (NAG) has partnered with Bluedot to learn exactly what Americans think about convenience stores and quick-service restaurants (QSRs) today, and what drives their behavior, sentiment and loyalty. These findings will be presented for the first time at NAG and o er a glimpse into the current customer experience, how digital and mobile solutions influence customers, as well as expectations for the convenience stores of the future across key categories, such as foodservice, fuel, snacking and tobacco.

John Lofstock, Executive Director | NAG

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM NAG Networking Reception

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM Dinner & Awards Ceremony

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

Speakers:

• Nate Brazier, President and COO | Stinker Stores

• Judy Chan, Vice President | Bluedot

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Networking Break

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #4: Developing Your Long-Term Fuel Strategy

The future of convenience stores is being reshaped by the increasing integration of electric vehicles and other alternative fuels. How long it takes for these fueling methods to a ect your business depends on where you live. In this session, hear from leading authorities on how your forecourt will evolve over the next five years and what steps you can take now when building new stores to be ready for future changes.

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM WORKING BREAKFAST: NAG Custom Research. The Impact of Digital Programs on Convenience Store Foodservice Sales and Consumer Loyalty Digital has transformed foodservice, reframing customer expectations at convenience stores, restaurants and beyond. How are c-store retailers maintaining their food base and standing out with digital tools and promotions? Based on custom research fielded for the NAG audience, we will explore how consumers are utilizing digital platforms to engage with c-stores. We’ll uncover ordering and delivery trends as well as the impact on basket size and customer loyalty. Our retailer panel will explore various data points and share insights on how they plan to adapt to customer expectations.

Speakers:

• Abbey Karel, Vice President of Business Development, Convenience Retailing | Bounteous

• John Lofstock, Executive Director | NAG

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #6: Private-Label Product Branding

Speakers:

• Sridhar Sudarsan, Chief Technology O cer | SparkCognition

• Daillard Paris, Director of Petroleum Supply and Trading | Sheetz Inc.

• Peter Rasmussen, Founder and CEO | Convenience and Energy Advisors (CEA) 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM Networking Break 11:00 AM – 12:15 AM

The convenience store industry is seeing a rapid rise in private-label branding across all categories. Private labels are often cheaper than national brands, which is a solid selling point as financially strained consumers tighten their purse strings. Two advantages — high availability and low price — have also made private-label products considerably more appealing to consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift toward private labels also benefits retailers, since these products are typically more profitable for them. Furthermore, high-quality private labels can gain a devoted following and become a powerful driver of customer loyalty. In this session hear from three leading retailers on why they are continuing to develop and expand private-label products.

Speakers:

•

•

•

10:15 AM – 10:45 AM Networking Break

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM IDEAS BOOT CAMP Best practices and a conference wrap up

A number of

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At the intersection, retailers expect a better, di erentiated customer experience and returns to the bottom line. These technologies are enabling hyperpersonalized customer experiences, seamless payments, mobile ordering, self-checkout and other benefi ts. How are c-stores combining these technologies? What are the expectations for increased store operating profi t? Our panel of distinguished retailers will answer these questions and more. 2:15 PM

Speakers:

• Brian Unrue, Director of Operations | Clark’s Pump-n-Shop

• John Lofstock, Executive Director | NAG

11:30 AM Conference Wrap-Up and Takeaways 12:00 PM Departures

Erin Del Conte, Executive Editor | CStore Decisions

PILOT EMBARKS on New Horizons

Pilot’s $1 billion New Horizons initiative modernizes its travel centers and upgrades the store experience for customers and employees as it anticipates the future of travel.

As it welcomes 2023, Pilot Co. is in full swing with its $1 billion New Horizons initiative, modernizing its fleet of U.S. travel centers and enhancing the guest and team member experience at its sites.

The Knoxville, Tenn.-based company announced the New Horizons initiative in March. The goal behind New Horizons is to create a more consistent experience for team members and guests no matter what they need while on the road as Pilot prepares its stores for the future of travel.

Erin Del Conte • Executive Editor

Above: Remodeled Pilot travel centers feature a food-forward presence with ample seating areas for guests. Right: Allison Cornish, vice president of store modernization for Pilot.

“It’s by far our largest investment to date,” said Allison Cornish, vice president of store modernization for Pilot, which operates more than 800 locations, 750 of which are part of its Pilot Flying J Travel Center network, in 44 states and five Canadian provinces. “We took the time to listen and learn from our team members and guests to understand what their needs are. We recognize that the needs of our team members and our guests are changing.”

Now, Pilot is putting those learnings into action as it remodels and modernizes over 400 locations across its more than 670 company-owned and -operated stores by March of 2025. By the end of 2022, Pilot had already completed the first 55 major gut remodels and an additional 60 lighter refreshes to locations.

As Pilot grows, it’s also embarking on new builds. Its latest new-to-industry (NTI) store opened in October in Palmdale, Calif. At just over 11,000 square feet, the site features 55 professional parking spots, seven diesel lanes, modern showers and restrooms, and a hot deli featuring pizza and sandwiches. The site also features a Cinnabon, a Subway, self-checkout kiosks and a spacious open floor plan.

Pilot is planning to open another 15-20 NTI travel centers in 2023.

“We have a couple of locations currently under construction that’ll open up in the first part of 2023,” Cornish said.

As it evaluates the future of travel, Pilot is considering how, post-pandemic, customers are getting back on the road again, and the rise of alternative fuels is set to attract a new type of guest.

“We know that the electric vehicle (EV) driver has to stop and charge and will need to stop at our locations for maybe a little bit longer to charge their vehicle,” Cornish said. “We want to provide a comfortable environment for that guest as well while they’re charging their vehicle,” Cornish said.

That will include expanding its foodservice offering and adding kitchens to some locations.

As part of the modernization process, Pilot is also investing in new technology and equipment and developing programs, policies and practices that further support its people-first culture.

“One of the things we’re conscious about is making sure our team members have a great place to work,” Cornish noted.

That includes ensuring kitchens feature the latest equipment to make employees’ jobs easier, designing the layout

NATURAL CAFFEINE

Pilot’s foodservice section is gaining more space at remodeled stores, and the chain is also increasing its signature fresh deli items.

to reduce steps, and adding technology that helps reduce administrative tasks, freeing up employees’ time to allow them to better serve customers.

Pilot is celebrating the reopening of each remodeled location with a community event that includes donations to local school districts that support equal access to technology. By the end of 2022, Pilot had donated $500,000 and the chain plans to do the same in 2023, Cornish noted.

THE ROAD TO INNOVATION

Pilot can trace its start to 1958 when James “Jim” Haslam II opened the first Pilot location in Gate City, Va.

By 1965, Pilot owned 12 stations in Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia, selling 5 million gallons of fuel annually. That same year, Marathon Oil Co. purchased half of Pilot for $2 million and loaned $4 million to build new locations.

In 1976, Jim Haslam II’s son, Jimmy Haslam, joined Pilot Co. His wife Dee Bagwell Haslam later became a partner in the business. Pilot’s growth continued, and by 1981, it reached 100 convenience stores and opened its first travel center in Corbin, Ky. In 1996, Jimmy Haslam took the helm as CEO.

By 2003 Pilot had grown its fleet of travel centers to more than 250 nationwide. In 2008, Pilot bought out Marathon Petroleum’s interest in the company and

partnered with CVC Capital Partners, a European privateequity firm. In 2010 Pilot Travel Centers LLC merged with Flying J Inc. to form Pilot Flying J for a combined network of more than 550 travel centers. Five years later, Pilot bought CVC Capital Partners’ investment in Pilot Flying J.

“Pilot has been around for 64 years, and we’ve always been innovating,” Cornish said. “If you think about the history of our company, we started off as just a typical gas station, then we became convenience stores and now we’re travel centers.”

In 2021, Pilot welcomed new CEO, Shameek Konar, who previously served as Pilot’s chief strategy officer. Jimmy Haslam currently serves as chairman of the board, while Jim Haslam II serves as chairman emeritus.

The Haslam family has always been focused on innovation, Cornish pointed out, and Konar is driving the charge forward.

“Shameek has been highly instrumental and supportive of this (New Horizons) initiative,” she said. “He realizes the changes in the industry, in the travel center and in the needs of the professional driver and the gas guest, and he recognizes that we need to change with it.”

Konar spearheaded the idea to invest $1 billion to elevate Pilot’s travel center network as it aspires to be the leading network of travel centers both in store count and overall experience for employees and guests, Cornish said.

MODERNIZING PILOT

One of the biggest things Pilot heard when soliciting guest feedback was that customers are seeking consistency between locations when they stop along the road.

“Now is the time to be able to provide that consistent experience and invest to do so,” Cornish said.

Today, Pilot’s average travel center measures 11,000 square feet. As sites are upgraded, some stores are staying within their original footprint but using space more efficiently, while others are gaining an additional 300-1,000 square feet of space.

Each travel center is being outfitted according to its needs. While the overall goal is to include consistent elements, some more heavily trafficked locations might require more restroom or shower capacity. Design-wise, all sites are being brought in line with Pilot’s latest standard look, feel and equipment.

Travel centers are receiving both exterior and interior upgrades. Exterior remodels include LED lighting, updated branding, refaced walls and various touches to modernize the look of the store. Each store will display a welcome message, such as “Welcome to Albuquerque, New Mexico.” Fuel canopies are being wrapped with Pilot’s latest brand image.

Inside, stores are being redesigned to appear lighter,

brighter and feature industrial-style accents. Restrooms, showers and laundry facilities are being upgraded, and in some cases expanded or added to a site.

Restrooms are becoming more spacious and receiving energy-efficient, touchless fixtures — including soap dispensers and toilets — as well as new tile, paint and brighter lighting. Updated restrooms will also feature airport-style doorways for a completely touchless entry.

“One of the things that we definitely heard and learned from the pandemic is that people don’t like touching things as much,” Cornish noted. Now, with touchless restroom doorways, touchless fixtures and touchless payment, customers can have a mostly touch-free experience within the store.

Once the New Horizons initiative and 400 remodels are completed, Cornish expects regular store updates to be ongoing at Pilot.

Restrooms are becoming more spacious and receiving energy-efficient, touchless fixtures — including soap dispensers and toilets — as well as new tile, paint and brighter lighting.

“This is something that we now believe is going to be part of our DNA, and we’ll continue to refresh and remodel locations as they come up,” she said. “As long as the needs of our guests are changing, we expect this is part of our company culture.”

FOOD FORWARD

Pilot’s newly redesigned store layouts showcase a foodforward presence. The foodservice section is gaining more space and positioned front and center. Kitchens are being added to a number of locations.

Pilot operates 670 proprietary fresh delis that feature programs such as pizza, homestyle meals and grab-and-go food. As part of New Horizons, Pilot is increasing its signature fresh deli items. On the grab-and-go side, guests will be greeted by brightly lit hot and cold food cases with more than 30 grab-and-go items.

“In our cold cases, you’ll see things like fruits, veggies and cheeses,” Cornish said. “You’ll see sweets. You’ll see meat snacks.”

More locations are rolling out the proprietary pizza program, which is made fresh in the store, and/or a chicken wing offering. Locations featuring the chain’s proprietary homestyle meals will feature items like meatloaf, chicken, and a large variety of sides such as mashed potatoes and green beans.

The food team at Pilot is always innovating and switching out items to keep the menu fresh and exciting for Pilot’s guests.

Lounges and dining areas are being expanded so guests can relax and recharge in comfort while they enjoy their meal or rest before getting back on the road.

In addition to its proprietary offerings Pilot also operates more than 600 quick-service restaurants (QSRs) across 14 different brands, including Dunkin’, Cinnabon, Wendy’s and Subway.

Pilot is rolling out bean-to-cup coffee in addition to its regular brewed coffee across all of its companyoperated stores.

“We have bean-to-cup in 600 locations today, but we’ll continue to expand that in the locations that we operate,” Cornish said.

More Pilot locations are introducing the chain’s proprietary pizza program, which is made fresh in the store, and/or a chicken wing offering.

INNOVATING WITH TECHNOLOGY

With its remodels underway, Pilot is integrating technology into the daily lives of its team members and guests with the goal of making their jobs easier and transactions faster.

“Innovation’s been part of our culture from day one. Technology is at the center of everything that we do,” said Josh Birdwell, vice president of guest systems and application development for Pilot.

Pilot has partnered with NCR to add about four selfcheckout kiosks to each remodeled and NTI location, depending on the footprint of the site.

“Self-checkout helps get customers through as fast as possible and allows our team members to interact with the guest a little bit differently than they have before,” Birdwell said. “They’re able to talk to the guest, help them through that transaction and help a lot more guests at the same time.”

The locations will still feature traditional points of sale (POS) that guests might need for more complicated transactions.

Pilot is also leveraging the technology its QSR partners are already using to streamline systems for employees. For example, if a site features a Wendy’s QSR, then that site will convert to the standard Wendy’s POS going forward, and guests will also be able to order ahead from the QSR’s mobile app.

While Pilot hasn’t yet added order ahead or delivery for its proprietary food offerings, it is exploring options within its Pilot mobile app.

“We are looking at things like DoorDash, too, for thirdparty delivery,” Birdwell said.

In the forecourt, Pilot is upgrading dispensers to include the newest technology available from its partners. Customers and professional drivers have multiple options to pay for fuel, from standard card swipe to EMV, to contactless payment, or through Pilot’s myRewards Plus app.

On the backend, Pilot is simplifying systems for team members, automating tasks like invoicing and counting. In conjunction with its partners NCR and Zebra Technologies, Pilot is rolling out new tablets and handhelds.

Pilot is also taking advantage of mobile technology to elevate the customer experience. Pilot’s myRewards Plus

Above: Pilot is designing its layout with employees in mind, configuring the floorplan to reduce steps and adding technology to reduce administrative tasks, freeing up employees’ time to allow them to better serve customers. Left: Jamie Landis, vice president of team member experience for Pilot.

app helps guests navigate their Pilot experience.

“It’s the easiest place to interact with us, and that’s how we offer utility and value to all of our guests,” Birdwell said.

Guests can use the app to buy showers, purchase parking or pay for fuel via the mobile fueling feature. Through the app, professional drivers can earn points per gallon when they purchase diesel fuel, which can be redeemed for purchases in-store, including foodservice items.

Everyday customers can also take advantage of promotions and deals within the app, which are personalized for each guest.

The chain also offers a separate PilotCo app for employees. “It’s how we communicate. It’s how we cascade information, how they access training and how they access their benefits,” said Jamie Landis, vice president of team member experience for Pilot.

PEOPLE-FIRST CULTURE

Pilot serves more than 1.5 million guests per day with help from its 30,000 team members. The company began increasing the focus on its team member experience about 12 months ago, listening to employees to ensure it is developing policies, practices and environments to meet their needs. Since then, Pilot has been elevating its rewards and recognition program, benefits offering, diversity and inclusion practices, and new perks.

“We are super passionate about maintaining our people-first culture, and to that end, very committed to

staying a really great place to work,” Landis said.

The company’s employee focus is paying off. For the fourth year in a row, Pilot is set to be honored as part of Training magazine’s APEX Awards, which ranks companies’ excellence in employer-sponsored training and development programs.

Pilot introduced a new onboarding program in September of 2022 to provide more consistency for those joining the organization, which has already brought an uptick in Pilot’s retention rates.

To further aid retention, Pilot analyzed the employee life cycle and the moments that make or break someone’s decision to stay or leave Pilot, Landis explained. Pilot is now working to make those experiences best in class.

When it comes to rewards and recognition, Pilot’s Capture the Moment program rewards employees for delivering a great guest experience or exhibiting Pilot’s values. In Q1 of 2023, Pilot is making that program digital and adding monetary components. Pilot recently rolled out a $10 free meal and 15-cent gas discount for employees, which they can access by scanning a barcode in the PilotCo app. It is also adding additional perks and creating partnerships to offer discounts to employees on their cell phone bills, TV channels, movie tickets and more.

The company has also been improving its benefits. Pilot introduced a new parental leave policy in September of 2019, which provides paid parental leave for six weeks to all full- and part-time U.S. team members who have at least one year of service and have worked at least 1,250

Right top: Pilot has partnered with NCR to add about four self-checkout kiosks to each remodeled and newto-industry location, depending on the footprint of the site. Right bottom: Josh Birdwell, vice president of guest systems and application development, Pilot.

hours in the past 12 months. It also offers tuition assistance up to $18,000 a year.

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, Pilot has launched business resource groups, which are team member-led groups focused on attraction, retention and development for their group. To date, Pilot has launched five resource groups, including Pride of Pilot, for LGBTQ+ individuals; the Women of Pilot; Veterans of Pilot; Emerging Leaders for millennials and Gen Z; and BRIDGE, which is a multicultural group.

“We know that we’re stronger and we’re better when we’ve got a very inclusive culture and we’re empowering our team members,” Landis said. “To that end, we created a role and hired our first director of inclusion and diversity, Angie Cody, who is focused on developing intentional strategies around retention and attraction.”

As Pilot remodels stores it’s also upgrading and expanding breakrooms and workspaces to better suit employees.

“What’s been really exciting to hear is the feedback that we’ve gotten from our team members and our guests where we’ve completed a remodel,” said Cornish. “Our team members are super proud of their stores.”

FUELING THE FUTURE

Sites are being equipped with fueling alternatives including EV charging stations, and Pilot is developing a strategy to support low-emission and zero-emission vehicles.

Pilot has partnered with General Motors (GM) and EVGo to reduce range anxiety drivers might have as they travel long distances. It’s installing four stalls of chargers at 500 locations using 350-kilowatt chargers to ensure a best-in-class experience.

“GM and Pilot are committed to working together in the long-term interests of this program as widespread EV adoption continues to take off,” said John Tully, vice president of strategy and business development for Pilot. “With 750 travel centers nationwide, Pilot’s network is ideally situated geographically to build an extensive charging network across the country.”

The EV charging infrastructure investment is a separate investment from the New Horizons initiative.

Pilot has also partnered with Volvo Group to add EV charging for Class 8 trucks.

“Together with Volvo Group, Pilot is working to develop a high-performance charging network open to all batteryelectric medium- and heavy-duty truck brands to support our fleet customers as they work to meet their electrification and decarbonization goals. This partnership will provide fleets with a reliable electromobility solution that further enables widespread adoption of electric trucks,” Tully said.

Pilot is also collaborating with Kodiak robotics to develop autonomous commercial trucking services at Pilot and Flying J travel centers, such as inspections, maintenance, refueling, load pick-up and drop-offs, plus transferring data to be used for feature development and mapping.

“Our companies are also in the process of creating an autonomous truck port in the Atlanta area to evaluate potential autonomous service offerings,” Tully said. “We hope this partnership will help us chart out a blueprint for our other locations as Pilot Co. explores the future of autonomous trucks, as well as help us determine how we can best support these customers.”

“Our ultimate goal is to be the leading travel center, regardless of how you need to fuel or charge or get on down the road,” Cornish said. “However anyone is going to travel, we want to be ready to cater to the needs of those guests.” CSD

The 2023 Social Media Awards

Social Media Awards

CStore Decisions recognizes c-store chains driving engagement across TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Erin Del Conte • Executive Editor

For the 11th consecutive year, CStore Decisions is celebrating convenience store chains standing out on social media for their creativity and engagement across platforms. The winners of the 2023 social media awards are brands that present a clear voice across social media platforms, understand their audience, have a clear strategy and know how to engage fans through unique and entertaining content.

For the third consecutive year, CStore Decisions has partnered with RivalIQ to determine the c-store chains that are best succeeding with their social media strategy. Seattle-based RivalIQ is a social media analytics software company that helps brands measure their social media engagement and benchmark their performance against their competition and their broader industry. In December 2021, RivalIQ was acquired by NetBase Quid, a global provider of consumer and marketing intelligence.

RivalIQ analyzed the performance of about 70 convenience store chains across Facebook (FB),

Twitter, Instagram (IG) and TikTok from November 2021 to November 2022.

“We examined each channel individually and weighted scores across channels, both using engagement and engagement rates to determine our final rankings on each channel and for an overall winner,” noted Seth Bridges, founder of RivalIQ.

New this year, TikTok was added to the analysis. Some 50% of the brands included in the study were active on TikTok in some way in 2022, a huge increase from 2021 when only a handful of brands were active on the platform.

BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE

For the third year in a row, Kwik Trip (KT) took first place in the overall category, which looks at performance across FB, Twitter, IG and TikTok.

“KT has been really consistent in their general approach. They continue to show that they understand their audience. They know success for them really means providing entertainment to their audience and to their fans,” Bridges said.

KT entertained fans with memes, self-deprecating Midwest jokes and battling other brands with witty comments. Bridges noted that KT’s Social Media Supervisor Paige Forde and the rest of the team are standing out by being the stars of their own KT-themed entertainment. KT is also upping its content game, publishing more TikToks and more Reels, particularly on IG, than the previous year.

“Just a tremendous performance from this team,” Bridges said. “They get social media. They understand the platforms, and they do understand what gets the laughs, what gets the engagement, what gets the comments, and they push on that.”

“We put engagement above all else when it comes to organic social content,” said David Jackson, digital marketing and loyalty manager for Kwik Trip Inc., which operates 850 locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan and Illinois. “At face value this sounds straightforward, but I think the execution of that takes a lot more strategy and effort. It means catering our

messaging, tone and creative to the channel we’re on, while also ensuring it resonates with our fan base.”

That can mean intentionally using content that isn’t as polished, and less selling or promoting.

“That takes some trust (and freedom) across our entire organization to step out of our comfort zone when it comes to our social presence and takes a solid understanding that social channels are built to award reach with engagement,” Jackson said. “If you aren’t creating engaging content, you aren’t reaching your audience and the minuscule reach you do get is going to be tough to make an impact.”

Jackson’s favorite social media post of the year was an April Fools post that KT put out in partnership with Leinenkugel’s, introducing KT’s “beer in a bag,” which mimicked the chain’s existing (and real) milk in a bag. The post on Facebook amused fans. The post received 16,000 likes, 10,000 shares and 4,600 comments.

Jackson’s advice to other c-store chains is to constantly measure what they’re doing across all of their social media channels and to be honest about what’s working and what’s not. “Once you have a baseline, do less of what’s not performing and more of what is,” he said.

Runner-up Stewart’s Shops, headquartered in Ballston Spa, N.Y., took second place in the overall category, delivering a strong performance on all channels, scoring within the Top 6 across FB, TikTok and Instagram, and with

a strong performance on Twitter as well.

“Being consistent across all your channels really, for me, indicates that you're not just this flash in the pan success on one channel, but that your team again truly understands what it is you're trying to achieve and then executing well across all these channels,” Bridges said.

Stewart’s Shops is well known for its Stewart’s ice cream, and many of its top posts were ice cream related across platforms.

TikTok is a relatively new addition for Stewart's Shops, which it began this past summer, but it is already using popular trends and sounds and making them its own, Bridges noted.

“The team that's doing the creation on TikTok clearly gets it, but also they feature ice cream on their TikTok content as well. So Stewart's Shops knows what the people like, and clearly the team understands how to carry that through on the various social platforms,” he said.

But that doesn’t mean ice cream posts will be successful for all brands. “You have to find your unique strength and play to it,” Bridges advised. “And if that is something that gives your brand an advantage in your local market and it’s something people love, lean on it. You've got to lean on your uniqueness.”

to get it to them, and Pilot clearly gets that.” Bridges pointed out the chain appears to boost only about a quarter of posts that they know will resonate. “Kudos to Pilot for a nice strategy there,” he said.

Pilot earned a lot of engagement on posts around veterans and military appreciation. Pilot also celebrates the customers who come to its stores, such as professional drivers that drive trucks, rigs and ambulances, as well as first responders.

“A lot of content celebrating the work of these folks in the communities bubbled to the top,” Bridges said. The posts received thousands of shares, tons of comments and tons of engagement. “You don’t see people sharing content if they don’t believe in it,” he said.

Other posts that resonated with fans included Pilot’s announcements about partnering with General Motors on a network for fast chargers, and posts for social media holidays such as National Road Trip Day and National Coffee Day, with a promotion on the side.

BEST FACEBOOK PERFORMANCE

Pilot Co., which operates more than 800 locations in 44 states and five Canadian provinces, took first place in the FB category. Bridges pointed out that Pilot found success by boosting specific posts to gain more reach.

“These days, not every brand, not every page is going to get a lot of organic reach on FB. In fact, most brands, unless you’ve been killing it on social media for a long time, are not going to get a lot of organic reach. But it doesn’t mean that your fans aren’t there. And it doesn’t mean that they won’t like your content, if they get a chance to see it. You just might need to pay a little bit

“The team at Pilot did really well with all of these things,” Bridges said.

Pilot sees its Pilot Flying J social media channels, particularly FB, as a chance to connect with customers in an authentic way.

“Whether it be through content creation or community management, establishing touchpoints with our guests is always our goal,” said Lindsey Mingie, social media supervisor for Pilot Co. “We want to be a brand that people continue engaging with and, in turn, become a part of our community.”

Pilot’s “National Road Trip Day” campaign and giveaway asked followers where they were headed for their

Social Media Awards

summer travels. “We had them comment back with a picture of their travels to enter for a chance to win $50,000 in prizes. We had an incredible response from guests, who loved sharing their experiences from across the country,” Mingie said.

Pilot strives to incorporate “real, authentic content that strikes meaningful conversation with followers.“

“We’ve seen a trend towards relatable stories, images and videos that are organic and often off-the-cuff vs. shot perfectly in a studio atmosphere,” Mingie said.

Each year, Pilot recognizes a professional driver on FB for its annual Pilot Flying J Road Warrior Contest, a competition recognizing drivers who stand out in the industry.

“This past September, we surprised David, a 50-year veteran driver with 5 million accident-free miles, with a $15,000 grand prize,” Mingie said. “I love reading the nominations and seeing well-deserving drivers like David be recognized for the impact they’ve made in their community and the trucking industry at large.”

FB runner-up KT doesn’t appear to be using the boosted post strategy.

“Part of the reason they’re able to do that and be successful is because they have been killing it on Facebook for a very long time,” Bridges said.

Their content on FB is similar to other channels — picking on Midwest brands and screenshotting posts or user posts from other channels and sharing to FB.

“One key thing that they’re doing is leveraging Reels and TikToks that perform well and using them on FB,” he said.

KT sees a lot of engagement in their comments, earning 137,000 comments on FB in 2022. “That’s like two times more than the next closest brands from a comment perspective,” Bridges said. “People love their KT and they’re in the comments, and that earns them more reach. But also what an incredible source of intelligence about what’s happening with your user base.”

BEST TWITTER PERFORMANCE

For the third year running, Kum & Go, with more than 400 stores in 12 states, has claimed the top spot in the Twitter category. Bridges credits Kum & Go’s former Social Media Manager Ariel Rubin for growing that follower base and developing a brand voice on Twitter that leaned into the innuendo, into the name and into the clap backs that’s still benefiting the chain.

“This is like the Wendy’s of c-stores on Twitter,” Bridges said, noting the chain is salty, funny and on brand.

“Whoever took over the account really did a good job of keeping the main brand voice strong on Twitter,” Bridges noted. The brand resonated with fans with selfdeprecating jokes and popular tweets about Gay Rights and other causes the brand owners are passionate about. They also pick battles with other brands.

Matt Riezman, director of brand marketing for Kum & Go, said the chain is continuously testing and learning when it comes to its engagement-first strategy.

“This year was no different — we learned a lot and uncovered lots of new areas where our fans want to engage with us,” Riezman said. “We dipped our toe into NIL (Name Image Likeness) deals with college athletes and had a lot of fun engaging with our fans on Twitter, who are also fans (or NOT fans) of certain teams and players.”

Kum & Go released its “Kum & Gay Rights” shirts that raised money for the Transgender Law Center due to overwhelming demand from fans, Riezman noted. “This work provided an outstanding opportunity for us to engage with our fans on Twitter, and beyond, on an issue that is important to our company values,” he said.

Runner-up Weigel’s, based in Powell, Tenn., started 2022 with only about 500 Twitter followers. The company started tweeting 10 times a week and replying to other accounts, and grew its following times 10 to 5,000 followers.

While 5,000 followers may not be huge in respect to some other large chains, Bridges pointed to the difficulty in growing a Twitter following from virtually nothing.

“I think that’s a tremendous accomplishment, and I’m sure they will continue to grow,” Bridges said. He added that Weigel’s saw a dynamic quadruple-digit growth in engagement in 2022 as well.

“I don’t know the team, but I’m saying that team sat in a strategy meeting at some point and said, ‘We’re going to commit to doing Twitter this year,’ and then they did it, and here’s the numbers (to show) they did it,” Bridges said.

BEST INSTAGRAM PERFORMANCE

Lake Jackson, Texas-based Buc-ees had the best performance on IG in 2022. Buc-ee’s doesn’t post often on IG, but still grew by 80% and ended the report with 185,000 followers. “On a percentage basis, that’s

more than any other brand,” Bridges said.

Posts on new locations drove the most engagement, and Buc-ee’s earned more engagement per IG post than most other brands in the study.

Runner-up 7-Eleven, based in Irving, Texas, saw big growth on IG. “Now, they have a much larger account than Buc-ee’s. They grew more than 50%, and it brought them to almost 900,000 followers by the end of October. These huge audience growth numbers are not the norm for brands. We’re talking about single-digit percent follower growth for most brands. And that goes even beyond talking about c-stores,” Bridges said.

7-Eleven’s “Cars of 7-Eleven” campaign, a huge driver of its success, featured user-generated content of people’s cars parked in front of 7-Eleven.

“7-Eleven is doing these carousel posts where they are featuring the cars at 7-Eleven and they’re tagging all the owners or the folks who contributed the content,” Bridges said. “They had a post that just blew up in November (of 2021), and they went with it. So now, they’re doing about six posts a month in this campaign, and they did (about 75) in the whole year.”

The 75 car posts earned about 3.7 million likes and comments. “Their other 130 some odd posts together did about 2 million. This team saw that at some point,” Bridges said. “They found the community, they found the niche, and the comments are hilarious.”

BEST TIKTOK PERFORMANCE

KT won for the TikTok category, and Kum & Go took second place as runner-up.

“Both of these brands have relatively large followings in this group. They’re both in that about 150,000-170,000 followers (range) and they both grew their audience,” Bridges said.

Both brands publish frequently, had about a 35% increase in posts and post a video about every other day.

For KT, more fans and increased posting brought about 70% more engagement, Bridges said. KT received

about 1.4 million likes, comments and shares in this past year. Consistent video output of 15-20 videos a month, as well as viral content, gave KT the edge.

Kum & Go saw success with a campaign interviewing people while they filled their tanks, offering free gas if they answered heartfelt questions such as “What do you really love about yourself?”

“Those were all their top TikToks for the year. They really are what was driving a lot of the huge view and engagement numbers for Kum & Go,” Bridges said. The videos gained 6,000-10,000 views each, but some videos gained upwards of 100,000 views.

“We joined TikTok back in 2020, and I’d say our strategy isn’t any different than our other channels, but the execution and content creation is at an entirely different level,” KT’s Jackson said. “Moving from content that was mostly static with an occasional video to a platform looking for 100% video content was a huge leap that we went all in with. We were able to do this thanks to our amazing team. …”

Jackson noted that TikTok is much more demanding for social media teams compared to other platforms. “This isn’t like joining Twitter or IG; it’s an entirely different structure and process that can’t be propped up by repurposing content across your other channels,” Jackson said.

Chains not only have the challenge of creating compelling video content, but they also need to feature an individual on camera.

“Those of us brands who have made it to TikTok need to be giving their social media team members some major praise because it takes some talented individuals to be willing to jump in front of that camera and even more talent to do it in a way that connects with a passionate fanbase,” Jackson said. CSD

Fuel Variety KEY TO DECARBONIZATION

Emily Boes • Associate Editor

2022 posed many challenges for consumers and retailers alike as gas prices reached record-high digits. Although consumers still needed to drive, many changed their behavior, fueling up less frequently and spending less per visit.

“Fuel demand is still below pre-pandemic levels, and I expect that to remain true for 2023 as well,” said Joel Hirschboeck, senior vice president, fuel, GetGo Café + Market. “Across the oil and gas industry, I think we can expect to see more companies invest in sustainable technologies, not only to lower their carbon emissions, but to also produce fuel.”

While excitement exists around electric vehicle (EV) charging, when it comes to powering the vehicles of tomorrow, the future may not lie in one specific technology, but a combination of strategies united behind a common goal.

“(Congress) should be asking ‘How do we decarbonize?’” suggested John Eichberger, executive director of Alexandria, Va.-based The Fuels Institute.

Decarbonization is critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Multiple pathways exist to achieve the “net-zero” emissions goals set by some states and cities. One pathway includes diversifying into renewable energy.

As a new year begins and legislatures across the nation push to further environmentally friendly agendas, convenience store retailers are assessing future demand to determine how to best compete in a changing fuel landscape.

Kum & Go plans to have electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at 10% of its stores by the end of 2023.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE EXPANSION

In August, California sanctioned a rule that all new passenger cars and light trucks that are sold in the state must be EVs or emission free by 2035. Virginia is following the same path, along with Washington, Massachusetts, Oregon and New York.

These states’ mandates indicate a push for the U.S. to move toward EVs as part of the solution to decarbonization. President Biden’s introduction of the American Battery Materials Initiative and the Department of Energy’s funding for manufacturing and processing companies to process lithium, graphite and other minerals used in EV batteries contribute to the effort.

Eichberger warned, however, that EVs are not the only solution and cannot replace the vehicles already on the road today.

“EVs have a huge role, and they’re going to have a great contribution to reducing emissions and reducing the cost of transportation in certain markets, but they’re not going to be ubiquitous, especially not in the near or medium term,” said Eichberger. “We want to be serious about protecting the environment. We need to reduce the emissions from all vehicles, not just promoting new vehicles, which are

FUELS VARY IN CARBON INTENSITIES

not zero emission. They are zero tailpipe, but they still have an emissions profile.”

In the meantime, many retailers are adding EV charging stations where appropriate.

Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey’s General Stores, which operates over 2,400 c-stores in 16 states, recently added its 11th Tesla Supercharger at its Urbana, Ill., site. In the Midwest and South, Casey’s offers 134 EV chargers across 28 locations. These locations are outfitted with DC fast chargers, and certain locations offer level 2 charging in addition to multiple plug options.

“We want to be thoughtful about our support for the future of energy but understand the speed at which the evolution happens,” said Nathaniel Doddridge, vice president of fuels at Casey’s.

The chain is partnering with Electrify America and EV manufacturers to support its ongoing EV-related efforts. Additionally, Casey’s participated in grant opportunities with MidAmerican Energy in Iowa and Omaha Public Power District in Nebraska.

Kum & Go has also been adding EV charging stations at some of its stores, with plans to have them at 10% of its stores by the end of 2023.

Gasoline shows the highest carbon intensity, followed by diesel. BioCNG has the lowest carbon intensity, preceded by a small margin by biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Source: California Air Resources Board, “LCFS Pathway Certified Carbon Intensities”

Kum & Go currently operates over 400 stores across 12 states, with plans to expand into two additional states — Idaho and Michigan — over the next year.

“There’s no question that EV adoption is growing, but looking forward, we believe that growth will continue at a measured pace relative to some of the more aggressive projections that are out there,” said Ken Kleemeier, vice president of fuels, Kum & Go. “From a Kum & Go perspective, we have been gradually expanding our footprint of EV chargers at locations where we see demand — which has primarily been along high-traffic corridors so far.”

Kum & Go will continue expanding its charger map in 2024 and beyond by participating in the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.

But EV charging might not work for all retailers. Cstores considering the EV charging business should assess the habits of customers in their operating area, Eichberger recommended.

“If you’re not seeing (EVs) in your market, chances are it might be a little early to get into the business, unless you’re on a community thoroughfare and a lot of people pass by on the way through,” said Eichberger.

According to the Fuels Institute, perception and reality differ when it comes to EVs. Its research shows that plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) may only represent 27% of light-duty vehicles (LDVs) on the road for a hypothetical 60% sales reach in 2040.

In California, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are projected to hit 36% of the registered LDVs in 2035, despite the state’s mandate that all new cars must be electric by 2035.

“It’s important for all of us in this industry to keep a close eye on the trends related to electric vehicles,” said GetGo’s Hirschboeck. “Our business needs to adapt to changing consumer habits, and as more electric vehicles hit the marketplace, we need to pivot accordingly.”

This isn’t an immediate concern, Hirschboeck noted. While EVs may be the fastest-growing segment of the car market, they still account for only a small number of new cars purchased.

“Nationwide, EVs account for less than 1% of the cars currently on the road,” he said.

Still, he pointed out, the EV market share is increasing with each passing year, and it won’t be long before they represent a major segment of consumers in the marketplace.

Pittsburgh-based GetGo Café + Market has 274 locations throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. The chain has rolled out Tesla chargers and is also in the process of adding proprietary “GetGo Charging” units at its stores, with the first one opening now in Columbus, Ohio.

Another option consumers may consider is the hybrid

electric vehicle (HEV) which, according to Eichberger, is 30% cleaner than an internal combustion engine on a national average. This is less than BEVs, which are 41% cleaner.

“I think (HEVs) are a huge opportunity, and (if) you pair it up with a low-carbon fuel, you are going to achieve almost equivalent emissions to a BEV in a lot of the markets in the country,” said Eichberger.

He noted EVs would have a higher impact on the environment in a market where all electricity is renewable, but that’s not most of the U.S.

“I think hybrids offer a huge opportunity to make tremendous progress in the emission reduction. They also don’t require any infrastructure investment. The auto makers can produce them for marginal cost relative to an internal combustion engine only, and I think they’re a huge advantage,” Eichberger said.

CONSIDERING BIOFUELS

The utilization of biofuels is another path to follow to increase decarbonization efforts. Based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data provided to the Fuels Institute, transportation accounted for 27% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. Eighty-two percent of that comes from the on-road vehicle market.

Biofuels present an immediate as well as long-term opportunity to reduce carbon emissions.

Despite compatibility restrictions, the use of biodiesel, renewable diesel and renewable natural gas work with an infrastructure already in place, as opposed to electric vehicles.

Hirschboeck agreed with Eichberger that decarbonization does not have only one solution and maintains that biofuels are an important part of the answer.

“I’m encouraged by the sustainable approach to producing fuel. If EVs are the future, there is a transition period measured in decades where internal combustion engines will dominate the roadways, and biofuels can and should be utilized for real carbon reduction,” said Hirschboeck. “The technologies and feedstocks continue to evolve, and as an industry and a country we cannot

cast biofuels aside because of the hype of EV. Decarbonization needs to be a 360-degree approach for today and tomorrow and biofuels must play a role in that.”

GetGo, which currently has 12-16 fueling positions at the majority of its locations, focuses on Regular, Midgrade and Premium gasoline at all locations, with most offering diesel. A few of its locations offer other products such as recreational fuel and E85.

Casey’s also offers its guests biofuel options. Approximately 87% of its fuel sales were from renewable blended fuels in 2022. Across Casey’s footprint, the chain offers E10, E15, E85 and biodiesel. It also offers winterized diesel.

Casey’s remains a supporter of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s biofuel goals.

“Being involved at some level on both liquid fuel changes and electricity will be important as our guest preference changes over time,” said Doddridge.

Kum & Go has had a positive experience with biofuels so far, especially in 2022 as these fuels tend to provide a lower-priced option, increasing customer appeal when the fuel prices are high.

“Kum & Go has a long history of offering higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel. We see the positive economic impact that biofuels have on the communities that we serve in the Midwest and also view the environmental profile of these fuels as being highly consistent with our company values,” said Kleemeier.

Eichberger applauds the implementation of biofuels. “If you want to reduce the carbon intensity of gasoline and diesel, your No. 1 option right now is a biofuel.”

Eichberger is a proponent of taking all possible avenues for decarbonization, no matter how small.

“I think at the base point, there’s an opportunity here to take advantage of more biofuels. I think there are still only 4,000 stations or so that sell E15. Now, E15 or E10, is it a huge jump in environmental protection? Not really, but it is an improvement. Now (if) you combine that with a hybrid vehicle, now you’re talking some significant improvements, and you start compounding these different solutions on top of one another,” he said. “We need to be looking at it that way: how we combine different

options to achieve a compounded benefit in the environment and the economic interest of the consumer.

HYDROGEN-POWERED OPPORTUNITY

In addition to EVs and biofuels, Eichberger recognizes the opportunity for hydrogen-powered vehicles to resonate in the market, although he noted expansion is more likely with medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

“Hydrogen provides a power to weight ratio that batteries cannot deliver, provides a quick refuel for commercial purposes that batteries can’t deliver at this point,” said Eichberger. “I think there’s a huge opportunity, and I think we’re going to see that happen and develop more quickly in the next two to five years.”

Hirschboeck expects that the U.S. population in general, however, is several years away from seeing a practical reason to own a hydrogen-powered vehicle.

“There’s simply no infrastructure available to support them,” he said. “What’s more, the technology involved is still really limiting. They’re not very efficient, and the production of hydrogen can still lead to high carbon emissions.”

Eichberger agreed that the largest challenge with hydrogen-powered vehicles is building the infrastructure.

Still, he maintains heavier vehicles so far are primarily the types of vehicles showing emission reductions.

“Hydrogen is a great option for (heavier vehicles). I think we’re going to see a renewed interest, and I think we see faster growth in that sector than we’ve seen in the past,” Eichberger said.

Kleemeier said hydrogen may have a role in the future energy mix, but so far there has been no demand in Kum & Go’s footprint.

LOOKING AHEAD

Whether retailers are ready to consider adding EV chargers or biofuels, the fact remains that today’s vehicles are continuing to become more fuel efficient at a time when customers are fueling up less often, and government mandates to meet environmental goals are increasing. Savvy retailers are making plans now to prepare for the future of fuel.

“For the most part, I’m expecting we’re going to start seeing 1% to 1.5% reduction in gasoline demand annually for the foreseeable future, just because vehicles are getting more efficient,” said Eichberger.

C-store retailers should pay attention to local market conditions when looking at fuel demand, he advised.

“You’ve got to think about how the market’s changing and start evolving your long-term plans to accommodate that change in the market,” he said. CSD

Chicken and Pizza Sell Day to Night

From an order of three tenders to a family value meal to whole pies, c-stores are giving customers ample options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

Marilyn Odesser-Torpey • Associate Editor

As c-stores look to grow their foodservice offerings, pizza and chicken programs are helping retailers to drive sales and expand into new dayparts.

When Pak-A-Sak convenience stores added a Hunt Brothers Pizza program, the change to its foodservice program was like night and day — literally. While the majority of the chain’s foodservice sales come at lunchtime, the pies have allowed the Texas Panhandle chain to successfully break into the dinner daypart, according to Russell Barber, district manager for Pak-A-Sak.

Sixteen of the 23 Pak-A-Sak locations offer the Hunt Brothers program. Two additional stores, which will also feature the pizza, are set to open next year.

Breakfast has also greatly benefited from the addition of the Hunt Brothers program.

“We see customers not only purchasing our breakfast pizza, but regular pepperoni and hamburger pies as well,” he said.

Barber pointed out that customers are eager to try the limited-time-offer (LTO) selections every quarter. The LTOs also create a buzz among the stores’ employees.

“Our staff couldn’t stop talking about the chicken ranch or alfredo pizzas,” Barber said.

GROWING SALES

The recipes for the marinade and coating may be secret, but it’s clear that chicken is a driving force behind High’s of Baltimore’s foodservice program.

High’s fresh, never-frozen chicken is injected with a flavorful marinade and hand breaded with a secret blend of herbs and spices.

“Fried chicken is one of the three cornerstones of our foodservice category, along with pizza and our own ice cream,” said Sherryn Diamond, director of foodservice for High’s. “Our chicken sales have increased between 20-25% year over year for the past five years.”

Currently, 17 of High’s 59 stores in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania offer chicken. Every year, one to four additional stores get the chicken program, and it is set to be installed in remodels and new stores, stated Brad Chivington, senior vice president for High’s.

“When we roll the program out in existing and remodeled stores, we see a dollar-per-dollar gain in sales in fountain, groceries and other categories,” Chivington said. “It also generates a higher earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).”

High’s fresh, never-frozen chickens are injected with a flavorful marinade then hand breaded with “a secret blend of herbs and spices,” explained Dallas Wells, vice president of foodservice, branding and employee development at High’s. “It is cooked in small batches in a pressure cooker for maximum juiciness.”

Fresh pizza sales have been increasing upwards of 40% year over year at High’s, reported Chivington. Forty of the chain’s stores offer seven- and 14-inch

proprietary pies from front-and-center open preparation areas.

Despite the rise in food costs leading to an increase in consumer prices, pizza and chicken are holding their own at Kwik Stop Convenience Stores, which operates 26 stores in Nebraska and one in Colorado. While item sales in both categories are down 9% over a year and a half ago, dollar sales have risen 10%, said M. David May, director of food services for Kwik Stop.

“The price of fuel has a tremendous impact on our foot traffic in the stores,” May explained. “Customers weren’t coming in as much or buying as much when gas was approaching $5 per gallon, but now that gas prices are retreating, we’re seeing our store sales go up.”

To attract cost-conscious consumers, May always tries to have some type of meal deal combining chicken and a small side for a value price of between $5 and $8.

“We used to waste a lot of sides so even though I’m making less profit on the meal, at least those sides are not going to waste,” he noted. “At the same time, we’re getting customers to try something new besides the usual french fries, and sales of our specialty sides have increased.”

May noted that Kwik Stop is big on producing new items in its test kitchens for monthly LTOs. One that has just been introduced is a buffalo, pepperoni and bacon pizza with Frank’s Redhot Sauce.

Another original product is a pizza bite for which the proofed crust is cut into eight sections, topped and rolled up. The popularity of an original Buffalo Bite with cheese and Frank’s Redhot Sauce led to the addition of garlic bites with garlic and butter to the menu.

“We look at our existing SKUs and think about what we can make out of them that would be exciting,” May said. CSD

Snack Sales Outlook

Howard Riell • Contributing Editor

Both meat and salty snacks remain bulwarks of the convenience store industry. And during uncertain economic times, with other staple product categories facing some very real challenges, bulwarks are a good thing to have.

“Both (salty snacks and meat snacks) are good categories that saw growth in 2022 and should grow in 2023,” predicted Rich Abel, director of stores for Bakersfield, Calif.-based Jaco Oil Co., which operates the 54-unit Fastrip Food Stores chain. “Both are bright spots on a category map that has a lot of wounded/ casualties — tobacco, vape, beer — expected in 2023.”

According to GlobalData’s Q4 consumer survey, 58% of people in the U.S. are “extremely” concerned about how inflation and rising costs may impact their household, reported Khalid Peerbaccus, senior innovation researcher at GlobalData. “Given convenience stores’ position as marked up in price, brands would do well to highlight the value aspect of their offerings and emphasize the quality of the ingredients. While low-price/cheaper snacks are favored by 27% of consumers, 31% believe that high-quality products or ingredients equate to ‘good value for the money.’”

Salty and meat snacks had strong sales at c-stores throughout 2022. For the 52 weeks ending Oct. 30, 2022, the convenience store channel saw sales of dried meat snacks reach $2.2 billion, a 4% increase, according to Ryan Stredney, senior public relations specialist, marketing for IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm. Within the category:

• All other dried meat snacks saw sales of $1.3 billion, up 8.8%.

• Jerky accounted for just over $914 million, a decrease of 2%.

For the broad salty snacks category, sales for the same period topped $6.9 billion, up an impressive 16.9% over the previous year. Inside that category:

Potato chips led the way with nearly $2.1 billion in retail sales, a sharp increase of 15.3%. Tortilla/tostada chips registered sales of $1.5 billion, a 23.3% gain. Cheese snacks garnered sales of $981 million, up 17.9%. Other salted snacks (excluding nuts) reached sales of $928 million, up 14.6%. Corn snacks (excluding tortilla chips) notched sales of just over $621 million, a 14.7% rise. Pretzels saw sales of nearly $322 million, up 15.7%.

Ready-to-eat popcorn/caramel corn recorded sales of just over $286 million, a gain of 16.5%. Pork rinds recorded sales of more than $221 million, up 6%.

Salty and meat snack sales hold steady in c-stores despite inflation and competition from e-commerce as more customers shop online.

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

But convenience stores face mounting competition from e-commerce when it comes to snack purchases.

“In the U.S. convenience channel, the total value of savory snacks was $15.2 billion in 2021, and this is predicted to grow to $15.7 billion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.72% by 2026,” said Peerbaccus. “In contrast, e-retailers will see substantial growth from $5.5 billion to $14.8 billion over the same period, at a CAGR of 21.6%. This highlights the challenges evident in the convenience channel, which has been severely affected since the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19. Consumers have become more reliant on online purchasing for their snacks.”

Within the c-store snack category, meat snacks were valued at $1.2 billion in 2021, and the category is expected to see a CAGR of 5.2% by 2026 to reach $1.6 billion, Peerbaccus said. At the same time, potato chips are expected to decrease by a CAGR of 0.7%, from $4 billion in 2021 to $3.9 billion in 2026, while popcorn will grow from $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion at a CAGR of 5.1%.

“The reason for the decline in potato chips in comparison to popcorn could be the perceived health benefits of popcorn versus potato chips,” Peerbaccus explained. “Many people have also invested in homecinema systems since the pandemic, which has helped to prompt interest in ‘cinema food’ such as popcorn.”

Manufacturers of snacks like potato chips, which are perceived as less healthy, will continue to trumpet the low-salt content of their products. According to GlobalData, 43% of U.S. consumers agree that low-salt content is preferable in food and drinks, and 34% deem it essential.

Opportunity lies in newness, as customers are driven to taste test new snack flavor innovations.

“GlobalData’s research reveals that 38% of shoppers are willing to try the newest food flavors as soon as they are available, with curiosity cited by 57% as being the main motivating factor,” Peerbaccus explained. “Snacks that feature unexpected flavors may therefore be favored by those shoppers, who may seek some respite from the stress and uncertainty of the current cost-of-living situation.” CSD

Beer’s Crafty Future

Current consumer demand requires a more eclectic beer inventory at convenience stores.

Anne Baye Ericksen • Contributing Editor

Next month, millions of people will tune in to watch Super Bowl LVII, the first major party event of 2023. Even non-football fans look forward to the broadcast. After all, it’s one of the few shows that viewers look forward to the commercials, like all the spots featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales.

For more than three decades, Anheuser-Busch InBev held an exclusive deal as the only brewer to broadcast advertisements between kickoff and the final whistle. Next month, viewers also will see commercials from Molson Coors and possibly other beermakers for the first time since 1989, because Anheuser-Busch InBev elected not to renew its exclusive deal — although officials confirmed the company would still buy airtime.

The end of the exclusivity era could be viewed as a metaphor for the overall beer market. Although

the largest brewers still ship billions of cases annually, per the National Beer Wholesalers Association, consumer preferences are turning away from mass-produced labels and toward craft offerings, imports and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

“Beer drinkers are aging and entry level (consumers) are more engaged in spirits and ready-to-drink (RTD) malt/sugar and spirit products,” noted Brian Sudano, marketing manager for Beverage Marketing Corp.

BEER’S YEAR IN REVIEW

The total beer category finished 2022 with mixed results. Dollar sales in all retail channels posted modest gains in year-over-year comparisons for the two-, four-, 12- and 52-week periods ending Dec. 3, per NielsenIQ data. However, Goldman Sachs analysts described the current retail environment as softened because year-over-year unit numbers show declines for each period, offset by a nearly 8% price increase throughout Q4.

What’s on Tap?

Alcoholic

Source: Americas Beverages: Beer & FMB NielsenIQ data through Dec. 3 — dollar sales growth broadly stable, but modestly decelerates on three-year stack basis, Goldman Sachs Equity Research, received Dec. 13, 2022

As always, there are exceptions to the trends.

“Beer sales have continued to be strong at CEFCO,” said Kirk Jornlin, category manager for the Temple, Texas-based convenience store chain that consists of 171 stores in four states. “Looking at same-store sales, year to date through October, CEFCO is up double digits versus the prior year. Most of the stores are in Texas and Florida, and imports are on fire.”

Indeed, imports had the strongest showing last year, with gains in both dollar sales and units, according to NielsenIQ data.

The craft segment, however, incurred a deceleration late last year. Craft brewers registered drops in both dollar sales and units, with one exception: New Belgium Brewing. The maker of Fat Tire Ale, Voodoo Ranger IPA and Old Tuffy Premium Lager garnered double-digit gains across each period for both dollar sales and units. What’s more, market analysts remain optimistic about the segment. Yahoo News cited research that projects sales could top off at a 13.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) by 2030 due in part to producers’ flavor innovations.

Unique flavors also attract consumers to fermented malt beverages (FMBs), which continue to rack up wins — double-digit growth for each period and equally impressive momentum in units.

“It seems that customers and beer companies are making a pivot to items with full flavor in lieu of more seltzer items; also, new products having some of the same attributes as seltzer with low calorie and low carbs but also zero sugar,” said Terry Messmer, category and sales manager for Tri Star Energy.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., the company runs more than 70 Twice Daily c-stores along with White Bison Coffee retail sites. “In 2023, we’re going to take a hard look at the seltzer selection and key in on top sellers in the category.”

Even non-alcoholic beer presents competition for traditional beer purchases. In October, NielsenIQ reported this subcategory commanded more than 85% of all non-alcoholic beverage sales, totaling more than $328 million. Plus, sales ticked up nearly 20% from August 2021 to August 2022. Researchers noted, “Younger Gen Z consumers are less interested in drinking alcohol than previous generations. But there has also been a wider wellness movement taking place throughout society, with more people from every age and stage of life trying to take better care of themselves.”

And who knows, Anheuser-Busch InBev could choose to showcase its Budweiser Zero during next month’s Super Bowl. CSD

FAST FACTS:

• Anheuser-Busch InBev declines to renew its exclusivity deal for the Super Bowl.

• Craft beer sales could top off at a 13.5% compound annual growth rate by 2030.

• Non-alcoholic beer sales totaled more than $328 million.

Enhancing C-Store Security

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a rise in crime at many retail locations, but best practices and new technology are helping c-stores keep stores secure.

Zhane Isom • Associate Editor

During the pandemic, theft and robberies at retail stores soared to an all-time high. National Retail Federation’s (NRF) “2022 Retail Security Survey” found some 89.7% of respondents reported that COVID-19 had resulted in an increase in the risk of violence within their organization, and the majority of respondents noted that “overall risk” increased, as did the risk of shoplifting, organized retail crime and employee theft.

Jack L. Hayes International Inc.’s “34th Annual Retail Theft Survey,” released in May 2022, found that total theft at retail stores rose 26%, shoplifting rose 26.6% and employee theft rose 22.6% in 2021.

Now that the world is returning to normal, some retailers have seen crime rates decline at their stores. But lingering issues from the pandemic, including ongoing labor shortages, continue to increase risk for c-stores. Understaffed stores can be targeted for crime, while increased employee turnover can make it more challenging to train and develop staff in loss prevention techniques, the NRF survey pointed out.

Savvy c-store retailers are continuously working to improve and enforce store security and loss prevention practices.

According to NRF’s “2022 Retail Security Survey,” the technologies retailers use or think about using most include RFID Systems, artificial intelligence (AI)-based point-of-sale (POS) or self-checkout video analytics, license plate recognition and self-service locking cases or lockers.

Cubby’s, which operates 168 stores in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, is one c-store that has been fortunate enough not to see many crimes but still continuously evaluates new tactics to improve security and loss prevention.

“We have been lucky as a company not to have some of the problems that other chains are having with shoplifting, internal theft and robberies,” said Mike Wilson, chief operating officer for Cubby’s. “We do keep a close eye out and would be interested in bringing in things that make sense and add a safety equation to our employees.”

When it comes to keeping c-stores safe, everyone inside and outside of the stores plays a huge part, especially with the proper training and technology.

“We believe that well-lit stores that are well staffed with customer service-oriented employees are our best defense against theft and crime,” said Wilson. “In many neighborhoods we are a community hub, and the community helps ensure safety.”

Sean Sportun, vice president of national accounts and community engagement for GardaWorld Canada, has decades of corporate security experience, including a long tenure at Circle K where he led the company’s Central Canada loss prevention department. He agrees that employees play a crucial role in c-store security.

“The program begins and ends with employees. Having a comprehensive plan, coupled with regular mandated

training, is imperative for employees,” said Sportun. “It will create a robust safety culture while ensuring employees are well prepared to do the right thing when faced with a real-life situation.”

TACTICS FOR C-STORE SECURITY

As technology continues to advance in the area of loss prevention, retailers are finding new and improved options at their fingertips, but it’s often an adherence to tried-and-true best practices that can provide the biggest improvements.

“Keeping cash low by using smart safes, having armored car pick-ups and removing cash handling from store managers helps us keep out the temptation of crime,” said Wilson.

Having a multi-layered approach to c-store security programs is ideal and can provide retailers with peace of mind. Sportun shared the following strategies to help improve c-store security:

Keep Windows Clear: While it’s important to advertise marketing opportunities, it is equally important not to block the window view to the outside. If the potential offender can see the employee while outside and the employee has a clear view of the parking lot, it will make a would-be criminal less likely to approach the property.

Risk Assessment: Have a qualified security professional conduct an in-depth evaluation of existing practices to identify vulnerabilities and opportunities for improvement.

Partnerships: Understanding the importance partnerships have on combating crime trends is by far the most essential piece of the puzzle for retailers. With the growing issue of targeted thefts/robberies of tobacco products, Toronto Crime Stoppers has taken the lead in developing a national awareness campaign to bring attention to this crime trend, which is often driven by organized crime.

C-STORE SECURITY IN 2023

As retail risk changes, retailers must adopt new strategies and technologies to mitigate those risks. Not only is having a quality security program in place necessary, but retailers also need to start thinking about their stores’ surroundings and the type of environment in which they want their future store to be located.

Retailers Implement Different Security Technology

Retailers are implementing or thinking about implementing di erent loss prevention technology to ensure their stores’ safety.

“Retailers will have to start making decisions on where to locate new stores,” said Wilson. “Retailers will need to make tough choices between serving some communities and keeping their employees safe.”

Source: National Retail Federation, “2022 Retail Security Survey”

While some crime may be inevitable, c-store retailers can make strides in loss prevention by making it a high priority for their company and investing in training and technology.

“With elevating security concerns, organizations and

Reported Increase in Risk due to

independent store operators should be reminded of their duty of care obligations to all who enter their premises,” said Sportun. “This includes staff, shoppers (whether they make a purchase or not) and any other individual who enters the premises.” CSD

COVID-19

Retailers reported that overall risk rose due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with 51.7% reporting a “major increase” in violence and 36.2% reporting a “major increase” in shoplifting.

Overall Risk Violence

Source: National Retail Federation, “2022 Retail Security Survey”

Leaders in Convenience

welcoming 2023 With New Partners in Innovation

Erin Del Conte • Executive Editor

AS WE RING in 2023, convenience store retailers continue to grapple with inflation, labor shortages and an uncertain economy.

As headwinds point to the rise of electric vehicle (EV) charging and the continued decline of gas demand, c-stores are adding EV chargers and ramping up their foodservice programs, finding new ways to draw shoppers to their stores.

Customers are expecting more from c-store foodservice today. Many c-stores are responding by creating fresh proprietary food offerings and adding drive-throughs as they look to compete with quick-service restaurants.

Meanwhile, technological advancements are moving at a breakneck pace. Many retailers made big strides with technology during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Others are just getting started implementing orderahead, delivery and mobile apps. More retailers are testing self-checkout and frictionless checkout solutions. Some are upgrading their loyalty programs and utilizing key data to better respond to the demands of their core customers.

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the two years that have followed taught us that

convenience stores are even more adaptable than we ever thought possible and able to rush through rapid change seemingly overnight. In the throes of this evolution, supplier partners have been crucial to helping convenience stores innovate and evolve.

As retailers navigate the way forward in 2023, supplier partnerships will continue to be invaluable in helping retailers meet the demands of the moment. On the pages that follow you’ll find a number of leading suppliers that are prepared to help c-stores find success in 2023 across all areas of the c-store landscape — from technology to tobacco and from food and beverage to center store categories. Don’t hesitate to reach out and make a connection today to help accelerate innovation at your c-store chain and drive your business forward in the new year.

Introduction to Leaders ...............52

Hunt Brothers Pizza .................. 53

Liggett Vector Brands .............. 55

ADD Systems ...............................56

S. Abraham & Sons, Inc. ........... 57

AIM / Visual Marketing Inc. 58

Apter Industries, Inc. 59

BIC USA Inc. ................................60

Brakebush Chicken 61

Brother Mobile Solutions 62

Cheyenne International, LLC. 63

DirecTV for BUSINESS .................64

E-Alternative Solutions, LLC 65

Fiorucci Foods Inc. 66

Hunt Brothers Pizza ......................68 Hussmann

Lindt & Sprüngli (USA), Inc. 73

LK Packaging ...............................74

Loomis U.S. 75

National Retail Solutions 76 OWL ......................................... 77

Perfetti Van Melle ........................78

Premier Manufacturing, Inc. 79 PriceVision 80

ProAmpac 81

Roman Health ..............................82

Rudolph Foods 83

Krispy Krunchy Chicken 72

S. Abraham & Sons, Inc. 84

Smokey Mountain Chew Inc. .......85

Southern Champion ....................86

SPC Retail 87

Sunny Sky 88 Texas Pete ................................ 89

TransAct Technologies 90

Wenzel’s Farm 91

Xcaliber International 92

Leaders in Convenience

ADD Systems

ADD Systems® works hand-in-hand with clients throughout the U.S. and Canada to understand the needs of the convenience store, wholesale petroleum, propane, heating oil, commercial bulk fuels, HVAC, and lubricants industries. 2023 marks ADD Systems’ 50th anniversary, and our goal has always been to develop the best software solutions that exceed the needs of our clients, today and tomorrow. ADD Systems is more than a software provider; we are a true partner, committed to client success.

ADD Systems

6 Laurel Drive Flanders, NJ 07836 P: 800.922.0972 973.252.3803 E: info@addsys.com www.addsys.com

ADD SYSTEMS® SOFTWARE

helps you spend less time on administrative tasks and more time providing a great customer experience and improving your financial position. Designed with trusted client advisors from top industry chains, ADD software exemplifies a modern convenience store application, with unprecedented efficiency and visibility into your operation, tighter merchandise and fuel management, and efficient data access.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE (BI)

Get customizable, timely reports with actionable information sent automatically. These reports can be driven by exception, containing only information that needs attention. Customized KPI Dashboards and Scorecards give accurate, quickly consumable snapshots of store activity.

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

Minimize shrink by scanning at the POS, scanning store invoices, and taking full advantage of a centralized price book. Reduce out-of-stocks by implementing strong inventory controls and using picture-based shelf tags for effective planogram management.

LABOR UTILIZATION

Reduce labor expense through better staffing decisions. Understand your traffic and transaction trends with simple graphical reports.

CATEGORY MANAGEMENT

Maximize sales using store traffic to understand customer shopping. Analytical reports provide a precise view of sales velocity, helping you meet customer demand and manage vendor purchases. With this information, you ca highly effective promotions to drive larger basket sizes.

SCAN DATA BENEFITS

Automatically submit cigarette scan data to take advantage of financial incentives.

WHOLESALE FUEL EFFICIENCY

Automatically send scheduled wholesale price quotes based on costplus, percentage or customer contracts. Deliver profitable wholesale loads with accurate margins that incorporate “best buy” logic for vendors, terminals and freight. Expedite dealer network processing by importing fuel sales from your gas station dealer network and credit card receipts from your major oil company processors for quick reconciliation and settlement. Manage a host of dealer commission structures efficiently and automatically.

PARTNER AGNOSTIC

Choose who you want to work with. ADD interfaces with multiple related partners like wholesale distributors and POS providers. Partners such as Skip and Vroom can offer contactless service to your customers, while Electrum and Velocity offer proven loyalty solutions. Interfacing with ADD provides the additional services you need.

Leaders in Convenience

Visual Marketing, Inc. A LONG HISTORY OF OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE

Visual Marketing, Inc. (VMI) is an employee-owned, full service point-of-purchase advertising company that specializes in custom, permanent, multi-material retail merchandising solutions, from signage, to displays, to entire category management systems.

We offer a complete range of developmental and executional services (research, design, engineering, manufacturing, etc.), everything you would need to make your next point-of-purchase display program a reality.

In addition to our custom retail display and fixture work, VMI sells a stock fixture program specifically for the convenience store channel; our AIM Tobacco Merchandising System is a high quality solution for an important profit center in your stores.

VMI has been producing quality signage, product displays, and category management solutions for both retailers and brand manufacturers since 1972.

We’ve been working with many of our clients for 2 or 3 of those 5 decades. Our longest standing client has been with VMI for almost 45 years!

VMI values long term client relationships. We do whatever it takes to keep clients coming back for years and years.

AIM TOBACCO MERCHANDISING SYSTEM

• Accommodates your needs today and in the future.

• Available in Standard Profile (11 shelves) and Low Profile (7 Shelves.)

AIM Tobacco Merchandising System

Visual Marketing, Inc.

154 W. Erie Street

Chicago, IL 60654 www.vmichicago.com www.aimvmichicago.com

Tom DeLucia

Ph: 336.745.5492 E: tdelucia@vmichicago.com

For the convenience store channel, VMI is pleased to offer AIM, our stock tobacco and nicotine merchandising solution.

AIM fixtures have a long list of features and benefits that make it a great choice for all of your tobacco/ nicotine category requirements:

• Industry leading 3 year warranty.

• Made in the USA.

• In stock and ready to ship.

• Frame made of heavy gauge steel and robust steel shelf structures that will not bend under load.

• Available in 2, 3 and 4 FT widths, with a variety of spring-loaded pushers to hold all tobacco/ nicotine products.

• Shelves adjust on ½” vertical spacing.

• AIM’s robust shelves pull out virtually all the way, tilting down at the end for full product reveal and access. All AIM pusher paddles have a unique, hands-free lockback detail. Together, these 2 features make restocking product incredibly easy.

• Base unit comes pre-assembled which allows for quick set-up.

• AIM fixtures are a great value for the quality.

• AIM fixtures are certified to meet tobacco companies’ reimbursement programs.

• AIM is a stock program, but VMI can also customize it to meet your merchandising needs.

Leaders in Convenience

Apter Industries, Inc.

Apter Industries started manufacturing high quality cleaners in 1967 and quickly became the leading provider of innovative cleaning systems for the convenience store industry. Dedication to producing safe, environmentally friendly products that “Just Work Better”, led to the formation of long-standing partnerships with convenience store retailers as well as their distributors. If a convenience store has a cleaning problem, Apter Industries has a proven solution.

The Industry’s Most Reliable Source for High Powered Cleaners

APTER INDUSTRIES has long been a trusted manufacturing source for high quality cleaners for convenience stores and travel plazas. We strive to get our products to the retailer faster. Being in business for over 50 years enabled us to establish a preferred customer status with our raw material suppliers. Couple this with our long-standing relationships with convenience store wholesalers and you have an incredibly high service level. If store team members can’t get cleaning supplies in a timely fashion, they can’t provide a safe shopping environment. We will continue to make sure they succeed.

TWO TO TRY THIS YEAR

Gorilla Odor Killer kills “The Big Smell” at the source while instantly refreshing rest rooms, trash receptacles, drains, and any area where odors lurk. Your patrons and employees will love it.

Gorilla Pump Shine has protected fuel dispensers from harmful weather elements for years. Now with the newly added Micro-Spray Shield, it will provide a long-lasting barrier against microorganisms. It also helps prevent re-soiling which makes pump cleaning a snap.

TILE TIME® FLOOR CLEANER

FORECOURT FIRST® GAS ISLAND CLEANING KIT

Forecourt First is the most comprehensive cleaning system in the industry for fuel island maintenance. It features environmentally sensitive Garage Gorilla® Cleaners. The necessary products, Garage Gorilla® Pump Cleaner, Gorilla Pump Shine and Protector, Gorilla XDX Concrete and Asphalt Cleaner, and Gorilla Odor Killer, are housed in a “Grab and Go” Safety Pail. The kit also contains a bright reflector vest, sprayers, wipes, and an instructional card ring. Kick off your gas island cleaning with the Forecourt First Kit.

WHAT’S NEW IN 2023?

Apter Industries, Inc. Box 385 Rillton, PA 15678

P: 800.441.7146

E: info@apterindustries.com W: www.apterindustries.com

A slippery floor is a dangerous floor. Floors become slippery when deeply embedded soil clogs the pores. As a result, feet never make solid contact, so safety becomes an issue. TILE TIME deep cleans floors which raises the slip coefficient and brings back their luster. TILE TIME blasts through heavy grease from food service, tracked in petroleum-based soil, road salt stains, and brings grout back to its original color. TILE TIME can be safely used on ceramic tile, marble, quarry tile and wax and no wax vinyl floors. Unlike typical floor cleaners, TILE TIME works without heavy scrubbing. Now available in 2-ounce packets as well as gallon containers. Wake up your floor with TILE TIME.

Gorilla Everyday Pump Cleaner blasts through grease and road grime. With the pandemic increase in cleaning frequencies, it’s important to have a product that can be used multiple times daily without damaging fuel dispensers and EV Charging Stations. No worries! Use Gorilla Everyday Pump Cleaner as often as needed. Its “No Streak” formula is perfect for removing dirt and microorganisms from Pump Faces, Decals, and Video Screens.

Try Sunny Boy® Power Dish Spritz to clean pots, pans, and dishes. Simply Spritz, Wipe, and Rinse. Use as a pre-spray or as a replacement for Pot and Pan Soaking. A 2-ounce packet makes a quart of high-quality cleaner for under 50 cents. Sunny Boy® saves time and money.

Do you have a tough cleaning problem? We have a product to handle it.

Leaders in Convenience

BIC

A world leader in stationery, lighters and shavers, BIC brings simplicity and joy to everyday life. For more than 75 years, the Company has honored the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable, essential products to consumers everywhere. Today, BIC products are sold in more than 160 countries around the world and feature iconic brands such as BIC® EZ-Reach, Djeep®, BIC FlexTM, BodyMarkTM by BIC®, Cello®, Lucky® Stationery, Rocketbook®, Soleil®, Tipp-Ex®, Us.TM, Wite-Out®, InkboxTM and more. The Company is listed on “Euronext Paris,” is part of the SBF120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes and is recognized for its commitment to sustainable development and education.

Djeep lighters have been reigniting their presence in the US since July 2022 with a robust new distribution strategy and fresh product collections. Following an initial rollout in select convenience and e-commerce stores, Djeep will have expanded distribution within convenience as well as at major retailers in the months ahead.

that provide an appealing tactile quality. The large flat push-button provides comfort when igniting, while the triple tank technology boasts UP TO 3,500 LIGHTS.

BIC USA INC.

One

Djeep helps increase consumer reach, thanks to its distinctive, high-end offerings and loyal customer base. Since 1973, Djeep lighters have been unique in both form and function with their signature patented rectangular tank, distinctive contemporary designs, and embossed wraps

Djeep’s accelerated US growth is made possible by the manufacturing and marketing prowess of the BIC Corporation, which acquired the Djeep brand in 2020.

Since the July 2022 re-launch, Djeep sales have accelerated exponentially. Djeep is well positioned to continue to grow and will become a staple in all major chains in 2023. Don’t miss out on this growth opportunity! Make sure to stock up on Djeep and trade consumers up with this premium lighter that has UP TO 3,500 LIGHTS.

TO ORDER, VISIT NEWREQUEST.DJEEP.COM

Leaders in Convenience

Brakebush Chicken

Since 1925, Brakebush has been a U.S. family owned and operated company. Though we have facilities across the nation, we still operate out of Westfield, Wisconsin where the Brakebush brothers first began their venture of producing great chicken products.

Over the years, we’ve kept ourselves grounded in some important values: that food should always be a positive part of the day, that no one should ever have to question the quality or integrity of their food, that people and relationships will always be at the foundation of our business, and that doing the right thing makes good things happen.

WHEN CONVENIENCE STORE OPERATORS need to take the stress off their staff but still offer restaurantquality chicken, they look no further than Brakebush. Our team of chicken experts work hand-in-hand with c-store operators like you to help menu the easy-to-prepare, craveable chicken that brings back the crowds.

KEY FEATURES OF BRAKEBUSH CHICKEN:

• Alleviate food safety concerns with fully cooked chicken - heat from frozen to ready-to-serve in minutes

• Whether you want to just heat and serve or add your culinary touch, we have the chicken that leaves a lasting impression

• A wide variety of versatile chicken products to fill any hot or cold case

swicy-seeking customers by featuring hot honey and sweet chili flavors in easy-to-execute chicken applications like wings, sandwiches, and pizzas.

Healthy never goes out of style. And customers expect healthier options in their convenience store food choices as well. Adding chicken to a salad easily turns the ordinary into extraordinary. Take convenience up a notch by making them more portable and serving them in to-go cups.

Brakebush Chicken

800.933.2121 N4993 6th Drive Westfield, WI 53964

E: marketing@brakebush.com W: brakebush.com

STAYING ON-TREND

We’re also helping c-store operators stay up to date on the latest trends and chicken is a great medium to feature the trending flavors that customers enjoy. You can pair classic chicken items, like our boneless wings, chicken strips, and fillets, with new trends that arise.

Spicy flavors continue to grow in popularity. “Swicy,” or the combination of sweet and spicy, is a trend that’s predicted to permeate more menus this year. You can delight

A TEAM OF EXPERTS

Whether you’re serving made-toorder options or grab-and-go bites, a team of experts with over 95 years of experience is here to serve you. We are dedicated to making the chicken that customers come back for.

Good People. Great Chicken

Good People. Great Chicken

Leaders in Convenience

Brother Mobile Solutions

SMART MOBILE LABELING AND PRINT SOLUTIONS.

Brother Mobile Solutions offers a wide range of mobile and industrial printing and labeling solutions to improve performance and efficiency across your retail operation. With custom engineering, cutting-edge technology, and expert support, Brother delivers the latest labeling and printing technology and trusted, reliable designs for today’s fast-paced convenience and retail operation.

RETAIL-READY SOLUTIONS.

Brother delivers a complete line of mobile, desktop, barcode, and label printing solutions to manage inventory and boost sales.

These smart yet simple solutions enable fast, on-demand printing for:

• Product, shelf-edge, markdown, and pricing labels

• Omnichannel fulfillment and inventory management

• Custom labels, tags, and receipts

All this, right from the store aisle via your associates handhelds, tablets, or smartphones.

The potential results for retailers and convenience store operators?

• Faster transactions

• Less downtime

Brother Mobile Solutions

11030 Circle Point Road, Suite 100 Westminster, CO 80020

800.543.6144

https://brothermobilesolutions.com

• Faster turnover of goods

• More sales

Visit our retail blog to read case studies, whitepapers and reallife efficiency boosting scenarios. brothermobilesolutions.com/insights/retail

Cheyenne International

Cheyenne International is a full-line tobacco product manufacturer that creates valuable retail partnerships. Their high-quality cigarette, filtered cigar, moist smokeless and pipe tobacco brands are produced in North Carolina, the heart of American tobacco country. Cheyenne International prides itself on delivering profitable, marketleading products that meet the demands of adult consumers, and provide excellent OTP solutions for convenience retailers.

WITH OVER 20 years in business, Cheyenne International has grown and evolved from a small tobacco startup to a reputable manufacturer selling the #1 Filtered Cigar brand in America. Cheyenne’s continued commitment to retail customers is reflected in the four pillars of excellence from which the company operates: partnership, quality, compliance and success.

LEADER IN CIGARS

The filtered cigar category has been a steadfast OTP option for adult consumers for nearly two decades, and Cheyenne Cigars have been there every step of the way. As the OTP category has continued to grow and evolve, Cheyenne Cigars have consistently remained a top choice. While FDA’s PMTA process has forced other brands to exit the category, Cheyenne Cigars are a clear leader and here to stay. Not only does the brand hold the top 4 SKUs nationwide, it also accounts for a 30 share of the filtered cigar market. 4 out of 5 consumers are choosing Cheyenne Cigars when purchasing filtered cigars in store. Impressive numbers

that prove Cheyenne continues to be a market leader, never wavering on quality or taste.

LEADER IN SUPPORT

For a retailer, there are many challenges to tackle on a daily basis and business has changed rapidly. By providing unique programs that help stores gain the most from their valuable shelf space, Cheyenne makes it easy to do business. In addition to a seasoned sales force, Cheyenne also provides in-store merchandising and digital marketing support programs that go beyond the basics. By functioning as partners and collaborators, Cheyenne and retailers alike have made the Cheyenne Cigar brand a must-have in the OTP cigar category.

DIRECTV for BUSINESSSM is the Premium Entertainment Solution for National Businesses

As part of our DIRECTV National Accounts program, you will be provided with unparalleled service and benefits that include the following:

• Negotiated discounts on programming, equipment, and installation

• A single point-of-contact and 24/7/365 dedicated support

• Simplified and streamlined program management across all your locations, including consolidated billing

• Same great service and setup anywhere in the U.S. with our national footprint

• Best-in-class HD programming for a seamless customer experience

CONVENIENCE STORES HAVE recently become destinations where consumers can linger over food and beverages and enjoy an array of other amenities. To compete with quick-service and fast-casual restaurants, leading C-Store retailers are enhancing their ambiance to create the comfortable and engaging in-store experiences young consumers are demanding. Amenities such as TVs and WiFi are now being offered by convenience retailers, which can be a quick and easy way for operators to elevate the in-store experience and are especially important to younger customers.

According to a recent Technomic survey conducted on behalf of DIRECTV for BUSINESS, 33% of consumers said an in-store TV makes them stay longer, and the same percentage said having a TV would increase their satisfaction. Among millennials, 26% said they expect TVs in convenience stores, and 21% said they would visit convenience stores more often if TV programming was available.

Furthermore, the same survey showed that among conveniencestore retailers who currently offer TVs, 58% said it creates a welcoming environment for customers, and 52% said it encourages customers to stay longer and spend more.

DIRECTV for BUSINESS can be a valuable tool that helps to drive repeat business by creating a more pleasant dining experience. It can also help reduce perceived wait times for customers in the checkout line by keeping them engaged and taking their mind off the clock. Patrons can stay up to date on news of the day, keep tab on their favorite sports teams, or be entertained by a variety of popular programs.

DIRECTV m. 207.395.6539 jrgrandahl@directv.com

Leaders in Convenience

E-Alternative Solutions

(EAS)

Founded in 2014, E-Alternative Solutions (EAS) develops, markets, and distributes highquality, trustworthy alternative solutions in emerging industries. The EAS product portfolio includes Leap®, Forth™, and Mojo™. Our business pillars of understanding the marketplace, prioritizing customers’ needs, and providing reliable regulatory analysis have positioned us as a thoughtful respected retail partner.

IN 2018, EAS introduced Leap®, an innovative vapor brand which includes both rechargeable and disposable vapor devices. The podbased Leap rechargeable delivers an unmatched vaping experience for adult smokers seeking a satisfying alternative. The Leap Go® e-cigarette is an ideal disposable option. It comes ready to vape and is one of the best values on the market.

Visit LeapVapor.com to learn more.

IN 2019, EAS brought ingenuity to the growing CBD industry with ForthTM The brand features a comprehensive lineup of great-tasting Disposable Vape Pens derived from US-grown hemp and is 3rd party lab tested for quality, purity, and CBD concentration. ForthTM products were developed specifically for adult consumers seeking help with relaxation, recovery, and focus.

Visit ForthCBD.com to learn more.

IN 2023, EAS is launching MojoTM, the newest player in the energy and performance game. Mojo a new way to optimize the energy and focus that consumers already possess. It isn’t a “get-alljacked-up-on-sugar” energy drink, but an unobtrusive pouch with naturally-derived caffeine that is held between the gum and lip to help supercharge your day.

E-Alternative Solutions

459 E. 16th St. Jacksonville, FL 32206

EalternativeSolutions.com

Visit MojoPouches.com to learn more.

Regulatory challenges, sharpening consumer demand, and rapid growth are quickly shaping emerging, alternative industries. Our award-winning portfolio of products combined with our trade programs help you effectively maximize profitability and drive shoppers through your doors.

Fiorucci Foods, Inc.

Fiorucci is the brand of specialty meats that delivers the true taste of Italy. For over 170 years, we have used old-world recipes to produce a full line of authentic Italian deli meats, using only hand trimmed cuts of premium pork and the finest ingredients, then slowly aging them to perfection. Our portfolio includes a variety of pre-sliced and bulk meats including Prosciutto, Pancetta, Salami, Pepperoni, Sopressata, Jamón Serrano, Capicollo, Mortadella, Chorizo, and other specialties, including our bestselling Paninos line.

WITH A FOCUS ON TRADITION,

Fiorucci has been bolstering its product portfolio to include a wide range of classic charcuterie and exciting new, innovative offerings that are currently in the market. Consumers are clamoring for both convenience and quality, and Fiorucci’s new products deliver on both—combining premium, authentic flavors with on-thego functionality.

Originally introduced in 2011, Fiorucci Paninos created a whole new specialty snacking category. Every Panino is hand-rolled with dry-cured meats, such as Prosciutto, Pepperoni, Hard Salami, and Genoa Salami. Each Panino is filled with delicious, r-BST free cheese to provide a protein and calcium rich treat. Fiorucci Paninos meet the need for convenient, on-the-go, lowcarb, keto-friendly snacking, perfect for lunches, workouts, late-night cravings, and more! They also offer

As pioneers in the Italian snacking category, Fiorucci is introducing a new line of StickadosTM beginning in 2023. StickadosTM are single-serve, all-natural protein sticks made with Uncured Salami, Pepperoni, and Salami with Prosciutto, for a quick, convenient, shelf-stable offering in an easy-open package.

Consumers looking for larger, charcuterie-focused pack sizes can try Fiorucci’s full line of 100% Natural Charcuterie Slices in 6 oz. packs, offered in a variety of flavors. These premium meats are shelf-stable, drycured and aged with no antibiotics or hormones. They are essential to an instant charcuterie board, free from artificial flavors, colors, ingredients, preservatives, nitrates, and nitrites.

100% Natural Paninos that contain no artificial flavors, colors, ingredients, or preservatives and are free of added nitrates and nitrites, made from pork never administered antibiotics or hormones.

Leaders in Convenience

Haleon

A health company that puts people first, we exist to deliver better everyday health with humanity.

Billions of people have confidence in our world-class portfolio of brands designed to improve everyday health and wellbeing. But as well as delivering trusted products, we are committed to making everyday health better for people and better for the planet.

FOR HEALTH. WITH HUMANITY.

We are a world-leading company 100% focused on everyday health. Our leading brands are built on science, innovation and human understanding and are trusted by millions of consumers globally.

Haleon

184 Liberty Corner Rd Warren, New Jersey 07059 United States www.haleon.com

in

Hunt Brothers® Pizza

The Hunt Brothers® Pizza program was created specifically for convenience stores. With 30 years of experience serving the c-store industry, our branded pizza program is designed to make foodservice easy and profitable.

The program offers high quality, high margin products that take virtually no time to prepare. Most stores are able to handle our new program with existing employees and the program can be operated in as little as 59 square feet with flexible pizza shoppe and equipment options.

Hunt Brothers Pizza

AT HUNT BROTHERS® PIZZA, WE KNOW PIZZA.

With 7,800+ locations in 30 states, Hunt Brothers Pizza is a nationally recognized brand and the #1 brand in the c-store industry. Unlike many other branded foodservice programs, Hunt Brothers Pizza does not charge franchise, royalty or marketing fees.

As a NASCAR sponsor, Hunt Brothers Pizza provides its locations with free national branding to 75 million racing fans. In-store marketing is also provided at no cost, and it’s installed and refreshed by a dedicated Pizza Professional.

Our direct store delivery ensures pizza products are delivered on Hunt Brothers Pizza trucks. A dedicated Pizza Professional will rotate and restock inventory and refresh marketing each week. They will even prepare your order for you and confirm quantities before restocking.

Hunt Brothers Pizza offers a 12˝ original crust pizza, thin crust pizza, breakfast pizza, bone-in chicken wings, and boneless WingBites®. Our grab-and-go pizza option, Hunk A Pizza®, is one-quarter of a whole pizza that makes for a quick breakfast or lunch on the go. Our made-to-order whole pizza provides consumers who are looking to customize their pizza with a quick dinner option, providing all toppings at no extra charge.

To keep consumer interest high, Hunt Brothers Pizza offers several LTO (Limited Time Only) pizzas throughout the year. Fan favorites like Buffalo Chicken Pizza and Chicken Bacon Ranch keep customers coming back to your store.

Sales-Focused.

Discover more at Hussmann.com Contact a sales rep at 800.592.2060 or email insidesales@hussmann.com

Total Solutions Provider

Our goal is simple: help you drive the customer shopping experience and ultimately reach your sales potential. We’re with you every step of the way with solutions from in-store designs, to equipment selection, consolidation, installation and service. Hussmann’s commitment to innovation and our reputation for trusted solutions is evidenced by our diverse portfolio of merchandisers, cabinets and refrigeration systems. Achieving your goals while satisfying today’s shopper is easy with Hussmann.

Leaders in Convenience

J&J Snack Foods, Corp.

J&J Snack Foods Corp. (NASDAQ: JJSF) is a leader and innovator in the snack food and frozen beverage industry. For over fifty years, the company has specialized in delicious snacks and beverages for foodservice and retail segments, serving up fun across the U.S. market. J&J Snack Foods’ core brands include SUPERPRETZEL, the #1 soft pretzel brand, ICEE and SLUSH PUPPIE frozen beverages, and Dippin’ Dots, the original beaded ice cream. The company’s broad brand portfolio also includes LUIGI’S Real Italian Ice, MINUTE MAID* frozen ices, WHOLE FRUIT frozen fruit bars, DOGSTERS ice cream style treats for dogs, ¡Hola! Churros, THE FUNNEL CAKE FACTORY funnel cake fries, and several bakery brands including MARY B’S, DADDY RAY’S, COUNTRY HOME BAKERS, and HILL & VALLEY. Founded in 1971, J&J Snack Foods has achieved forty-eight years of consistent sales and financial growth, evolving into a billiondollar publicly traded company with seventeen manufacturing facilities and more than 4,200 employees across the country. For more information, please visit http://www.jjsnack.com.

*MINUTE MAID is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company

CONVENIENCE STORE OPERATORS

are looking for convenience and quality when it comes to great tasting snack foods. At J&J Snack Foods we have the answers to just those cravings – from delicious frozen beverages, artisan Soft Pretzel products, delightfully sweet churros of all shapes and sizes, and even classic frozen novelties, reinvented!

On an even sweeter note, we are thrilled to reveal our exciting new brand in the churro world--, ¡Hola! Churros™. Now, more than ever, U.S. consumers are looking for more fun into their lives and new, exotic global foods are bringing that sort of fun. As a leader in serving up fun, J&J Snack Foods is excited to present ¡Hola! Churros™ as our new master brand for a huge variety of delicious churro products. ¡Hola! Churros™ are easy to serve, authentically delicious, and ready to make your menus shine.

We understand that consumers are looking for convenient products at an affordable price, fit for their onthe-go lifestyles. We offer carefully crafted, easy-prep products that are loved by convenience shoppers, like a few of our latest introductions to the convenience channel:

Remember the feeling of that first sip of your favorite ICEE® beverage on the road or perhaps when you were about to enter the movie theater? Now, there is a brand-new way to enjoy the coldest and coolest drink in town! ICEE® lovers rejoice – the classic Cherry and Blue Raspberry flavors of ICEE® beverages are now available in a Sugar Cookie format! Individually wrapped and ready to go, ICEE® Sugar Cookies are perfect to enjoy anytime, anywhere! Since 1967, ICEE® has been a household name, forming its own category in the food and beverage market and becoming the No. 1 brand in frozen beverages. With ICEE®, anyone can relive their childhood and create new memories with the ones they love, especially with the NEW ICEE® Individually Wrapped Sugar Cookies!

Our goal at J&J Snack Foods is to provide our customers with offers that delight consumers and help their stores stand out among the rest as the go-to meal and snacking destination! We want to be your partner – whether that means working with you to get branded equipment or eye-catching point-ofsale materials, let us be your go-to for convenient solutions! You can expect continued innovation and customized solutions to our valued partners in 2023 and beyond!

#FunServedHere

**Dataessential, June 2022

Leaders in Convenience

Johnsonville

Johnsonville® is dedicated to the C-store operator’s success. No matter what store footprint, Johnsonville speaks the language and understands the issues operators face. As dedicated problem solvers, Johnsonville offers a complete line of products and programs designed to help the C-store business thrive.

Johnsonville employs approximately 3,000 members globally. Founded in 1945 by the late Ralph F. and Alice Stayer, the privately held company remains family owned today and is based in Wisconsin.

To learn more and see all Johnsonville C-store products, visit cstore.johnsonville.com.

Johnsonville

PO Box 906

Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085

P: 800.837.5391

W: cstore.johnsonville.com

Johnsonville® Offers

Cravable Options to Drive Your Roller Grill Sales

WITH A LEADING variety of premium sausages and hot dogs to help make your roller grill a success, Johnsonville is the perfect partner for your C-store ready-to-eat dining experience. 47% of roller grill customers want a variety of product and flavor options.* Johnsonville offers one of the most extensive, and trusted, lines of roller grill sausage products available for your stores–in a host of cravable flavors and styles that will keep your customers coming back for more.

KEY FEATURES OF Johnsonville Roller Grill Sausage;

• Highest Quality Pork

• Hand-sifted Herbs and Spices

• On-trend Flavors

• Grilled Flavor & Appearance (Ultimate Sausages)

We offer a wide selection of delicious sausage flavors to provide a great sales opportunity for any daypart. We have flavorful options to provide your hungry customers, from traditional hot dogs, skinless sausages, beer brats to Cajun-style sausage. No other sausage comes close to our fresh off-the-grill flavor. Johnsonville is constantly paying attention to emerging flavor trends as well, so you’ll have great sausage and hot dog options that your customers crave–from sweet and savory to hot and hearty!

Our Ultimate Sausages replicate the coarse texture in our dinner sausage and are specially formulated for superior roller grill performance. They bring that bold, premium flavor you can always expect from Johnsonville.

67% of consumers said items made by a national brand would make them more likely to purchase them at a C-store.** As America’s #1 sausage brand, Johnsonville is a name your customers already know and trust. Our products are the best in convenience and reliability: all are fully cooked and packaged to allow retailers to heat only what is needed, saving time and labor cost.

Whether you’d like help with merchandising to fit your store footprint, roller grill plan-o-grams, or ideas for seasonal promotions, just know that Johnsonville is here to help your business thrive. Our experienced C-store sales and marketing team is dedicated to our customers’ success.

To learn more, visit the Johnsonville C-Store product page at cstore.johnsonville.com

* IRI 1/3/21

** Technomic Proprietary Study, 2020.

Krispy Krunchy Foods

Established in 1989, Krispy Krunchy Chicken® is the fastest-growing premium c-store based quickservice restaurant (QSR) concept in the country with approximately 2,700 retail locations in 48 states. Krispy Krunchy® features Cajunstyle chicken, which is infused with Krispy Krunchy’s® proprietary marinade, and fried in zero transfat oil, along with signature sides and delicious honey butter biscuits. Krispy Krunchy Chicken® is always… Freshly Made. Perfectly Cajun. Krispy Krunchy Foods

KRISPY KRUNCHY CHICKEN® is one of the largest branded convenience store foodservice programs in the United States. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Louisiana, KKC partners with retail operators, primarily within convenience stores, to provide a branded QSR-style foodservice offering in a flexible format. The Krispy Krunchy® menu features proprietary Cajun fried chicken and an assortment of signature sides. Over its 33 year history, KKC has grown to serve customers in 48 states

KRISPY KRUNCHY FOODS, LLC has made strategic moves since partnering in 2021 with Main Post Partners, a leading private equity investment firm with deep experience partnering with iconic brands and multi-location foodservice platforms, such as Jimmy Johns and the Flynn Restaurant Group. The substantial opportunity to further unlock the brand’s potential and grow awareness of Krispy Krunchy’s craveable, convenient products is unlimited, so now is the time to partner with the fastest growing c-store foodservice concept in the country! For more information on partnering with Krispy Krunchy Chicken®, visit krispykrunchy. com/partnering or contact info@krispykrunchy.com.

Leaders in Convenience

Lindt & Sprüngli has been enchanting the world with chocolate for over 175 years. The traditional Swiss company with its roots in Zurich is a global leader in the premium chocolate sector.

Today, Lindt & Sprüngli produces quality chocolates at its 11 factories in Europe and the USA. With more than 13,500 employees, the Lindt & Sprüngli Group reported sales of over $4.0 Billion in 2020.

Lindt & Sprüngli (USA), Inc is headquartered in Stratham, NH, home to both the corporate team and US manufacturing.

Lindt – Premium Chocolate, Exceptional Taste

LINDT MANUFACTURES A broad portfolio of premium chocolate brands including LINDOR, EXCELLENCE, CLASSIC RECIPE and GOLD BUNNY. Lindt chocolate embodies the passion and expert craftsmanship of Lindt Master Chocolatiers for a luscious and rewarding chocolate experience.

Experience the ultimate chocolate indulgence with irresistibly smooth Lindt LINDOR Chocolate Truffles. Whether celebrating with colleagues, relaxing with family or savoring time to yourself, these fine Lindt LINDOR Truffles are an elegant accompaniment to all of life’s little moments. Available in variety of flavors. Made to Melt You. Anytime. Anywhere.

Indulge in the smooth, creamy taste of our NEW Lindt CLASSIC RECIPE Whole Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Bar. Expertly crafted with whole hazelnuts, toasted to perfection, surrounded by smooth hazelnut creme and enrobed with exceptionally creamy milk chocolate. Made with the finest ingredients, this hazelnut chocolate stick is a great snack for any chocolate lover. Available in an 18 ct PDQ and 36ct counter unit/ wing display.

Lindt & Sprüngli (USA), Inc.

One Fine Chocolate Place Stratham, NH 03885

www.lindt.com

We Enchant the World with Chocolate

The Lindt LINDOR Chocolate Truffle Bar is perfect as a midday treat, special indulgence for yourself or a gift for someone special. Inspired by Lindt LINDOR chocolate truffles, this chocolate bar features a smooth, melting center guaranteed to melt the heart of every chocolate connoisseur. Available in Milk and Caramel varieties.

Lindt USA is committed to offering our portfolio of products to the convenience channel across the US via direct shipment to warehouse or through our partner distributors.

Leaders in Convenience

LK Packaging

A company of bright and dedicated professionals, LK® Packaging provides stock and custom solutions through an efficient supply chain, including the right films, bags, containers and more, all designed for discerning buyers, merchandisers and category managers who serve food processing, food retail and food service businesses. Since 1968, LK has partnered with distributors and end users from its offices and distribution centers in eight major-market locations across the United States.

LK

RIGHT PACKAGING, RIGHT PROFITS

The evolving role of packaging has gone well beyond serving traditional needs. Finding the right packaging to address modern demands for food prep, convenience, and overall versatility can be daunting. A reliable supplier is good to have on speed dial. And a reliable resource for packaging that can actually help you grow business is not as hard to find as you might imagine.

At LK® Packaging, we understand that outstanding product innovation only matters if it bolsters efficiency and boosts revenue. That’s why the people at LK analyze every potential impact the right products can have on a business before building a partnership and offering a tailored packaging program – becoming a reliable resource for performance packaging.

PERFORMANCE PACKAGING

Much more than the bin liners and zipper bags in the back of house, which LK also has on hand and in abundance, the consumer-facing food packaging is a tangible component of an operator’s service. Bags and containers that present your products in an attractive way begin making connections and delivering important messages about a brand’s relationship with its consumers from the moment they’re put in the case filled with product. That initial attraction is only the beginning, because while packaging carries a great story, consumers carry that story home. In fact, the packaging, combined with the perfect food product, is crucial to compelling a customer’s return.

Foods packed to meet the demands of consumers and businesses in food retail and food service environments must be optimized under some core principles of packaging performance, including protection, preservation, presentation and practicality. It takes real experts to create new, more efficient ways to put packaging to work, and help keep stores earning and customers returning.

ACCESSIBLE INNOVATION

Offering both made-in-store or commissary packaging solutions, including bags, films, containers and more, LK can help you establish a program for a steady supply of manual or machine-ready packaging solutions. LK’s outstanding solutions can help make you a stand-out, through packaging technology that gives you new abilities, like easy heat-seal production, high-speed wrapping, anti-microbial materials, extended shelf life, tamper-evident closures, sustainability, versatility, portability and always marketability.

Ask your supplier for LK Packaging.

Leaders in Convenience

EVEN WITH THE AVAILABILITY of alternative forms of payment, convenience stores are still predominately cash-run businesses, with cash accounting for 60 percent of purchases. But having large amounts of cash on hand leaves businesses vulnerable to risks such as internal and external loss or theft. Additionally, outdated and manual cash handling processes are timeconsuming and financially draining.

Loomis U.S.

Loomis is a global leader in cutting-edge cash management products and solutions. Our business is built on trust and integrity, and our vision is to continually expand our offerings to find the right solutions for our retail customers so that they can cut costs, improve efficiency, boost profitability, and protect their cash.

Fortunately, there’s SafePoint by Loomis—a complete cash management ecosystem that helps convenience stores streamline cash processes, increase security, and save money.

SafePoint combines cutting-edge smart safe and cash recycler technology, dedicated IT support, system monitoring, armored transport, and customer service to address every cash management need with ease.

The SafePoint Titan family of smart safes are the most advanced and secure on the market and are built to accommodate the needs of any size business. Features like remote support, a user-friendly interface, and built-in tutorials make for seamless integration in a store environment, and minimal downtime for training.

The Titan R line of cash recyclers introduce a new wave of benefits for retail customers, allowing them to automate nearly all steps in their cashhandling processes. Gone are the days of spending hours in the cash room—with the Titan R, employees can spend more valuable time on the sales floor assisting customers. And with sizes ranging from under-counter options to large-scale options for large retail operations, the Titan R line is designed to suit businesses of any size, helping them maximize their ROI while closing the loop in their cash management process.

“The great thing about the SafePoint product line is that we’re truly able to offer our clients the right solution for any business situation,” says Lenny Evansek, senior vice president of national retail development for Loomis. “From lowvalue and low-risk cash environments to those that need complete in-store automation around deposits and change order management—there are more than 60 different options available that can be used together with one common interface and platform.”

SafePoint customers also have total access to their cash data with Loomis Direct. This online customer portal features equipment management capabilities and provides complete visibility of and near-real-time access to account information, cash reporting, and tracking information, from pickup to delivery.

In addition to complete visibility, SafePoint customers also benefit from PlatformSync. PlatformSync is an API platform that is a direct link between the SafePoint smart safe or cash recycler and the convenience store’s back office departments. It records raw information from each safe, and then reports the store’s cash situation back to the brand in near-real time, along with other information, such as cash drops, courier events, coins and bills dispensed, and door events. Convenience stores then have the flexibility to feed that information to any reporting system they choose for easy access to analytics, reconciliation, and cash discrepancy resolution.

Finally, when customers choose SafePoint, they gain access to Loomis’ industry expertise and cash management services portfolio, which includes secure armored transport, hundreds of provisional banking partnerships, and a dedicated national customer support team.

“SafePoint is a technology-driven one-stop shop for our customers, and we strive to provide service that’s second to none,” says Moises Gonzalez, vice president of product development for SafePoint by Loomis. “It’s about becoming a partner for our customers and letting them know that we will always go above and beyond.”

National Retail Solutions (NRS)

National Retail Solutions (NRS) is a leading USA provider of point of sale and credit card processing for independent gas stations and c-stores. NRS Petro (nrspetro. com) offers a unique, affordable program for gas stations; a gas pump-integrated POS system plus mess-free, no-renovations-required EMV-compliance to protect pumps from fraud, and NRS Pay credit card processing for the best payment acceptance value. The NRS Petro POS system also integrates with a money-saving EBT Unlimited! program (nrsebt.com) and eWIC (nrsewic.com). Through NRS Funding, a gas station owner can quickly and easily secure $2,500$500K+ cash advance to purchase a new POS, upgrade pumps for EMV, stock inventory or other uses.

National Retail Solutions (NRS)

520 BROAD STREET Newark, New Jersey 07102 (888) 260-0112 www.nrspetro.com

NRS OPERATES A NATIONAL POINT OF SALE (POS) network plus NRS Pay credit card processing for small and midsize independent retailers. Its NRS Petro program offers a pump-integrated POS that’s custom built for gas stations and c-stores, with durable hardware and powerful, user-friendly merchant software. It offers a total checkout POS and Pump-EMV-Compliance ecosystem for service stations, with sales, inventory and users tracking, remote management via app & web, its 1-touch Boss Revolution® portal, and a free, built-in customer loyalty program. Optional Premium add-ons include Tobacco Scan Data, ID License Scanning, e-Commerce, Loyalty, Unlimited EBT, Employee Time Clock, Advanced Data, NRS’ patented POS Panic Alarm Button and more. NRS is a subsidiary of IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT).

Leaders in Convenience

Perfetti Van Melle

IMAGINATION, TASTE & PASSION

Perfetti Van Melle is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and marketers of confectionery and chewing gum.

We’re always innovating and creating imaginative products and brands that are enjoyed in more than 150 countries around the world.

In the U.S., Perfetti Van Melle operates out of Erlanger, KY, where we proudly manufacture Airheads Bars and Airheads Xtremes Belts and Bites. We also package and distribute Mentos Gum and distribute Mentos Mints, Fruit-tella Soft Gummies and Chupa Chups.

IN 2021, PERFETTI Van Melle USA, Inc. took over U.S. distribution and marketing of the company’s fun, colorful and flavorful Chupa Chups Lollipops that already enjoy tremendous popularity around the globe. As the second largest Lollipop brand globally, Chupa Chups is excited to offer U.S. retailers new pack formats and most-loved flavors, including Cremosa Creamy Strawberry and Choco-Vanilla and fruit favorites like strawberry, orange, watermelon and more.

In addition to the delicious unique flavors, each Chupa Chups lollipop is like a piece of artwork, with its premium experience in wrapper design and shape. Many people already recognize the bright and happy Chupa Chups flower pattern package graphics, based on the iconic logo designed by famous Spanish artist Salvador Dalí.

In a short time, the Chupa Chups brand already ranks #8 among Total Lollipops on Amazon.com and is fastgrowing in the U.S. Lollipops segment of the Non-Chocolate Candy category2 The U.S. is the top Lollipop market worldwide at 37% of total market value3

We’re already seeing success with new retail customers listing Chupa Chups products, which is a testament to Chupa Chups’ rich heritage and truly global awareness. We’re happy to bring Chupa Chups lollipops to new consumers and have them fall in love with the taste and quality.

Chupa Chups are available now in the U.S. in a variety of formats including 25pc lay down bags with 2 great flavor assortments, a stand up bag featuring 240 mini Chupa Chups, and a 60pc drum display with an assortment of 5 of Chupa Chups ‘best of’ flavors. Consumers can find Chupa Chups, as well as other Perfetti Van Melle USA brands, on Amazon.com, select Walmart locations, regional retailers and convenience stores.

www.perfettivanmelleus.com

Perfetti Van Melle

Premier Manufacturing, Inc.

Premier Manufacturing, Inc. distributes national brands such as 1839®, Wildhorse®, Traffic® and Ace®. Premier brands are manufactured in North Carolina.

All of Premier’s products: cigarettes, pipe/RYO tobacco and cigarette tubes provide the adult age consumer with a high quality tobacco product at the very best value; plus they are guaranteed 100%.

BRANDS BUILT ON INTEGRITY

We produce only quality cigarettes without the high price. All of our cigarettes are made in the USA. The main tobacco in our blend is premium U.S. flue-cured tobacco grown in the southeastern region of the country by the growers/owners of U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, our parent company.

With cigarettes being our core product line, we work hard every day to produce products and brands with the finest tobacco for the adult consumer.

A Cut Above the Rest

Premier products use only top-end tobacco blends. The finest fluecured tobacco in the world.

• All U.S. grown

• Environmentally sustainable

• Compliant with every regulation

The best blend among competitors

• Highest concentration of flue-cured tobacco

• Vibrant color

• Blends provide exceptional aroma and flavor experience

Manufactured on industry-leading equipment

• Laser perforation

• Inked code dating

• Latest high-tech advancements

The rich, bold flavor of 1839

1839® carries a full line of tobacco products such as premium quality cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigarette tubes, and our 1839® Roll-Your-Own tobacco products. All 1839® product lines are made from the finest U.S. tobacco.

A customer favorite – now available in enticing new packaging.

Premier Manufacturing offers other brands such as Shield®, Manitou®, Ultra Buy®, 1st Class® and Belmore® cigars. More information on the company is available at GoPremier.com.

Leaders in Convenience

PriceVision, Inc.

PriceVision, Inc. is a leading LED price sign technology specialist with the primary focus of addressing the requirements of the Petroleum Retail and Convenience Store industries. With operations located in Carrollton, Texas, PriceVision has been an industry leader in LED price signs for over 20 years. Recognized for originating change in both technology and the market structure of fuel price signs and control systems, innovation is our way of life! PriceVision was the FIRST to introduce LED price signs to the fuel retail industry and will continue to deliver industry leading solutions using the most advanced technology to meet present and future requirements.

PRICEVISION’S NEXT GENERATION

LED fuel price signs takes digital fuel price signage to the next level. Designed to light up your bottom line, these systems will give you peace of mind and provide the best overall value for now and well into the future. Featuring the industry’s most advanced SMD technology and design standards, PriceVision systems are literally Smarter, technically Brighter, and economically Better.

PRICEVISION SMART DIGITS®

PriceVision Smart Digits® set the highest standard for performance and durability. The smart digits’ brilliance extends beyond their luminescence. Each digit operates independently and is equipped with built-in intelligence to verify the performance of each one of its LEDs. PriceVision Smart Digits® incorporate impactful high-definition digit fonts approved by all major fuel brands.

EASE OF INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIVITY

The PriceVision Integrated Plug-andPlay Smart Port® hub simplifies sign installations and support. The smart port enables intuitive, faster, easier installation and more reliable operation. PriceVision offers signage mounting solutions to match every sign type and image requirement.

EXTENSIVE END-TO-END FUEL PRICING MANAGEMENT

PriceVision is the leader in Centralized Fuel Pricing Management. PV Fuel Pricing is a subscription-based Mobile/Desktop application which allows Fuel Pricing Managers and Operators to remotely push prices and confirm the integrity of the Fuel Pricing System from POS to Price Signs and Dispensers. PV Fuel Pricing is the latest generation of SMART technology developed by PriceVision.

SMART REMOTE MONITORING AND SUPPORT

PriceVision’s remote price sign monitoring and diagnostics ensure your price signs are always fully functional. If needed,assessment for corrective service is performed remotely minimizing travel and site visits. PriceVision’s real-time site information offers the ultimate control solution for centralized fuel pricing operations.

RESPONSIVE SERVICE AND SUPPORT

Our products are backed up with a fast and efficient, customer-oriented help desk and technical support team. We offer 24/7 support and next day parts availability. We offer warranty coverage up to 5 years for parts and field labor.

DOMESTIC PRODUCTION, FAST AND FLEXIBLE DELIVERY

PriceVision products are proudly produced in the USA. We offer fast and efficient product delivery to meet your timeline requirements.

SEE PRICEVISION FOR YOURSELF

Contact us today to learn more about how PriceVision’s advanced price displays and management systems can take your convenience store or fuel retailing operations to the next level.

PRICEVISION SMART LED PRICE SIGN SYSTEM

Leaders in Convenience

ProAmpac

ProAmpac, a leading global flexible pacakging company, offers a comprehensive product portfolio, providing creative packaging solutions, industry-leading customer service and award-winning innovation to a diverse global marketplace. ProAmpac’s approach to sustainability – ProActive Sustainability® –provides innovative sustainable flexible packaging products to help our customers achieve their sustainability goals. Visit ProAmpac.com to learn more.

ProAmpac

www.ProAmpac.com

CONVENIENCE STORES OFFER

consumers a wide range of convenient fresh food options that are easy to grab and enjoy on the go. However, consumers are looking for package options that keep food fresh, and are easy to eat from, heat, and carry. In addition, packaging sustainability is becoming a critical buying criterion.

To keep in pace with consumer demand for convenience and sustainability, c-stores should offer packaging options that enhance the consumer eating experience, extend product shelf-life, and are easily recyclable.

Filling the market gap for convenient, product-elevating and sustainable packaging are ProAmpac’s RAP packaging products, fiber-based fresh food to-go packaging solutions.

EASY TO USE

The hallmark of fresh food to-go should be easy-to-use packaging. ProAmpac’s RAP packaging allows consumers to easily open, handle, and enjoy without the mess. The HandRap™ offerings for hot and cold foods allow consumers to open the package while using the carton board sleeve to hold the product, protecting hands from hot food and reducing risk of getting food onto clothes. Next the RapTray™ includes an easy open solution and offers a neat food container for consumers. In addition to being easy-to-use, ProAmpac’s RAP solutions

maintain freshness while also making a strong brand statement on shelves. The ability to direct print on packaging helps to create a cohesive product presentation and reduces the need for additional labels or branding sleeves.

MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE (MAP) TECHNOLOGY

ProAmpac’s fiber-based MAP packaging products extend the shelflife of fresh food for up to 28 days (subject to trial) and are available in trays and sandwich wedge formats. These packaging options have a unique and sleek aesthetic and are highly customizable. ProAmpac’s MAP packaging products are suitable for upstream production as they can go from being packed at the manufacture, to point of sale, and served to the consumer in one piece of packaging.

WIDELY RECYCLABLE IN CURBSIDE PAPER STREAMS

Each product in ProAmpac’s RAP packaging portfolio strives to use renewable and recyclable resources and minimize the packaging materials used in production. By weight, the largest component of ProAmpac’s RAP packaging products is fiber sourced from certified well-managed forests. By combining packaging performance with sustainable innovation, ProAmpac’s RAP packaging products help retailers offer consumers convenient and recyclable solutions that reduce food and packaging waste.

Learn more about ProAmpac’s RAP packaging line at proampac.com/ freshfood-to-go/ or contact us at marketing@proampac.com.

Roman Health

ROMAN SWIPES

Made with a clinically proven numbing ingredient, Roman Swipes are discreet, condom-sized wipes formulated to help you last longer in bed. The 4% benzocaine in Roman Swipes reduces overstimulation without eliminating sensation altogether, improving your endurance. They’re fast-acting – simply apply the wipe to your most sensitive parts, wait five minutes and you’re ready to go (your partner will enjoy them too!) Research even shows that using Roman Swipes regularly for just two months can increase how long you last in bed by up to 340%!

ROMAN CONDOMS

Made with premium 100% natural rubber latex, Roman Condoms are produced by the world’s largest condom manufacturer and electronically tested for safety and reliability. Roman Condoms are FDA-cleared and designed to be ultra-thin, lubricated for pleasure, non-spermicidal, and paraben-free.

AVAILABILITY AND PACKAGING

ROMAN SWIPES –

Roman products are available in most national & regional wholesalers with full support from the Roman Team & Strategy & Execution Inc. All products are display ready in caddies, peggable, and Roman racks are available filled with all three SKU’s or empty racks to fill your custom needs!

Roman Swipes & Condoms –

• Caddy: 6 units per caddy on all sku’s

• Master: 4 caddies per master case

Roman Rack Filled –Swipe (2 pack) caddy, Swipe (5 pack) caddy, and Condom (3 pack) in Roman branded store display

Please Contact for more information:

• Strategy & Execution IncBryon Evans

• bryon@bryonevans.com or 937-813-2770

Roman was built to improve the lives of men and their partners by making high-quality care accessible and convenient. Beyond Roman, Ro is committed to helping everyone achieve their health goals.

Ro offers personalized treatment for a number of other conditions including hair loss, skincare, weight management and more. Visit ro.co to learn more.

Leaders in Convenience

Rudolph Foods

For nearly 70 years, Rudolph Foods’ commitment to excellence has been passed from generation to generation. In 1955, John Rudolph learned of an untapped market for pork rinds and the Ohio entrepreneur quickly launched his own company producing pork rinds from smoked bacon rinds.

Two years later the company would face its first big challenge, the meat industry no longer smoked the rind on the bacon. Under pressure to save their fledgling business, John’s wife, Mary, put her home economics background to work and invented a revolutionary process the company still uses today.

Today, family is still at the heart of what we do. Led by sons Jim and Rich Rudolph, our dedication and passion continues to fuel our success, helping us to become a leader in the snack food industry. It’s true … Throughout the years, one thing remains the same… Mary’s secret recipe, which is why we can say, “Nobody makes better tasting pork rinds!™

With a vertically integrated organization that focuses on customer service and superior quality, Rudolph Foods has brought the world’s best tasting pork rinds to snackers nationwide since 1955. Focusing on what our partners and today’s consumers need has driven us from day one. We’ve perfected the pork rind and revolutionized it for shoppers everywhere. Looking for a classic snack that gives them crunch and savory, bacon-y flavor in each bite? How about a snack with unexpected gourmet flavor and 7g of collagen per serving?

Two brands cover your snackers’ needs:

Southern Recipe Small Batch has taken pork rinds to another level. Cooked with sunflower oil, this high protein, low carb pork rind snack featuring unique flavors like Pineapple and Ancho Chile, Korean BBQ, Spicy Dill, Pasilla Chili Cheese, and Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper! It’s a different kind of rind!

Meanwhile, Rudolph’s is our classic pork rind and continues to highlight our commitment to excellence. Rudolph’s offers pork rinds in iconic flavors that shoppers seek such as Original, Hot & Spicy, Bold & Spicy BBQ and Salt & Vinegar. These recipes have been passed from generation to generation and have remained the family’s namesake brand of pork rinds for nearly 70 years!

Today’s shopper is looking for a snacking experience that serves their unique cravings. Have you stocked your shelves with the brands that make them feel heard? Whether you’re catering to the classic pork rind shopper or the pork rind shopper who’s just stepped onto the scene, Rudolph Foods and Southern Recipe Small Batch can speak to them directly.

S. Abraham & Sons, Inc.

S. Abraham & Sons, Inc., together with its parent company, Imperial Trading Company is a full-line distributor serving the grocery, tobacco, candy, general merchandise, and food service needs of convenience retailers in twenty-one states spanning from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canada border. Quality, Value and Service are the basic principles which have helped SAS attain its leadership position in the distribution industry. We continue to build upon these principles to help our customers achieve success. As a full-service supplier, our energies are directed to providing each retailer with the tools to build a flourishing and profitable business.

S. Abraham & Sons, Inc. 4001 Three Mile Rd NW Grand Rapids, MI 49501 P: 800.477.5455 W: www.sasinc.com PO Box 1768 Grand Rapids, MI 49501-1768 P: 800-477-5455

SOLUTIONS TO THE CONSOLIDATION OF VENDORS

We have many programs and over 12,000 products that can be utilized to eliminate many DSD vendors, saving time and money.

SOLUTIONS TO FRESH, QUALITY PRODUCTS

We offer several new and innovative programs that provide a variety of fresh food products.

SOLUTIONS TO MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS

With numerous tools available, we give the retailer the opportunity to buy, sell, promote, and profit in every market, every day, for every season.

SOLUTIONS TO TECHNOLOGY

Our customers have the opportunity to utilize an ordering app that can be downloaded on a tablet or cell phone. This allows the retailer the ability to efficiently order, track purchase history, view available promotions, electronically check-in invoices, and access a web portal to gather key store data, enabling the retailer to increase productivity and profitability. Our Customer Portal provides online access to invoice document retrieval, retail price changes, item maintenance and general communications. Planogram services in conjuntion with space planning and space-to-sales analysis ensures the right products, in the right place, at the right time.

Leaders in Convenience

Smokey Mountain Chew, Inc.

Smokey Mountain Chew, Inc. (SMKY MTN) has developed and marketed premium tobacco-free products to assist adult tobacco consumers who are looking for tobacco-free alternatives. Our brand is America’s Original and Best-Selling TobaccoFree Smokeless and has garnered multiple industry awards. We are proud to be considered the market leader and innovator in this fast-growing tobacco-free category, and we are thankful for our distributor and retail partners who provide us the space to bring “Better for You” and “Community Friendly” tobacco-free alternatives to consumers.

SMKY MTN is closing out another outstanding year and we are excited to share some exciting news for 2023. As expected, our Wintergreen and Mint continue to satisfy more consumers, and our NEW Pouches, released earlier this year, are quickly climbing the top-sellers list. With the growth and popularity in the pouch segment, we will continue our mission to provide adult consumers with alternative products by launching two more flavors in the first two quarters of 2023. Doing so will align us, and our wholesale/retail partners, to capitalize on the ever-growing tobacco/nicotine-free pouch segment.

In addition to the expanded pouch line, SMKY MTN’s eight snuff flavors: Wintergreen, Classic, Straight, Arctic Mint, Cherry, Peach, Citrus, and Grape continue to be the products of choice for smokeless tobacco consumers who have reached their “it’s time to get off smokeless tobacco” stage. SMKY MTN’s flavor, cut, look, and mouthfeel emulate smokeless tobacco products, so they are extremely helpful fulfilling the “habitual” dipping sensation. Made with food-grade ingredients in an FDA inspected facility, all Long Cut and Pouch items are the perfect alternative dips.

Smokey Mountain Chew, Inc.

Ph: 800.762.2439 Fax: 651.462.4118 www.smokeysnu .com

Our Pouches expansion and continued distribution of existing items will have tremendous marketing support. SMKY MTN provides the strongest advertising support of any tobacco-free smokeless brand. We have a national television campaign on Discovery, Outdoor, and the Sportsman Channel, featuring our partnership with Major League Fishing and our pro Josh Bertrand. We also partner with Major League Bow Hunters, starring Hall-of-Fame baseball star Chipper Jones (pictured) and former MLB pitcher Matt Duff. We also continue to proudly partner with Hall of Fame football legend Randy White, who has been a Smokey Mountain spokesman for more than 20 years.

Energize your profits with SMKY MTN Long Cuts and Pouches that deliver long-lasting great taste and are backed by our always fresh guarantee. For more information contact Adam Carr: acarr@smokeyusa.com

Leaders in Convenience

Southern Champion

BuzzBallz, LLC/Southern Champion is a woman-owned and family-operated distillery, winery and brewery in the state of Texas, which was founded in 2009 as the result of Merrilee Kick’s master’s degree thesis project. Since its inception, BuzzBallz, LLC/Southern Champion has greatly expanded its product base and begun to grow into a worldwide brand. As the only joint distillery, winery and brewery in the US that is woman owned, this company has gained significant recognition, boasting distribution nationwide and dozens of awards. The company’s mission is to create fun and innovative premixed cocktails for the world, made with high-quality ingredients.

Since its inception in 2009, the BuzzBallz brand has experienced incredible growth and is ranked as the number one selling, singleserve cocktail brand in the USA*. These ready-to-drink cocktails are tailor-made for convenience and available in both spirit-based (200mL) and winebased (187mL) format. Crafted with real fruit juices and creams with over a dozen flavors, the 15% alcohol by volume cocktails are glutenfree, kosher certified, and contain no high fructose corn syrup.

*Nielsen, TTL US Conv, TTL Combined Liq, TTL xAOC, Segment Wine + Spirit RTD (187 + 200ml) 52 weeks ending in 8/13/2022

UPTOWN COCKTAILS

Uptown Cocktails are a vibrant and sophisticated blend of wine and premium ingredients. Available in 1.5L, 750mL, and 355mL sizes, these ready-to-serve cocktails are expertly mixed at 13.9% alcohol by volume and are gluten-free, kosher certified, and contain no high fructose corn syrup. Flavors include Piña Colada, Chocolatini, Blue Hawaiian, Caribbean Punch, Margarita, Mango Margarita, Strawberry Margarita, and Lemon Tea.

Leaders in Convenience

SPC Retail

For over forty years, SPC Retail has been designing specialty fixtures made from post-consumer recycled plastic. Our team has a collaborative attitude and an energetic process that allows us to work side by side with clients to find a longlasting, practical solution with superb value. Just as we rejuvenate old materials to make our displays, we’ll help you refresh and optimize your store’s layout and merchandising strategy.

AN SPC RETAIL DISPLAY is modular in design yet durable in structure. With features such as no-tool assembly, weather-resistant material, lightweight design, and graphic integration options, our fixtures will help retailers quickly achieve their merchandising goals. Featuring various configurations and sizes, we have display solutions for indoor and outdoor merchandising.

OUTDOOR MERCHANDISING

will capture attention from the second your customers walk in the door. Our small-footprint display solutions will fit into small spaces to organize and lift products off the ground.

LAYOUT & DESIGN SERVICE

SPC Retail

3401 Chief Drive Holly, MI 48442

P: 800-523-6899 F: 810-953-9440

E: zclements@spc-retail.com W: spc-retail.com

With merchandising space in-store becoming overrun with more products than can be displayed, retailers need to expand the sales floor by implementing an elevated outdoor merchandising strategy. By keeping products front and center, you can capture the outdoor audience and pull them inside for more add-on sales. From small merchandise to bulk items, our versatile line of outdoor displays will allow you to organize and transform your selling space without sacrificing style. Choose from our platform, multi-tier, and mobile display configurations for maximum merchandising space, open sightlines, and product showcases.

INDOOR MERCHANDISING

When it comes to an interior merchandising strategy, an effective store layout and product organization is imperative. SPC Retail offers compact and brandable displays that

When you work with SPC Retail, you’re our top priority. From the moment you contact us to the delivery of your new display, our team will make you and your store the center of our attention. We understand that your retail display goals are specific and important. To meet those goals, we’ll collaborate with you to tailor our solutions to your needs. We’ll provide layout and design recommendations, narrowing in on our most valuable display recommendations that will work in your space to create a wonderful experience for your customers.

Leaders in Convenience

Sunny Sky Products

Beverage Solution Provider

Sunny Sky Products is a Beverage Solution Provider for the convenience store and foodservice industries offering an extensive portfolio of licensed and in-house brands with the ability to create custom solutions for made-to-order and private label.

SUNNY SKY PRODUCTS is a leading manufacturer of dispensed beverage solutions, specializing in liquid and powder concentrates for hot, cold, frozen, and beverage enhancer products. We measure our success by the success of our customers, which is why we pride ourselves on our commitment and dedication to creating, manufacturing, and delivering top quality products and customer service.

EASY-TO-EXECUTE SOLUTIONS

Sunny Sky Products produces a wide variety of on-trend, high-appeal and easy-to-execute solutions offered as core “everyday” products as well as seasonal LTOs. The Company’s products include: cappuccinos, hot chocolates, specialty coffee, fountain drinks, slushies, mixers, smoothies, frappes, energy drinks, juices, teas, sweeteners, and beverage enhancers.

CUSTOM BEVERAGE SOLUTIONS

In addition to the Company’s core product offering, Sunny Sky can develop custom private label

solutions that meet the strategic needs of our customers, creating long-term trust and mutual benefits. We have the unique ability to go from concept to finished product in as little as 6 weeks and are renowned for our attention to service and proactive approach to increasing our customers’ sales. Our marketing team is here to help ensure the success of your beverage program by providing market research, consumer insights, machine graphics and in-store POS.

THE COMPANY’S BEST-IN-CLASS production facilities are fully certified and excel at plant audits, providing manufacturing solutions you can trust. We produce and package machineagnostic beverage products with broad compatibility across equipment types to provide flexible solutions to our customers. Our extensive product portfolio is distributed domestically and internationally across five continents and over twenty countries.

On-the-go flavor.

Texas Pete ® is taking its flavor on the road with convenient, easyto-enjoy portion control packets! Whether it’s a Texas Pete ® dip cup or sauce packet, your customers will be able to enjoy bold flavor for a better on-the-go dining experience—anywhere, at any time.

BOHA! TransAct Technologies

With c-stores migrating from “cokes, smokes, and gas” to fresh food, new challenges pop up. Like how to keep food fresh and safe, and how to make sure your fresh-food labels are FDA-compliant. We understand. We support you. We’re here to help.

TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUR FRESH FOOD PROGRAM

The BOHA! platform digitizes timeconsuming, error-prone c-store tasks and delivers real-time operational visibility—making every location’s grab ‘n go processes efficient, compliant, and consistent. Learn about how our cloud-based system can help with FDA-compliant labeling, temp taking, equipment monitoring, and task management.

ON-DEMAND FDA-COMPLIANT LABELS

Grab ‘N Go meals are surging in popularity – and driving serious revenue growth. BOHA! Labeling ensures you display all the proper ingredients, nutritional details, allergen disclosures, date codes, and prices. Customize your labels for eye-grabbing merchandising impact while adhering to FDA standards.

FOOD TEMPERATURE TAKING & EQUIPMENT MONITORING

Avoid pencil-whipped temp logs and costly food waste with BOHA!’s Temp and Sense. If temps or equipment go out of range, your staff will be instantly alerted with corrective actions helping to put a stop to food safety and compliance issues before they start. And even better, all HACCPcompliant logs are digitally stored in the cloud and easily retrieved anytime, anywhere.

ENHANCED TASK MANAGEMENT

BOHA! Checklist digitizes the management of daily and routine food safety and operational tasks, as well as regular maintenance and audit procedures. Use it to view, assign, perform and record tasks, from opening and closing procedures to preventive maintenance and food safety checks. Easily pinpoint what locations are performing well and what stores are having challenges.

Leaders in Convenience

Wenzel’s Farm, LLC

Wenzel’s Farm, a Castleray company, located in Marshfield, Wisconsin is a premium provider of high quality, hand crafted, small batch meat snacks, and products. Tucked away in the heart of Dairyland and still operating on the original farmland, Wenzel’s brought the craft of sausage making from Germany to Wisconsin more than 100 years ago. With dozens of highly prestigious awards, Wenzel’s takes great pride in crafting some of the finest, naturally hardwood smoked meat products available.

WENZEL’S FARM, the award-winning premium provider of high quality, hand crafted, small batch meat snacks and products continues to see record growth. To support this growth, they substantially increased their warehouse and production space by over 40% this past year.

Wenzel’s Farm, LLC

500 E 29th Streeet Marshfield, WI 54449

P: 800.336.6328 www.wenzelsfarm.com

In addition to expanding their facilities, the “Real Meat for Real Life” meat snack company has recently added two new flavors to their popular line up of snack sticks. The first, Jalapeno Cheddar, has already become a top three seller for the brand. The second, Dill Pickle, recently won the C-Store Decisions Hot New Product Award, an award chosen by the retailers themselves. Like all Wenzel’s Farm snack sticks, these gluten free sticks are crafted in small batches using premium cuts of meat, perfectly seasoned and naturally smoked with no artificial colors and no MSG.

Expanding on their snack stick success, Wenzel’s also added two new flavors to their quickly growing Jerky Lineup with the introduction of smoked BBQ and Sweet and Spicy Jerky. These two flavors brought home a Best New Product award at this year’s NACS show. These premium jerky snacks are also gluten free, use no artificial colors, no MSG and no nitrates have been added. The jerky is available in 3 oz and 10 oz sizes and in five mouth-watering flavors including original beef, peppered beef, teriyaki, and the new sweet and spicy, and smoked BBQ flavors.

To see the complete line of Wenzel’s Farm products, visit www.wenzelsfarms. com. Wenzel’s branded snack sticks and other products are available in over 8,000 locations across the country and can be found in all 50 states.

Leaders in Convenience

Xcaliber International

Xcaliber International manufacturers the highest quality fourth-tier tobacco products available today, right in the heartland of America. With 15 distinct brands, ranging from cigarettes, filtered cigars and OTP, we proudly offer the most extensive product portfolio of any fourthtier manufacturer, meeting every conceivable customer preference or retailer request.

Centrally located in the United States, Xcaliber International’s products are proudly made in Oklahoma, USA, providing American jobs and the freshest, American-made tobacco products possible.

Xcaliber International

1 Tobacco Road Pryor, OK 74361

P: 918.824.0300

W: www.xcaliberinternational.com

ONE TOBACCO ROAD- A fitting address for the nation’s premier fourthtier cigarette manufacturer, Xcaliber International was founded in 2001 by a pair of tobacco retail veterans who observed a growing trend in customer demand: a premium cigarette experience at an attainable price. They set out quickly to achieve this goal, building a state-ofthe-art factory that utilizes the latest in high-speed manufacturing techniques, with an emphasis on premium ingredients and materials, world-class quality assurance standards and testing, and a full range of compelling tobacco products. Nearly two decades later, Xcaliber International’s 250,000 square-foot manufacturing facility features 6 highspeed production lines, shipping out millions of cigarettes every day.

CHANGING CUSTOMER TRENDSWhile the overall cigarette market continues to trend downward, the burgeoning fourth-tier market is the only cigarette category experiencing increased growth. As a result, more retailers are taking a hard look at

fourth-tier solutions to meet customer demand. Xcaliber International’s product portfolio features 11 distinct fourth-tier cigarette brands, the most diverse array of such products in the industry. As customer trends continue to shift towards low-cost cigarette alternatives, Xcaliber International is particularly well-poised for the road ahead.

MADE BY RETAILERS, FOR RETAILERS- Given the retail background of Xcaliber’s founders, our core focus has always been on how we can make retail businesses better. Simply put, we aren’t here to tell retailers how to run their businesses, we are here to support their businesses with high quality, lowcost fourth-tier products. Our contracts are simple, straightforward and easy to understand. For retailers, the low prices of our products mean less money tied up in inventory. Lower pack and carton prices translate to higher basket totals from customers. Our products are also fully backed by a 100% guarantee: if they don’t sell, we’ll buy them back, no questions asked. Xcaliber International is truly your one-stop shop for fourth-tier cigarette solutions!

Nicotine-Free Tobacco Alternative

TAAT is a nicotine-free and tobacco-free alternative to regular cigarettes, offered in Original, Smooth and Menthol. In addition to the traditional 20-stick pack, TAAT is also sold in a two-stick format called TAAT Twos. By law tobacco cigarettes must be sold in packs of at least 20. As TAAT is not a tobacco product, it can be sold in the small-pack format for 99 cents. Compared to profit margins earned from selling tobacco cigarettes, TAAT offers retailers significantly higher profit margin opportunities in addition to attentive support for in-store activation as well as regional marketing.

TAAT Global Alternatives Inc. www.trytaat.com

Forecourt Lighting Fixture

LSI's Scottsdale CRUS with Forward Throw is now available to customers after they have been asking for the wider availability of Forward Throw technology since LSI first launched it on the Scottsdale Vertex. The Forward Throw is an LSI exclusive that lights the forecourt using the light from the canopy. Forward Throw allows owners to evenly illuminate their site with fewer fixtures, creating a welcoming and safe environment for their customers while saving money on energy.

LSI Industries Inc. www.lsicorp.com

Pink Lemonade Gum

Compostable Food Packaging

Extra Gum unveiled a new limited-edition flavor to hit shelves at select retailers in January, with nationwide rollout set for later in 2023. Extra Pink Lemonade delivers the familiar sweet and tart flavor of lemonade with the bright, refreshing and long-lasting flavor that Extra is known for, giving customers a new refreshing gum option. The flavor leans into the rising popularity of fruitflavored gums among teens and young adults.

Mars Inc. www.mars.com

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Inno-Pak recently announced the rebranding of Stalk Market Compostable Products, a full line of commercially compostable food packaging for venues that require single-use food packaging. The new brand includes compostable cold cups, cutlery, fiber containers, fiber plates and bowls, PLA-lined paper food containers, hot cups, PLA containers, and items packed and labeled for retail sale. Inno-Pak makes Stalk Market Compostable Products using natural materials, including plant-based fibers and the biopolymer PLA. Because of their natural designs, these products can break down in commercial composting facilities. Many Stalk Market Compostable Products are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute.

Inno-Pak www.innopak.com

Cinnamon Sugar Snack

Kellogg’s released its Cinnabon Jumbo Snax to convenience stores nationwide in December. Cinnabon Jumbo Snax is a bakery-inspired snack with a classic Cinnabon taste. It is dusted with cinnamon sugar and melts in the mouth. Cinnabon Jumbo Snax has a suggested retail price of $2.69. As Cinnabon has been Kellogg’s No. 1 craveable brand for four years in a row, this new variety of Jumbo Snax makes for a great mix of fun-toeat flavors.

Kellogg’s Co. www.kelloggs.com

Mini Chip Canisters

Fans can now enjoy bite-sized versions of Frito-Lay snacks, including Doritos, Cheetos and SunChips. Frito-Lay Minis are conveniently packaged in an easy-to-pour canister that’s ideal for sharing or snacking on the go. Frito-Lay Minis bring variety to snack canisters because they pack the same bold flavors of the iconic brands fans know in mini sizes. Fans can now enjoy six varieties: Doritos Nacho Cheese, Doritos Cool Ranch, Cheetos Cheddar, Cheetos Flamin’ Hot, SunChips Harvest Cheddar and SunChips Garden Salsa. Frito-Lay Minis are now available for purchase at retailers nationwide for $2.79.

PepsiCo www.pepsico.com

Hot Chili Pepper and Lime Popcorn

Popcornopolis has partnered with Takis to create a new popcorn offering, Popcornopolis Takis Fuego. This vibrant red savory snack is full of flavor. It is made with 100% American-grown corn and popped in coconut oil. Popcornopolis Takis Fuego features bold flavor, seasoned with a spicy combination of hot chili pepper and lime and dusted across gourmet, non-GMO corn. Standing out on store shelves, this new offering will be packaged in Popcornopolis’ iconic cones and features bright purple and red branding. Popcornopolis Takis Fuego will be available for a suggested retail price of $4.98-$5.99.

Grupo Bimbo www.grupobimbo.com

Eco-Friendly Whippers and Chargers

The new iSi Eco Series Whipper and Charger System for whipping food consists of the new iSi Green Whip (one-pint capacity) and the 8.4-gram Eco Series Professional Charger (10-, 24- and 50-pack). Now, restaurants and cafes can serve fresh whipped cream and cold foams with a substantially lower climate impact while enjoying significant ingredient cost savings. iSi uses technology that captures released nitrous oxide gas during production and transforms the emission into the earth-friendly gases: nitrogen and oxygen. The new Eco Series Green Whip can be hand- or machine washed and has the flexibility to create multiple flavors.

iSi North America www.isiecoseries.com

Texas Beef Jerky

For 36 years, Uncle Ervin’s has delivered quality jerky for jerky lovers everywhere. Consumers experience an unmistakable steak-like chew and bold flavors. Customers can rest easy knowing this is a top-shelf product at customerfriendly pricing. The three-ounce bags come in seven flavors, including Bohemian Garlic, Jalapeño Honey, Mesquite, Texas Heat, Lemon Pepper, Peppered and Zero Sugar.

Uncle Ervin’s www.uncleervins.com

Cinnamon Roll Iced Coffee

Super Coffee launched its new Cinnamon Roll Super Coffee, giving consumers the taste and smell of cinnamon rolls freshly out of the oven, but without any of the added sugar. Cinnamon Roll Super Coffee is just as crave-worthy as the real thing, but is naturally enhanced with MCT Oil and plantbased protein. This betterfor-you iced coffee is a great way to start the day.

Super Co ee www.drinksupercoffee.com

Chocolate Hazelnut Snack Bar

Ferrero is launching Nutella B-Ready, a favorite in Europe, in the U.S. This is the first new Nutella innovation to come to the U.S. since Nutella &GO! was introduced in 2012. A light, individually wrapped snack bar with a crispy baked wafer filled with creamy hazelnut Nutella spread, Nutella B-Ready is a great break-time snack to enjoy anytime, anywhere. Nutella B-Ready will be available early 2023.

Ferrero www.ferrero.com

Virtual Store Walkthrough Feature

Spacee launched a new version of its Deming shelf-mounted robots that feature live video feed capabilities, allowing retail store managers to see shelves and get real-time inventory snapshots remotely. Spacee’s unobtrusive Deming robots roam across shelves capturing inventory data, providing an accurate inventory accounting of an entire facility in under a minute. Deming installation requires just one tool and about 30 minutes per aisle. Deming has been proven to help retailers improve supply chain efficiency, ensure planogram compliance, reduce stockouts and waste and reduce costs. Deming provides accurate, near real-time data and creates a video walkthrough that managers can view from anywhere.

Spacee www.spacee.com

Flex Forward 35 www.flexfuelforward.com

Haleon 3, 47

Chapstick: L.Hankins@haleon.com

Nicorette: Scott.F.Breisinger@haleon.com

Helix Innovations LLC 2 www.altria.com

Hunt Brothers Pizza 41, 53 800.453.3675 / www.huntbrotherspizza.com/csd

Hussmann 69 800.592.2060 / insidesales@hussmann.com / www.hussmann.com

Liggett Vector Brands 55 877.415.4100

MOJO Balanced Energy Pouches 19 https://mojo.shop

North American Bancard 96 866.481.4604 / www.nynab.com

NRS Petro 49 888.260.0112 / www.nrspetro.com

Perfetti van Melle 99 www.perfettivanmelle.com

OWL 77 www.owlservices.com

Premier Manufacturing, Inc. 25 www.gopremier.com

Recuerda Brew 6-7 sales.us@recuerdacafe.com / www.recuerdacafe.com

SAS Inc. 57 www.sasinc.com

Swedish Match 800.367.3677 www.zyn.com 9 www.whiteowlcigars.com 100

Texas Pete 89 https://texaspete.com

Trion Industries, Inc. 11 570.824.1000 / www.TrionOnline.com VLN Cover TryVLN.com

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M&A Outlook and Other Observations for 2023

Given the various challenges that the economy faced last year with high fuel prices, high inflation and rapidly rising interest rates, I’ve been waiting for some indication that the petro mergers and acquisitions (M&A) environment will begin to moderate with diminished buyer enthusiasm and corresponding deal values.

But as we enter 2023, this has not happened.

A good indicator is the sale of a small Texas commercial fuels business that we’re currently handling. Despite the modest deal size, buyer interest is much higher than expected. It will be interesting to see if this bullishness holds throughout the full divestiture process and if the ultimate sales price will be within the usual elevated range.

Solid fuel margins may be one reason for this continued M&A resilience; another may be the fact that downstream petroleum remains a top choice in the stack of commercial real estate investment alternatives.

On the retail front, the COVID crisis reinforced this strength and has helped maintain this premier position, mitigating the expected decline in buyer bullishness and corresponding deal values.

With the Fed just raising interest rates another 50 basis points and additional increases in the offing, one wonders when commercial mortgage interest rates may become a mitigating factor.

Plus, the highly awaited midterm election turning out to be more of a red ripple than a wave may result in continued government-induced economic turbulence. Being a redblooded American petro-pro, I can’t help wondering how it’s possible that half of America is so satisfied that they would vote to preserve the status quo that we’ve endured over the past couple of years.

Given all of this, it seems impossible that this strong M&A environment will continue unabated through 2023. The risk is real that the tide may turn, tempering buyer interest and the elevated purchase multiples, thus leaving some hapless marketers wishing that they had sold while the getting was good. Waiting too long could pose a dual threat of diminished proceeds, while resulting in a more complicated and protracted divestiture process. Pragmatic action seems to be the prudent choice for those with near-term exit plans. My fear is that once the tide turns, it may

be quite a long time before things return to a comparable high value environment.

CONSIDERING EV

Finally, I can’t let 2022 pass without proffering my two cents on electric vehicles (EV), given its preoccupation in trade publications and events these past months.

Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda neatly encapsulated my feelings. “People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority,” said Toyoda. “That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend, so they can’t speak out loudly.”

Given the many negative issues including inextinguishable fires, electrical infrastructure restraints, limited range and lack of charging points, I believe that EV may ultimately turn out to be a flash in the pan infatuation. As such, marketers should be cautious before jumping on the EV bandwagon in 2023.

Mark Radosevich is a 43-year petro-veteran and recognized industry advocate. He is president of PetroActive Services (Petroactive.net) and can be reached at: mark@petroactive.net or (423) 442-1327.

Mark Radosevich • PetroActive Services

Mark Radosevich

The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of CStore Decisions.