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NEXT ISSUE: Tobacco Products BUYERS GUIDE: Electronic Cigarettes www.convenienceretailer.net PRODUCT FEATURES SEE PAGES 28-29 Balance Calorie Intake with Dole Fruit Smoothie Shakers Power Crunch Protein Cookie Award-winning Healthy Olive Snacks from Olove’s SURE BETS SEE PAGE 4 BeBevCo’s Koma Unwind Lands C-Store Distributor, First Nationwide Chain Jackie Chan Energizes New V8 Ads TOP TECH SEE PAGE 26 Online Advertising Lifts In-Store CPG Brand Sales, Studies Show INDUSTRY CALENDAR NACS WRAP UP COVERAGE OPERATIONS: Research and Markets Offers Insights Into Convenience Retailing Changes SEE PAGE 21 SEE PAGE 16 SEE PAGE 30 C onvenience RETAILER Volume 4, Number 6 November/December 2011 BY A.J. FLICK Never before has it been more important to make sure every new hire is eligible to work in the United States as the federal government’s pressure on employers increases. Last year, after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Homeland Security Investigations con- ducted an audit of clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch’s Michigan stores, the clothing retailer was left with more than $1 million in fines for violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which requires employers to verify employment eligibility of its employees. The audit uncovered numerous technology-related deficiencies in Abercrombie & Fitch’s electronic I-9 verification system, according to ICE. “Employers are responsible not only New C-Store Stock Should Recognize Healthy, Tech-Connected Lifestyles, NACS Show Trendspotters Say BY ROCELLE ARAGON Today’s Smartphone-toting, 24-7 college-age young people want more from a convenience store than just grab-and-go. They want health. They want humor. They want food they can eat while they multitask. Finally, of course, they want it all at a good price. These were some of the expectations voiced by a panel of three college-aged Chicago trendspotters with locally popular Twitter accounts, organized by show man- agement at the recent National Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing (NACS) show. Given the run of the show floor, the young convenience store shoppers had these Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 22 Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 18 Soft drinks, beer and cigarettes—three non- durable goods industries—continue to please their American customers, even though the U.S. sales continue to decline. But at same time, these industries are looking toward the Asian markets to boost balance sheets, accord- ing to a new report by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Customer Satisfaction Stays High for Beverages, Cigarettes and Cleaning Products NEW FEATURE: PRODUCTS FROM THE NACS SHOW 2011 BUYERS GUIDE SEE PAGE 24-25 Nearly Half of U.S. Retailers Surveyed Report Increased Losses From Organized Retail Crime If you don’t think sticky fingers really concerns you, think again. Shoplifting, employee or supplier fraud, organized retail crime and adminis- trative errors have increased 6 percent in the U.S., and 6.6 percent worldwide, cost- ing the retail industry $119 billion in 2011 or 1.45 percent of sales, according to the Global Retail Theft Barometer. This rep- resents the highest percentage recorded by the survey since it began in 2007. Not only is this a cause for concern to retailers, but consumers, too. The cost of theft to U.S. shoppers averages now $435 per family. The study, underwritten by an inde- pendent grant from Checkpoint Systems Inc., monitored the cost of shrink loss from shoplifting, employee theft and administrative errors in the global retail industry between July 2010 and June 2011. It found that shrink increased in all regions surveyed. Customer theft, includ- ing shoplifting and organized retail crime, up 13.4 percent, was the primary cause in most countries, costing retailers $51.5 bil- Shoplifting, Fraud, Errors Cost Billions in Retail Industry Nicotek: “Electronic Cigarettes Done Right” Companies Develop Software So Employers Don’t Have To SweatAudits ICE Crackdown on I-9 Compliance Increases; Smaller Retailers Coming Under Scrutiny FEATURES SEE PAGES 8-12 TPE 2012: Two Full Days of Buying & Networking Power Profiles: John Lounsbury, Director of Marketing for Terra Environmental Technologies; Robert Denholtz, CEO of Creative Serving Inc.; and Vic Kennett, Founder and CEO of Kerruso

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Page 1: Convenience Retailer Nov/Dec 2011

NEXT ISSUE:Tobacco ProductsBUYERS GUIDE:

Electronic Cigarettes

www.convenienceretailer.net

PRODUCT FEATURES SEE PAGES 28-29

� Balance Calorie Intake with Dole FruitSmoothie Shakers

� Power Crunch Protein Cookie� Award-winning Healthy Olive Snacksfrom Olove’s

SURE BETS SEE PAGE 4

� BeBevCo’s Koma Unwind Lands C-StoreDistributor, First Nationwide Chain

� Jackie Chan Energizes New V8 Ads

TOP TECH SEE PAGE 26

� Online Advertising Lifts In-Store CPG BrandSales, Studies Show

INDUSTRYCALENDAR

NACS WRAP UPCOVERAGE

OPERATIONS:Research and Markets Offers InsightsInto Convenience Retailing ChangesSEE PAGE 21SEE PAGE 16SEE PAGE 30

ConvenienceRETAILERVolume 4, Number 6 November/December 2011

BY A.J. FLICKNever before has it been more important tomake sure every new hire is eligible towork in the United States as the federalgovernment’s pressure on employersincreases.

Last year, after the U.S. Immigrationand Customs Enforcement’s Office ofHomeland Security Investigations con-ducted an audit of clothing retailerAbercrombie & Fitch’s Michigan stores,

the clothing retailer was left with morethan $1 million in fines for violations ofthe Immigration and Nationality Act,which requires employers to verifyemployment eligibility of its employees.

The audit uncovered numeroustechnology-related deficiencies inAbercrombie & Fitch’s electronic I-9verification system, according to ICE.

“Employers are responsible not only

New C-Store StockShould RecognizeHealthy, Tech-ConnectedLifestyles, NACS ShowTrendspotters SayBY ROCELLE ARAGONToday’s Smartphone-toting, 24-7 college-ageyoung people want more from a conveniencestore than just grab-and-go. They wanthealth. They want humor. They want foodthey can eat while they multitask. Finally, ofcourse, they want it all at a good price.

These were some of the expectationsvoiced by a panel of three college-agedChicago trendspotters with locally popularTwitter accounts, organized by show man-agement at the recent National Associationfor Convenience and Fuel Retailing(NACS) show.

Given the run of the show floor, the youngconvenience store shoppers had these

Continued on Page 12

Continued on Page 22Continued on Page 12

Continued on Page 18

Soft drinks, beer and cigarettes—three non-durable goods industries—continue to pleasetheir American customers, even though theU.S. sales continue to decline. But at sametime, these industries are looking toward theAsian markets to boost balance sheets, accord-ing to a new report by the American CustomerSatisfaction Index (ACSI).

Customer SatisfactionStays High forBeverages, Cigarettesand Cleaning Products

NEW FEATURE:PRODUCTS FROMTHE NACS SHOW 2011

BUYERS GUIDESEE PAGE 24-25

Nearly Half of U.S. Retailers SurveyedReport Increased Losses From OrganizedRetail Crime

If you don’t think sticky fingers reallyconcerns you, think again.

Shoplifting, employee or supplierfraud, organized retail crime and adminis-trative errors have increased 6 percent inthe U.S., and 6.6 percent worldwide, cost-ing the retail industry $119 billion in 2011or 1.45 percent of sales, according to theGlobal Retail Theft Barometer. This rep-resents the highest percentage recordedby the survey since it began in 2007.

Not only is this a cause for concern toretailers, but consumers, too. The cost oftheft to U.S. shoppers averages now $435per family.

The study, underwritten by an inde-pendent grant from Checkpoint SystemsInc., monitored the cost of shrink lossfrom shoplifting, employee theft andadministrative errors in the global retailindustry between July 2010 and June2011. It found that shrink increased in allregions surveyed. Customer theft, includ-ing shoplifting and organized retail crime,up 13.4 percent, was the primary cause inmost countries, costing retailers $51.5 bil-

Shoplifting, Fraud,Errors Cost Billionsin Retail Industry

�Nicotek: “Electronic Cigarettes Done Right”

Companies Develop Software So Employers Don’t Have To Sweat Audits

ICE Crackdown on I-9 ComplianceIncreases; Smaller RetailersComing Under Scrutiny

FEATURES SEE PAGES 8-12

� TPE 2012: Two Full Days ofBuying & Networking

� Power Profiles: John Lounsbury, Directorof Marketing for Terra EnvironmentalTechnologies; Robert Denholtz, CEO ofCreative Serving Inc.; and Vic Kennett,Founder and CEO of Kerruso

Page 2: Convenience Retailer Nov/Dec 2011
Page 3: Convenience Retailer Nov/Dec 2011
Page 4: Convenience Retailer Nov/Dec 2011

Bebida Beverage Co., a devel-oper, manufacturer and mar-keter of relaxation and energydrinks, has made an agreementwith Sledd Distribution ofWheeling, W.Va. Sledd nowbecomes part of an ever-increasing portfolio of distribu-tion partners for BeBevCo.

The announcement comeson the heels of news that BeBevCo.’sflagship product, Koma Unwind, will becarried in 90 7-Eleven convenience storelocations in western Pennsylvania andWest Virginia. This represents the firstnationwide chain store distribution inBeBevCo’s history.

Sledd has more than 70 years in thedistribution business and serves conven-ience stores in Pennsylvania, WestVirginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Ohio.Sledd Distribution will be responsible forthe roll out of Koma Unwind relaxationdrinks to the 90 7-Eleven locations. Inaddition, Sledd will offer Koma Unwindproduct line to hundreds of other locationsthroughout its distribution network.

“Sledd serves a large market withrespect to the number of convenience storesand we are pleased to be working withthem,” said Brian Weber, CEO ofBeBevCo. “Their distribution to 7-Elevenstores in Pennsylvania and West Virginia isjust the beginning. They will offer our prod-ucts to many other stores in their network.

“At this point, we are literally signingnew distribution deals every day. Just a

few months ago, the truckswere leaving our facility aboutonce a week; now they are leav-ing every day with our productsto take them to locations in theU.S. and abroad,” said Weber.

Koma Unwind has becomethe leader in the new and rapid-ly growing relaxation drink cat-egory of beverages. Brand

recognition and marketing efforts onbehalf of Koma Unwind has led to thecompany’s achievement of linking territo-ries with major retailers. Koma Unwind isthe premium choice for those sufferingfrom stress anxiety and poor sleep thatinundate Americans on a daily basis.

The Koma Unwind brand and its mul-tidemographic marketing, coupled with itsfantastic taste and functionality, is why somany retailers are looking for a relaxationproduct that is not just a passing fad ornovelty or carry controlled substance innu-endos or other questionable marketing tac-tics used by some competitors.

“This is obviously a huge develop-ment for us, but it’s actually just thebeginning of what we see clearly as amuch larger rollout of our products overthe coming weeks and months,” saidWeber. “Requests for our products arerolling in so fast that we have had to set upa ‘situation room’ to keep track of all theleads, requests and enquiries. We areecstatic about the success of our brand butagain, this is only the tip of the proverbialiceberg.” �

s u r e b e t s

4 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

Dr Pepper TEN

BeBevCo’s Koma Unwind LandsC-Store Distributor, FirstNationwide Chain

ConvenienceRETAILERLee M. Oser

CEO and Editor-in-Chief

Steve CoxLyle Sapp

Kate SeymourSenior Associate Publishers

Kim ForresterAssociate Publisher

Rhonda BakerPaul HarrisJames MartinBill Morris

Deborah YarbroughAccount Managers

Lorrie BaumannEditorial Director

A.J. FlickEditor

Rocelle AragonLorrie BrownstoneAssociate Editors

Valerie WilsonArt Director

Kelly HessGraphic Designer

Selene PinuelasTraffic Manager

Enrico CecchiEuropean Sales

Convenience Retailer is published byOser Communications Group ©2011.

BPA Worldwide Member since June 22, 2009.All rights reserved. Executive and editorial offices at:

1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715520-721-1300/Fax: 520-721-6300

www.oser.comwww.convenienceretailer.net

European offices located atLungarno Benvenuto

Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy.

ular beverage experience—ultimatelydelivering the full flavor of original DrPepper with fewer calories.

Six test markets got an early taste ofDr Pepper TEN in early 2011, completewith a full marketing campaign, includingTV commercials, radio and out-of-homeadvertising and in-store displays—all fea-turing a bold, yet tongue-in-cheek, “It’sNot for Women” message. Results in thetest markets far exceeded expectations,with Dr Pepper TEN representing nearly6 percent of Dr Pepper sales throughoutthe test period in like packaging. Withhigh consumer awareness, the productquickly grew to become a fan favorite,and now men nationwide will have thechance to experience the 10 bold caloriesof Dr Pepper TEN.

The national launch of Dr PepperTEN is supported by an integrated mar-keting campaign, extending the “It’s Notfor Women” theme through national tele-vision, print and online media.Consumers will also see a new, provoca-tive social media campaign—including abold Dr Pepper TEN Facebook applica-tion that only men can access.

Dr Pepper TEN is just one of themany beverage innovations helping DPSmeet its goal to focus at least 50 percentof the products in its developmentpipeline on health and wellness by 2015.This includes reduced-calorie products,smaller portion sizes and improved nutri-tional offerings.

For more information, please visit DrPepper.com or Facebook.com/DrPepper. �

Designed specifically for men who preferthe full-flavor experience of regular DrPepper but want a lower-calorie option with-out the diet imagery, Dr Pepper TEN fea-tures a distinctly masculine package design,complete with a gunmetal gray colorscheme, industrial rivets and bold new font.

Consumer feedback and researchshowed that many men between the agesof 25 and 34 are not completely satisfiedwith the taste or image of diet sodas—although they understand the need tomake healthier beverage choices.Responding to this insight, Dr PepperSnapple Group (DPS) developed a uniqueblend of sweeteners to achieve a like-reg-

Campbell Soup Co. haslaunched a new V8 brandadvertising campaign that tapsaction legend Jackie Chan togo head-to-head with otherbeverages. The advertisementsfeature Jackie Chan swoopinginto everyday life scenariosusing his amazing athleticabilities—and his energeticcharm—to switch an unsus-pecting person’s drink to aveggie-powered V8 beverage. The com-mercials underscore the switch by closingthe spots with the iconic “Could’ve Had aV8” tagline.

“It’s time for people to take anotherlook at the V8 portfolio,” said DaleClemiss, Vice President, V8 Beverages.“This year we’re introducing a variety ofnew and innovative products for V8, sothere is no better time to encourage peopleto make the switch to our beverages. Webelieve this campaign’s refreshing, funand lighthearted approach, and the charis-ma of Jackie Chan, will help drive aware-ness and energize the brand.”

The campaign began airing inOctober with two new spots: “Balcony,”which features Chan sliding down a drainpipe, leaping onto a woman’s balcony,and deftly replacing her cranberry juicewith V8 juice; and “Sidewalk,” whereChan jumps out of a window, bounces offan awning, lands in front of a womandrinking a smoothie and switches herdrink for a V8 V-Fusion Smoothie that not

only includes fruit but veg-etable nutrition.

These commercials willbe followed by three addi-tional spots. The entire cam-paign is supported by a fully-integrated marketing effortincluding print and onlineadvertisements that compareV8 beverages to other drinkoptions.

“Jackie Chan’s amazingcreative talent combined with his mind-boggling physical comedy give this cam-paign vitality and instant likeability,” saidJames Caporimo, Creative Director,Y&R. “Only Jackie Chan could suddenlyswitch your drink and have you love himfor it, which is one of the reasons webelieve this campaign will resonate withpeople and encourage them to choose V8beverages instead of other drinks.”

The campaign was created by Y&RNew York. The production was shot onlocation in Los Angeles by MJZ and direct-ed by Craig Gillespie, who is best knownfor directing “Lars and the Real Girl” andthe “Fright Night” remake. Media planningservices were provided by the New Yorkoffice of The Media Edge: cia.

For more information on V8 bever-ages, visit www.v8juice.com. �

Wines That Rock, innovators of rock-inspired wines, has launched the GratefulDead “Steal Your Face Red Blend” to jointhe brand’s four established rock-n-rollvarietals: Rolling Stones “Forty LicksMerlot,” “Woodstock Chardonnay,” ThePolice “Synchronicity Red Blend” and

Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the MoonCabernet Sauvignon.” Wines That Rockbegan releasing the labels in 2009 and aportion of the proceeds from every bottlesold are donated to the T.J. MartellFoundation.

Grateful Dead Productions and

Wines That Rock Releases Grateful Dead Red BlendExpanding Its Iconic Rock-Themed Varietals

Rhino Entertainment have partnered withWines That Rock to create the “StealYour Face Red Blend. “Wines That Rockis a partnership between legendary rockbusiness managers RZO and award-win-ning winemakers Mendocino Wine Co.,

Continued on Page 6

Jackie Chan Energizes New AdCampaign to Remind People ThatThey ‘Could’ve Had a V8’

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s u r e b e t s

6 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

to capture the quality and spirit of rock-n-roll mythology in its portfolio of greattasting wines, iconic album art for labels,earth-friendly production and great con-sumer value.

Wines That Rock are crafted from thehands and vision of Mendocino Wine Co.winemaker Mark Beaman, whose talentand passions are quality, sustainabilityand pure rock-n-roll. The process formaking “Steal Your Face” began by lis-tening and discovering the vibe and intri-cacies of the band during their legendarymultinight performance at SanFrancisco’s Winterland Ballroom in 1974.

“To capture the essence of the liveenergy for Grateful Dead’s ‘Steal YourFace,’ we chose to meld several varietalsinto one,” said Beaman. “Just as the bandmembers would segue through variousmusical styles, this wine’s far reaching fla-

Grateful DeadContinued from Page 4

vors melt seamlessly fromone to the next. In honor ofthe Grateful Dead’s famousimprovisational concertsthat have brought joy to somany, this wine celebratesdiversity and freedom ofexperimentation.”

Wines That Rock takesits respect for music veryseriously, with foundersthat have been at the fore-front of bringing rock-n-roll to millions of fans fordecades. Co-founders Ron Roy andHoward Jackowitz originally partneredwith RZO and David Bowie in 1997 tocreate UltraStar Entertainment, theworld’s largest online fan club companypioneering fan club ticketing and onlineartist communities. UltraStar’s clientsrange from the New York Yankees toAC/DC, Madonna and The Who.

“As Wines That Rock continues to

grow its portfolio of well-priced, award-winning winesand expanding retail distribu-tion throughout NorthAmerica and Europe, we feltit was only appropriate tointroduce a varietal that rep-resents one of the mostimportant moments in ourmusic history and celebrateone of that era’s most influ-ential bands,” saidRoy. “Grateful Dead encom-pass so much of what the

‘60s and ‘70s meant to our culture throughmusic, and were truly the first band toestablish a worldwide sense of communitythrough their live shows—they were reallyall about the experience. With GratefulDead, we have found the perfect partner.”

“We love the idea of using theGrateful Dead’s music to guide the wine-making process,” said Mark Pinkus, GMof Grateful Dead Properties at Rhino

Entertainment. “Wines That Rock’s pas-sion for the band really shows in howhard they worked to reflect the mood andessence of the recordings.”

The Grateful Dead “Steal Your FaceRed Blend” made its official public debutOct. 6 and is available for order atwww.winesthatrock.com and at morethan 1,500 retail locations worldwide.

Available directly from its website,Wines That Rock offers variety packs ofall current varietals and a collectors T-Shirt($69), as well as three-bottle packs ($49).Wines That Rock will offer the GratefulDead “Steal Your Face Red Blend” inthree, six and 12-bottle packs at around$16.99 per bottle. Individual bottles arecompetitively priced at your local retailer.

For more information, please visitwww.winesthatrock.com.

For more information on consumerproducts and brand licensing opportunitieswith Grateful Dead Properties, contact SaraNemerov at [email protected]. �

Limited-Time Offer Pizza AvailableNow In Participating C-Stores

Hunt Brothers Pizza is offering, for a limitedtime, Philly Cheesesteak Pizza, which fea-

Hunt Brothers PizzaLaunches PhillyCheesesteak Pizza

tures creamy white cheddar cheesesauce, tender slices of beef steak,green peppers, onions and moz-zarella cheese—all on HuntBrothers Pizza’s famous originalcrust. It’s the great taste of Philly’sclassic sandwich transformed intoa pizza that everyone will love.

“Hunt Brothers Pizza is seeing a lot ofdemand for new combinations of flavors, soour Philly Cheesesteak Pizza really delivers Continued on Page 12

on giving consumers somethingnew and interesting to try,” saidKeith Solsvig, Vice President ofMarketing for Hunt BrothersPizza. “The Philly CheesesteakPizza did extremely well in ourtest markets, so we’re excited to

roll this out to all of our consumers to enjoyfor a limited time.”

The Philly Cheesesteak Pizza will beavailable in stores through November. To

meet growing demand for more uniquepizza flavors, Hunt Brothers Pizza plans todevelop more limited-time offer pizzas.

With more than 6,000 locations in 28states, Hunt Brothers Pizza is the nation’slargest brand of made-to-order pizza in theconvenience store industry. Perfect fortoday’s on-the-go lifestyle, Hunt BrothersPizza offers regular, thin crust, and break-

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8 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

f e a t u r e s

“Our mission is to provide the best, mostcost-effective alternative smoking experi-ence on the market. Our staff works contin-ually to provide our customers with thehighest quality products available at a pricebelow our competitors: Nicotek®

With hundreds of electronic cigarette,or e-cig, companies out there on the markettoday, it’s hard to determine which one pro-vides the highest quality and best value forthe customer. Many distributors and retail-ers, still feeling the effects of the recession,are forced to make a decision based on

rior reputation because of itsaffordable price and excep-tional quality. While every e-cig company offers a starterkit, Metro stands above therest with a starter kit muchmore affordable than even theleading competition. Butquality is not compromisedwith the affordability. Metroprides itself in being the only competitorthat offers a hard-covered tin carrying casein their starter kit, while still keeping theMSRP at $19.99. Now that is a value youcan be proud to display in your store.

Any leading competitor that offersstarter kits below the $20 price point will

typically only include a flimsypaper box―not very reusable atall―while other competitorscharge upwards of $100 for theirlowest-priced kit!

Nicotek’s trademarked mottois Electronic Cigarettes DoneRight, and with a price like that,one can definitely agree that theyhave done it right. Nicotek has

successfully created a product that is visu-ally appealing, of the highest quality andaffordable for everyone in today’s market.

Metro also offers one of the mostaffordable deluxe kits on the market, whileincluding everything a consumer might belooking for to begin their alternative smok-ing experience. With two rechargeable bat-teries, 10 cartridges, home, car and USBchargers and their stylish tin case, Metro hastruly designed a package that really gets theconsumer started off right―all starting atonly $74.99. The leading competitor’s com-parable packages are upwards of $130.

Nicotek is rapidly growing in popular-ity around the nation and excited to includeyou in this expansion. They invite distribu-tors and retailers attending the show to stopby their booth to learn more about theirimpressive products and services.

For more information about Nicotek’sproducts and services, visit their website atwww.nicotekecigs.com. �

Metro E-Cigarettes: Quality, ValueFar Above Competition

TPE 2012: TwoFull Days of Buying& NetworkingThe Tobacco Plus Expo International, themost comprehensive tobacco show in theU.S., will be held Feb. 1-2 at the LasVegas Convention Center. The not-to-be-missed event promises to be the year’sbest opportunity for retailers, manufactur-ers, distributors and wholesalers to seenew products, share insights, do businessand learn about industry news and trends.

The Expo will feature more than100,000 square feet of exhibits and net-working areas that showcase tobacco prod-ucts and accessories. Increased numbers ofinternational exhibitors and buyers areexpected to participate. With over 90 per-cent or more of those exhibitors offeringshow deals exclusively to TPE attendees,the show is a must-see industry event.

For the fourth year running, TPE2012 will host the Cigar Bar & Lounge, acomfortable retreat where visitors cangather for informal meetings or to simplyenjoy a complimentary beer, wine or softdrink. Registrants will also have anopportunity to attend two informativeeducational seminars on Feb. 1.

Seth Mailhot, Special Counsel in thefood and drug law group Sheppard Mullin

Continued on Page 11

sheer value and profitability when bringingin a new product or a competing product. Inany economy, this is definitely a smartdecision, but is becoming more of a trend intoday’s economy. That is why Nicotek feltit was very important to bring an e-cig tothe market that provided the customer witha price point that was affordable and aproduct that was profitable. Introducingtheir solution: Metro® ElectronicCigarettes.

Metro has been on the market sinceJanuary and has quickly developed a supe-

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10 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

f e a t u r e s

Vic Kennett, Founder and CEOof Berryville, Ark.-basedKerruso,discusses how his company grewfrom a humble T-shirt business inhis home to selling Christian-themed products worldwide.

CR: Tell our readers a little aboutyour company. What’s your mainline of business?

VK: Kerusso specializes in inspi-rational Christian-themed appar-el, jewelry, gifts and accessories.It began as a simple operation inthe upstairs room of my home in 1987,printing Christian T-shirts with a dream ofseeing them used to share the Gospel.What started with me driving a few T-shirt designs to local stores has expanded

through something as simple as a T-shirt.

CR: Do you have a program specificallyfor convenience stores?

VK: We do—it’s called the Tru Witnessprogram. It features a rotating floor dis-play stocked with 10 T-shirt designs andeight jewelry panels. It’s a risk-free pro-gram, 100 percent guaranteed, and comeswith free in-store merchandising, freeinventory service and the free display.

CR: What is the nature of your sales anddistribution?

VK: We sell and distribute in multipleways: directly, through distributors andthrough brokers.

CR: Please assess the marketplace as itrelates to your product line.

VK: Eight out of 10 of the customers thatwalk into any convenience store considerthemselves Christian. We help stores cap-

italize on this demographic by providinga product that reaches out to these exist-ing customers. We continually updatedesigns to keep the products fresh andgive repeat customers something new ona regular basis.

CR: To what do you attribute your com-pany’s success?

VK: I had a dream to glorify God withwhatever I did. Almost 25 years ago, theLord revealed his purpose for me and Ibegan printing Christian T-shirts.Philippians 1:6 states that he who hasbegun a good work in you will completeit. Kerusso is blessed because its missionserves to glorify God’s name. And weknow that all things work together forgood to those who love God, to those whoare the called according to His purpose.(Romans 8:28)

For more information on Kerusso and itsproducts, please visit www.kerusso.comor call (870) 423-6242. �

Kerruso Tailors Christian-Themed ProductRotating Floor Displays for C-Stores

into a diverse product line avail-able in 100 countries. To date, wehave produced more than 13 mil-lion T-shirts.

CR: What would you say makesyour company unique?

VK: “Proclaiming the GoodNews to the world through prod-ucts about Jesus,” is not just ourmission statement, but our entirepurpose. Our team here atKerusso puts forth an effort tocreate a cutting-edge line of prod-

ucts to grasp peoples’ attention longenough to read the message each productportrays. According to Newsweek, 8 outof 10 people in the U.S. say they areChristian. We help them share their faith

Mars Brands, NFLRoot for SweetSuccess in SuperBowl ContestConsumers and retailers will score big thisseason when Mars Brands and the NFLteam-up for the 2012 Super Bowl sweep-stakes and instant-win game “Celebrate onthe Field.” Consumers will have thechance to win one of 5,000 instant-winprizes a day from Dec. 19 to Feb. 5.

When consumers purchase participat-ing Snickers, M&M’s, Twix, 3 Musketeersand Milky Way brand singles and sharingsizes, they have the chance to win one of5,000 instant-win prizes a day includingcoupons redeemable for Mars Branditems, NFL and Visa gift cards, Snickersbrand/NFL tailgate coolers and more.

By entering the sweepstakes atwww.BeOnTheField.com, participantsalso are eligible for the grand prize: a VIPtrip for four to Super Bowl XLVII in NewOrleans in 2013 to “Celebrate on theField” with the winning team.

Complementing the sweepstakes offeron immediate consumption items, and mak-

ing it easier to tackle the spread at SuperBowl viewing parties, a future consumptionelement provides consumers with 10 per-cent more product free with bonus bagsfrom Snickers, M&M’s, Twix, Minis Mixand Dove Chocolate.

Highlights of the marketing cam-paign include a heavy media investment,plus eye-catching in-store displays withbold graphics and coupon tear pads willstimulate retail purchases. Other upcom-ing promotions include:

• In January, Mars will showcase a“Take Your Peanut Butter Pick” cross-brandevent featuring flavors from M&M’s,Snickers and Twix brands. The MixedSingles Shipper and Mixed Singles CounterUnit will encourage consumers to taste avariety of Mars brands.

• Mars Chocolate North America isshifting its NASCAR sponsorship intohigh gear with a full year of M&M’sMakes Race Day More Fun, givingM&M’s Brand fans numerous opportuni-ties to connect with the brand fromJanuary to November.

The sweepstakes promotion “When WeWin, You Win!” engages NASCAR fans bylinking the victorious performance of the

Americans Snacking More Than Ever,Updated Packaged Facts Report ShowsDespite the lingering effects of globalrecession, American consumers aresnacking more than ever, thanks to lessfrequent restaurant dining, frenziedlifestyles that encourage on-the-go eatingand a growing tendency to replace mealswith several smaller snacks. Additionally,marketers have responded to concernsabout the growing impact of obesity onthe health of the nation and have madegreat strides in developing healthier snackfoods that still taste good.

While value is still one of the pri-mary drivers of snack purchases, theeconomy has recovered to an extent thatconsumers are once again making health,convenience and even indulgence top pri-orities as well.

U.S. retail sales of packaged snacksrose to nearly $64 billion in 2010 andPackaged Facts projects sales to approach$77 billion by 2015, a total marketincrease of more than 20 percent.

“Snack Foods in the U.S., 4thEdition,” a fully updated Packaged Factsreport, examines the market for packaged

sweet and salty snacks within the contextof broader food industry trends in newproduct development and marketing. Toaccommodate the complexities of theU.S. market within shifting socioeco-nomic contexts, the report investigatesnot only the sales data, new productintroductions and market positioningstrategies, but also the lifestyle patternsthat contribute to the rise and fall ofsnacking trends.

This completely revised edition pro-vides an omnibus approach to the market,examining snacks via two broad classifi-cations, sweet and salty/savory, whileproviding greater detail for dozens of cat-egories and segments in which marketactivity dictates closer inspection.

A new feature of this study is datafrom Packaged Facts’ new Food ShopperInsights Survey, conducted in March.Gauging the shopping patterns and atti-tudes of adults who have shopped forgroceries within 24 hours of being

Continued on Page 11Continued on Page 12

POWER PROFILE

John Lounsbury, Director of Marketingfor Terra Environmental Technologies,recently spoke to Convenience Retailerabout key reasons why convenience storesshould carry TerraCair® UltrapureDiesel Exhaust Fluid.

CR: Why is it necessary to have DieselExhaust Fluid (DEF)?

JL:As of Jan. 1, 2010, the EnvironmentalProtection Agency has mandated a strict

trucks on the road will require this fluid.

CR: How can convenience store retailersprotect the customer’s vehicle by sellingthe right DEF?

JL: TerraCair DEF is the only brand witha dispensing nozzle built it into the side ofevery bottle. The customer’s vehicle willbe protected because they will use thesupplied nozzle and not an oil-contami-nated filter, which will harm their truck.

CR: Convenience store retailers want tomake sure their customers keep purchas-ing their DEF from them. How doesTerraCair help them enhance their experi-ence with this new technology?

JL: TerraCair’s vented 2.5 gallon bot-tle drains in less than 30 seconds. Thecustomer’s experience with TerraCairwill be enhanced because they can filltheir DEF quickly and get back on theroad.

CR: How does TerraCair “make thegrade” and who else uses this product?

JL: TerraCair is API certified and is theNo. 1 choice of leading diesel truck man-ufacturers.

For more information about TerraCair,please visit Terra EnvironmentalTechnologies at www.terracairdef.com orcall (866) 940-3003. �

TerraCair Vital to 80% ofDiesel Trucks on the Road

emissions standardfor NOx gas. NOx isoxides of nitrogen,which contribute to acid rain, smog andrespiratory issues. Most new dieselengines will power down without DEF.

CR: What is the benefit for a conven-ience store to carry TerraCair?

JL: TerraCair is dosed at 2 percent to 4 per-cent of diesel fuel. Eighty percent of diesel

POWER PROFILE

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RD: Our line of energy-savingroller grills achieve consistentcooking temperatures and requireless amperage than any other grillon the market today. In addition tosaving energy, our roller grills fea-ture Ruff Rider coating, which willprevent any type of food productfrom stalling on the grill. Another

example is our new Double Decker,which allows retailers to “stack” twounlike products in one footprint. Finally,

Robert Denholtz, CEO ofCreative Serving Inc., discuss-es the expanding foodserviceequipment line for Durex Inc.

CR: How did you get into thisbusiness?

RD: Durex Inc., founded in1946, manufactures point-of-purchase dis-plays, store fixtures and other precisionsheet metal assemblies for conveniencestores and found it a good segue into food-service equipment. I was looking to developour own product line. In 1981, we started aconsumer kitchen appliance company, andfrom there it was an easy transition intofoodservice equipment. While the consumerelectrics business was recently sold, we con-tinue to grow and develop our foodserviceequipment line known as Creative Serving.

CR: What separates you from your com-petition?

RD: Our greatest strength is our flexibili-ty and willingness to build quality, inno-vative products to meet the demands ofour customers.

CR: What are some of these productinnovations?

f e a t u r e s

ConvenienceRETAILER 11November/December 2011

Creative Service Foodservice EquipmentLine Continues to Grow for Durex Inc.

Richter & Hampton, will present “A Lot ofSmoke But Is There Really a Fire? FDA’sEnforcement of Tobacco.” Mailhot’s ses-sion will be followed by a Premium CigarPanel that will share insights and knowl-edge of the premium cigar business. Thissession will be moderated by Cigar Rightsof America’s Glynn Loope.

The opening day of the show will cul-minate with a Super Bowl-themedOpening Night Reception in Ballroom A atthe Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. This tickets-only event will be a huge tailgate party fea-turing a festive rock-n-roll band as well asgiveaways, games, drinks and food.

All of this excitement takes placeagainst the vibrant backdrop of LasVegas, where you’ll find plenty to enjoyduring your downtime—from exploringits world-famous casinos and restaurantsto enjoying spectacular shows.

The Las Vegas Hilton is the head-quarters hotel of TPE International. TheFlamingo Hotel also offers a room blockat discounted rates to exhibitors andshow attendees. For reservations, pleasecontact VIP Meetings at (800) 926-3976or (310) 459-0060.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learnabout and experience innovative tobaccoproducts and accessories and to exploreways to grow your business in 2012 andbeyond. Visit www.tobaccoplusexpo.com to get up-to-date information alongwith the current list of exhibitors. On-lineregistration will be open in November. �

TPE 2012Continued from Page 8

surveyed, these data paint a detailed pic-ture of U.S. snack trends by broader con-sumer health goals and nutrition con-cerns, ingredient concerns such as low-sugar and gluten-free, purchase motiva-tors such as “family favorite” and “prod-uct looked appertizing,” snack occasionsand timing (e.g., “between meals,” week-day vs., weekend, at home vs. away fromhome), brand loyalty by product type,store-brand appeal, and coupon usage.

For more information orto buy the report, please visitwww.reportlinker.com. �

Americans SnackingContinued from Page 10

POWER PROFILE our Dog House, which stacks underour roller grill and takes the place oftwo additional grills for the equivalentof three roller grills in one footprint.

CR: What new products can we expectto see from Creative Serving in 2012?

RD: We will launch a heated versionof our very popular Cookie Monsterbakery display case. Also, we willunveil a revolutionary new sandwichbar concept in conjunction with amajor provider of quality foods.

For more information, please visitwww.durexinc.com. �

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12 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

f e a t u r e s

for the people they hire, but also for theinternal systems they choose to utilize tomanage their employment process andthose systems must result in effective com-pliance,” said Brian M. Moskowitz, SpecialAgent in Charge of ICE HSI for Ohio andMichigan in an ICE press release. “This set-tlement should serve as a warning to othercompanies that may not yet take theemployment verification process seriouslyor provide it the attention it warrants.”

“Up until about three years ago, com-pliance with the federal government prima-rily focused on employees, illegal immi-grants,” said Blake Helppie, ChiefExecutive Officer of the Bloomberg Hills,Mich.-based JobApp Network, Inc. “Therewere a lot of brazen raids that went on withICE going into meat-packing facilities andrestaurants to arrest any individuals work-ing there without the proper authorization.”

Sometimes, fines were assessed on theemployers, but the focus still was onrounding up illegal immigrants.

“Starting with the Obama administra-tion, ICE changed in orientation from theemployee to going after the employer,”Helppie said. “Since then, ICE has beengoing in and auditing employers’ I-9forms.”

“Over the last couple of years,” saidJohn Fay, Vice President of Products andServices and General Counsel at thePhoenix-based LawLogix, “ICE has audit-ed more than 6,000 employers with $76million in financial sanctions.

“The I-9 used to be something thatsomeone would just stick in their deskdrawer, but now, it’s super important,” Faysaid.

Complying with I-9 regulations is

THIS ISSUE’S FOCUS: I-9 Compliance

especially important for retailers with highturnovers as well as high rehiring rates,which can compound one error into multi-ple fines, Fay noted.

“The other thing we’ve seen recentlyis that Immigration and CustomsEnforcement was first going after name-brand employers,” Fay said.

But now that ICE has formed its FormI-9 Audit Fusion Centers, where forensicauditors examine I-9s with improved infor-mation-sharing technology, Fay predictedthat employers with 1,000 or fewer employ-ees will come under more scrutiny soon.

It’s no surprise that companies includ-ing JobApp and LawLogix have stepped into fill a void and help employers throughthe process. While the I-9 appears to be asimple, one-page form, it comes withalmost 70 pages of federal regulations thatemployers must follow or face fines. And,as the federal goverment uses technologyto nab offenders, these companies areusing the same technology to preventerrors and instil organization where, insome cases, there was none to avoid orlessen fines.

Pat Zik, HR Coordinator for Hudson,Wis.-based Erickson Oil Products, saidautomating the hiring process withJobApp’s hiring system has made her jobeasier.

“We have 65 different stores in fourdifferent states and the managers aren’t allHR people,” Zik said. “Using an automat-ed program does help them complete theinformation correctly, because they are notall experts at filling out the right forms orknowing what has to be done.”

In the past, if a manager asked for anemployee’s documentation, such as a

driver’s licence, and put the wrong properexpiration date in or wrong birthdate, theform would bounce back and forthbetween the store and Erickson’s payrollcoordinator until it was corrected. Now,JobApp’s automated system won’t let theform leave the manager’s office until it hasbeen filled out correctly, Zik said.

“It really has helped the payroll coor-dinator, who’s much happier with formscompleted correctly the first time,” Ziksaid. “People get their paycheck on time,we get the information done right a lotmore quickly and if there’s an audit, I’msure we will pass it.”

“We also help companies address thepaper skeletons in their closet,” Helppiesaid.

JobApp’s Retro 9 converts historic I-9forms to digital form and audits them forcompliance. If an error is found, Helppiesaid, managers can address it—not erasingthe error, but explaining it or if the employ-ee is still with the company, correcting it—so if there is an ICE audit, damage can beminimized.

“When there is an ICE audit, a retail-er has three days to produce all I-9 formsfor all current employees—plus threeyears’ backlog,” Helppie said. “That’s anincredible challenge even for the mostorganized retailers.”

Digitizing I-9s also can be a safety netas identify theft increases, saidLawLogix’s Fay.

“Rather than having all this paper sit-ting around, getting lost and not managedproperly, why not get it all in one systemthat’s controlled and protected?” Fay said.“Even though the I-9 itself is one page, it’sidentity thieves’ most favored form. Think

ICE CRACKDOWN / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

about it: It’s got your name, date of birth,Social Security, driver’s license—all of thesensitive information you don’t want otherpeople to have. And many companiesdon’t realize they’ve got these sittingaround in unlocked cabinets.”

LawLogix’s paper-to-digital migra-tion system, Guardian, has built-in controlsthat marks who’s seen the form and whatchanges have been made. Once the infor-mation is verified, the originals can beshredded, Fay said.

“Most clients wind up doing that oncethey move forward into electronic forms,”Fay said.

Most systems, including LawLogixand JobApp, also have checks in place thatprotect the employer from going too farinto documenting an employee’s work sta-tus—something that ICE could consider asdiscrimination.

“Oftentimes, an employer is putbetween a rock and hard place,” Fay said.“What you have is the I-9 and 70 pages ofrules that are hard to follow. You haveantidiscrimination concerns. You cannotdiscriminate based upon citizenship statusor natural origin and an employer can gotoo far sometimes. Someone can be a legalpermanent resident with a green card andthe employer says, ‘I want you to show methree forms of identification,’ when the I-9calls for two. The Justice Department cancome after you for that.”

“There are a total of 185 potentialerrors on the I-9 form,” Helppie noted.

“With electronic checks of I-9s, it’salmost impossible to complete them incor-rectly,” Helpie added. “We can do a lot ofvery cool things with all of the advances inweb-based technology.” �

In addition, personal care and cleaningproducts, a fourth-measured industry,stabilized after a rare drop last year ascompanies seek the right combination ofquality and value to suit customers aim-ing to stretch their dollars.

Overall, consumers are upbeat abouttheir favorite soft drink brands, as theACSI score for the industry ticks up 1.2percent to 85 (on a 0 to 100 scale) andties electronics (televisions and discplayers) as the highest scoring among 47measured industries.

“A wide variety of product offerings,product reliability, low unit price, andminimal buyer switching costs keep cus-tomers highly satisfied with their softdrinks,” said Claes Fornell, ACSUFounder and author of “The SatisfiedCustomer: Winners and Losers in theBattle for Buyer Preference.” “Add tothis the fact that purchasing and consum-ing these products hardly requires anycustomer service assistance, and softdrinks come out on top.”

The industry’s score is strengthenedby small gains for the two cola giants—Coca-Cola and PepsiCo improve 1 per-cent each to share the lead at 85—as well

Customer SatisfactionContinued from Page 1

as a big boost for the category of smallerbrands (store brands plus labels such asFaygo and Shasta). Following last year’s7 percent plunge to 79, customer satis-faction with smaller brands bubbles up 5percent to 83. For Dr Pepper SnappleGroup, the opposite occurs—its scoresinks to 82, down 4 percent from anindustry-leading 85 in 2010. ACSI resultsshow that customers are becoming moresensitive to price at a time when the com-pany has raised prices.

Customer satisfaction with brew-eries is stable at 82 for a second year.This is lower than soft drinks, but stays ata very high level. Two years ago, theindustry hit a high point of 84, but a size-able downturn for market-share leaderAnheuser-Busch InBev dampened cus-tomer satisfaction overall in 2010.

This year, Miller grabs the lead at 84(plus 1 percent), edging out the aggregateof all smaller brands (Corona, Heineken,Samuel Adams and assorted microbrew-ery labels) at 83 (unchanged). A-B holdsalmost steady (minus 1 percent to 81),but anchors the low end along withMolson Coors (unchanged).

Customer satisfaction with tobaccoproducts picks up for a second consecu-tive year, rising 2.6 percent to an ACSIscore of 78. This year’s increase com-

pletes the cigarette industry’s recoveryfrom a sharp downturn in customer satis-faction reported two years ago by theACSI, when new tobacco taxes drove upretail prices.

“The quality of tobacco products hasnever been much of an issue for smok-ers,” comments Fornell. “Their satisfac-tion, instead, is highly tuned to changesin price, which is why the industry’sACSI score is the weakest among non-durables.”

Both major U.S. tobacco playersreap customer satisfaction rewards fromtheir ongoing emphasis on price promo-tions. Philip Morris emerges as the indus-try leader, up 4 percent to an ACSI scoreof 80—the company’s best in 16 years.Reynolds American makes progress aswell, up 3 percent to 77, but lags signifi-cantly behind Philip Morris.

The ACSI measures a wide array ofproducts for personal use in the home—from shampoo, soap and toothpaste todetergents and cleaning products. A yearafter declining for the first time since2004, the industry’s score holds steady at83. Former customer satisfaction stalwart,Clorox, is back on top in 2011, regainingthe lead in the personal care and cleaningproducts category at the superior level of88 (plus 2 percent). Trailing behind leader

fast pizzas with All Toppings No ExtraCharge, plus the Hunt Brothers Wings inSouthern Style and Hot ‘n Spicy flavors.Family owned and operated for over 40years and headquartered in Nashville,Tenn., the company provides all of the foodproducts, marketing programs, equipmentand training for convenience stores to oper-ate their own turnkey pizza program.

For more information, please visitwww.huntbrotherspizza.com. �

Hunt Brothers PizzaContinued from Page 6

M&M’s Racing Team with chances to wingreat prizes, including new cars and instant-win prizes, from January to November.

Marathon brand will be the OfficialEnergy Bar for the 2012 Rock ‘n’ RollMarathon Race Series, gaining brandexposure at 25 race events, reachingmore than 2 million consumers. �

Super Bowl ContestContinued from Page 10

Clorox, Colgate-Palmolive (minus 1 per-cent), Dial (plus 1 percent) and the aggre-gate of all smaller manufacturers (plus 2percent) are all tied at 84. �

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16 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

Mobile Wallet Payments at Gas Pump BringsNew Opportunities for Convenience RetailersGilbarco Veeder-Root’s Encore fuel dis-penser line now features mobile wallet pay-ments, which was demonstrated at thisyear’s National Association of ConvenienceStores Show. The company’s new technolo-gy is based on Near Field Communications(NFC) standards.

Mobile payments are expected to sig-nificantly alter the payment landscape in theU.S. Customers will experience unparalleledconvenience by accessing their credit, debit

and loyalty cards through mobile phoneapplications. Retailers will be able to pro-vide further value to consumers and drivecustomer loyalty and sales with enhancedloyalty programs, couponing and targetedpromotions and offers.

“Convenience stores and gas stationsrepresent a large market,” said JaymeeJohnson, head of marketing at Isis. “Isis andNFC will unlock new levels of functionalityto help retailers improve their businesses and

connect with consumers in new and excitingways.” Convenience store revenues accountfor more than 4 percent of the country’sGDP, according to the NACS.

“Google, Isis (a joint venture ofVerizon,AT&T and T-Mobile), PayPal, VISA andothers have announced plans to launchmobile wallet products,” said RichardBrowne, Gilbarco Veeder-Root’s VicePresident of Marketing for North America.“Adding the advantages of the mobile walletto both the forecourt and in-store point ofsale, positions convenience store retailers toenhance the consumer experience.”

Gilbarco Veeder-Root is the worldwide

technology leader for retail and commercialfueling operations. We offer the broadestrange of integrated solutions from the fore-court to the convenience store and headoffice. For almost 150 years, Gilbarco hasearned the trust of its customers by pro-viding long-term partnership, uncompro-mising support and proven reliability. Infact, we help manage the business andmaximize the bottom lines for 19 of thetop 20 convenience store operators in theU.S. Gilbarco Veeder-Root. Technologywith a human touch.

For more information, please visitwww.gilbarco.com. �

Sheetz Adds Blu E-CigsOne of the most-talked about products atthe NACS show was blu’s e-cigarettes.

Now, con-sumers can pur-chase their favorite

blu products in more than 400 Sheetzconvenience store locations throughoutPennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland,Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina.

Customers can choose from mentholand classic tobacco disposables, high-strength cartridges available in cherry,java, tobacco and menthol, and the prod-uct that started it all: the original bluStarter Kit, equipped with everything cus-tomers need for their first blu experience.

On the heels of a successful retailstore launch earlier this summer, e-ciga-rette company blu Cigs has expanded itsin-store presence via a partnership withSheetz.

“I’m very excited to be involved with

Customers may not know what a “bol-lard” is by name, but chances are, theyhave (or nearly have) run into one ofthem—and that’s not good for conven-ience stores.

So, what a great idea to cover up thoseugly, short veritical posts used at conven-ience stores, gas stations and other loca-tions with car and truck traffic and preventvehicles from bumping into property.

The idea is the brainchild of BruceLiebowitz, whose Post Guard productsbrighten traffic posts with good-looking,protective sleeves. Its high density poly-ethylene (HDPE) post covers fit easilyand securely over existing posts toimprove property appearance, visibilityand safety. While bollards direct trafficand protect areas from vehicle damage,bollard posts must be repainted frequent-ly. Bollard covers slip over steel pipes,steel poles and cement bollards toimprove appearance and eliminaterepainting and maintenance costs.

“We launched Post Guard bollardcovers in 2002 to be the most attractiveand well-priced product in the market.

Here in Motown (Detroit), we know afew things about cars and trucks andextreme weather conditions, so our prod-uct is very durable, too,” Liebowitz said.

Post Guard covers eliminate theneed for scraping and painting every sixto 12 months. The covers fit easily andsecurely over bollards and posts and areavailable in many fade-resistant colors incombination with highly reflective strip-ing. The colorful bollard covers also helpfood sales since customers like clean-looking stores.

It wasn’t surprising that Liebowitzfounded the company. In fact, he wasn’tsurprised at all.

Liebowitz’s father, Izzy Liebowitz,opened his first gas station in 1947 inDetroit’s busiest thoroughfare. Over thenext 44 years, he would successfullyown six more stations around Detroit andthe suburbs until he retired in 1991 andsold his last station.

Several years later, his youngest son,Bruce, who spent his boyhood working athis father’s business, found a photographof his dad standing at the pump in 1948.

The original photo had two ugly bollardsin front of the pumps.

“When I saw that picture, I knew Iwas destined to get into the bollard coverbusiness!” he said.

“Since this was our first year as anexhibitor at the NACS Show, I thoughtattendees would get a kick out of my con-nection to their business. So we magical-ly added a couple of our Post Guard bol-lard covers to the old photo and wemailed it out to folks who pre-registeredfor the show,” he said. “People alsosmiled when they saw the enlarged photoat our display booth. Over the years, ourproduct line expanded to include bol-lards, clearance bars, parking curbs speedbumps and rack and corner guards.”

Post Guard customers are impressedby our quality products, price and dedi-cation to personal service and customersatisfaction. It’s easy to see why PostGuard covers are an ideal solution at

thousands of sites, Liebowitz said.Post Guard is the first product by

Encore Commercial Products, Inc., basedin metro Detroit.

The company’s experience with carsand trucks and extreme weather condi-tions shaped its expertise with parkingproducts. Ever since Encore waslaunched in 2002, its goal has been tocreate top quality items that are attrac-tive, install easily and securely and payfor themselves with maintenance sav-ings, Liebowitz said.

After Post Guard, customers keptasking for more products, so Encorebegan developing and offering addi-tional quality products includingHeight Guard Clearance Bars, GuardPipe (steel bollards), bolt-down bol-lards, Media Bollard, Light PoleGuard, Gorilla Post, Park-It parkingcurb, Easy Rider Speed Bump andSafety Rider Mini Speed Hump.

These protection products can befound around banks, fast food restaurants,schools, hospitals, airports, gas stations,self-storage facilities, shopping centers,car washes, parking garages and virtuallyevery type of facility imaginable.

Post Guard products are offered inevery U.S. state plus Canada, Mexicoand Puerto Rico. To learn more aboutEncore and its products, please visitwww.postguard.com. �

Post Guard Helps Cover UpThose Unsightly BollardsPhotoshopped Print Draws Attention to Products at Company’s First NACS Show

Tea, Everyone? C-Store CustomersCrave It, Market Research SaysConvenience store customers continue tothirst for ready-to-drink tea, according to anew market research report byReportlinker.com, “Tea and Ready-to-Drink Tea in the U.S.”

Tea continues to be a star in the U.S.beverage market. Bolstered by con-sumers’ thirst for tea’s variety of flavorsand healthy qualities, tea has shownresilience in the economic downturn. Thecategory has experienced solid growth inthe last year, with double-digit gains fromrefrigerated tea.

This report takes a comprehensivelook at the retail market for packaged teain the U.S., with reference to foodservicetea trends for additional perspective. Thereport examines the factors driving growthin the category. Readers will learn aboutcritical merger and acquisition activitythat is changing the distribution landscapefor niche organic brands; the diverse range

of tea offerings; teas’ functional benefitsand the regulatory challenge in promotingthem; the embrace of tea by fast foodgiants, coffeehouses, specialty retailersand tea rooms; trends in new productclaims; purchasing patterns,demographicsand psychographics of the tea consumer;and the new ways in which tea marketersare connecting with customers, includingthrough social media and apps.

This report examines the U.S. marketfor ready-to-drink (RTD) tea, leaf (baggedand loose) tea, refrigerated tea and instanttea. The report segments and quantifies themarket by channel and product type, pro-viding historical sales figures and projec-tions through 2016. The report examinesmarket drivers and trends, retail sales-track-ing data from SymphonyIRI andSPINSscan, new product trends based ondata from Datamonitor’s Product LaunchAnalytics, and national consumer survey

data from Experian Simmons data, as wellas a proprietary consumer survey on bever-age and tea trends conducted by PackagedFacts. The report thoroughly maps out thecompetitive situation at the marketer andbrand levels, with detailed profiles ofAriZona, Bigelow, Celestial Seasonings,Coca-Cola (Gold Peak, Honest Tea andNestea), Lipton (from Unilever and thePepsi Lipton Partnership), McDonald’ssweet tea, Nestea, Snapple, Starbuck’sTazo, Teavana, Turkey Hill and others.

Retail channels covered includesupermarkets and grocery stores, conven-ience stores, supercenters/mass merchan-disers, warehouse clubs, drugstores, gour-met/specialty food stores, supplementchains, direct-sales channels including cat-alogs and Internet, and alternative channelssuch as department stores, kitchenwarestores and bookstores. Foodservice chan-nels include restaurants, coffeehouses, tearooms and tea retailers, cafés and bars andother foodservice establishments.

To order the report, please visitwww.reportlinker.com. � Continued on Page 18

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comments on what caught their eye: “Iwas surprised to see a lot of healthy food.I try not to eat junk―though I do fast foodonce in a while―and I found a lot of newstuff here.” “Make me smile.” “Fiveingredients or less, and you’ll definitelyget my attention.” “You want somethingthat’s easy to eat.” “Our schedules are full,we don’t have time to work out and some-times we skip breakfast.” “If you canthrow it in your backpack, that helps.”

Among the products that met thepanel’s approval was Hot Can, a self-heating can that delivers hotsoup or drinks in 30 secondsfrom opening―no waterrequired. (They tried itonstage and gave it thethumbs-up.) Other favoriteswere coconut water in a vari-ety of new flavors and shelf-stable soft croissants―alreadybaked so they could be eatenfrom the box. Technology andpackaging were also differen-tiators. One panelist pointedout blu e-cigarettes, which makes a ver-sion that lights up in the proximity ofanother person using a blu. Instant socialnetworking, no Internet required!

On-pack QR codes linking to videocontent are another way to get a secondglance from this audience, which

Sheetz since we are both sopassionate and dedicated toour brands. We complementeach other well,” said JasonHealy, President of blu Cigs.“I’m particularly excited tooffer the full line of blu products to Sheetz’sloyal customers, and pleased to drive evenmore traffic into their stores.”

“We chose blu because we saw first-hand the clear difference in quality betweentheir products and other ones in the e-cigmarket,” said Jerry Weger, director of coreproduct sales for Sheetz. “As a family-owned business, we’re incredibly selectiveabout the brands we choose. We went withblu because they’ve clearly captured con-sumers’ trust, so we feel confident we’redelivering a high quality product to ourfaithful customers.”

Blu Cigs mimic the experience ofsmoking, without the tar, ash, smell orsmoke—instead emitting a smoke-free“puff” that evaporates in seconds. In addi-tion to blu’s original products, consumerscan now purchase blu’s industry-leadingSmart Pack exclusively online. The packfeatures a bevy of tech-savvy enhancementsincluding a homing device to locate otherblu users, automatic cartridge re-orderingand longer lasting battery life and flavor.

For more information, please visitwww.sheetz.com and www.blucigs.com. �

SheetzContinued from Page 16

constantly carries Smartphones whenshopping and enjoys tweeting about theirnew discoveries. An audience membercommented, “These must be the threehealthiest teenagers in the world.” Whilethey may not yet represent the mass mar-ket of candy-loving young adult conven-ience store customers, like truetrendspotters, they show us where thatmass is headed.

Their wishes may yet come true. Asurprising number of both premium andhealthy food manufacturers were also atNACS, gauging interest forproducts not traditionally con-sidered part of the convenience

store assortment.Natural snackmaker

KIND was promoting itsgluten-free fruit and nutbars, which have an SRPof $1.99 compared tomass-market granola barSRPs below $1.

Cured meat producer Danieleexhibited picnic packs of premiumdeli meat, cheese andcrackers, presumablyaimed at the same cus-

tomers driving the upwardtrend in convenience storewine sales. You come in forsomething for the kids, butmaybe Mom, who’s tryingto eat healthy, needs a snacktoo, said a company representative. �

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w i t h i n t h e l a s t ye a r .

NACS TrendspottersContinued from Page 1

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new productso p e r a t i o n s

ConvenienceRETAILER 21November/December 2011

NCR Corporation has announced thatTully’s Coffee, a leading specialty coffeeretailer, has selected the NCR RealPOS70XRT point-of-sale (POS) workstations.This investment is part of Tully’s enter-prise technology initiative to improve thecheckout experience for customers andgain greater business insight into its storeoperations. NCR will also provide depotrepair services for Tully’s through its serv-ices organization.

Through this POS upgrade, Tully’scan decrease customer wait times throughfaster transaction speeds and an easy-to-use touchscreen cashier interface. ThePOS workstations will integrate withTully’s Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERPand LS Retail POSsoftware, providing theretailer greater insight into its day-to-daystore operations.

Tully’s chose NCR after a comprehen-sive competitive review, selecting theRealPOS 70XRT workstation due to itshigh serviceability, lower total-cost-of-

ownership (TCO) and component-baseddesign, which facilitates faster and simplerupgrades and service.

“The high degree of reliability, per-formance and serviceability of the NCRworkstation, combined with its depotmaintenance offering, provided the bestvalue for our investment,” said Tully’sChief Financial Officer, Cathy Campbell.“This implementation is a key milestone inour ongoing technology initiative toenhance the experience for our customersand drive operational excellence.”

“NCR looks forward to helpingTully’s advance its business goals throughthe superior value, innovative component-based design and lower total cost of own-ership of our solution,” added BillCampbell, vice president, Retail andHospitality, NCR. “We are delighted to bepart of Tully’s initiative to drive a superiorcustomer experience.”

Suited for both front-counter anddrive-thru service, the NCR RealPOS

70XRT reduces energy costs up to 50 per-cent over previous generation systems,thanks to energy efficient Intel processorsand a high-efficiency power supply. Theworkstation includes a reliable and brighttouchscreen interface with full-tilt capabil-ity to enhance cashier ease of use. An inte-grated biometric fingerprint reader is avail-able for secure and fast cashier login, man-ager overrides and other POS applications.NCR offers comprehensive depot servicesincluding standard return and repair aswell as advanced exchange. This providesa flexible and cost effective maintenancealternative to on-site maintenance andoffers a single point of accountability forrepair, shipment and inventory manage-ment.

For more information, please visitwww.ncr.com, follow on Twitter at@NCRCorporation, log on to Facebook atwww.facebook.com/ncrcorp, LinkedIn athttp://linkd.in/ncrgroup or YouTube atwww.youtube.com/user/ncrcorporation. �

Tully’s Coffee Selects NCR Point-of-Sale Technology

A new report, “Convenience Retailing2011: Market Drivers, Challenges andOpportunities,” provides an overview ofthe opportunities and challenges offeredby grocery convenience retailing. Itevaluates how convenience stores per-form in relation to competing channelsand analyzes the key strategies of majorglobal convenience store operators tomaintain growth, covering their mainformat innovations and their expansionpotential. It also gives insights intochanges in the product assortment ofconvenience stores and how theseimpact product manufacturers.

The “Convenience Retailing: MarketDrivers, Challenges and Opportunities”report’s global briefing offers an insightinto the size and shape of the retailingindustry, highlights emerging trends, itseffects on retailing in markets around theworld, on the development of channels

Research andMarkets OffersInsights IntoConvenienceRetailing Changes

New cashier workstations will help specialty coffee retailerenhance customer experience and improve operational efficiency

Continued on Page 22

Page 22: Convenience Retailer Nov/Dec 2011

22 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

o p e r a t i o n sDaniMer Scientific Aids Petroleum and Oil FieldIndustry in Pursuit of Environmental Preservation

MoneyGramInternational,Cumberland Farms to LaunchMoneyGram Xpress In-laneMoney TransferServiceMoneyGram International has signed anagreement with Massachusetts-basedCumberland Farms to launch the firstlocations of the MoneyGram Xpress serv-ice. This new in-lane money transfer serv-ice allows consumers to buy pre-pack-aged money transfers in $50, $100 and$200 denominations and redeem themonline or by telephone to complete thetransaction. Cumberland Farms hasalmost 600 convenience stores in 11states throughout New England, theNortheast and Florida.

“Cumberland Farms’ focus on con-venience and giving great customerservice mirrors the values ofMoneyGram,” said Stu Kiefer,MoneyGram Vice President of ProductManagement. “The company’s 50-yearhistory of providing its customers withquality products and services and itsnetwork of stores makes CumberlandFarms a perfect venue for ourMoneyGram Xpress service.”

Bob Skiba, InComm ExecutiveVice President, said the newMoneyGram Xpress prepaid moneytransfers allow consumers to pay for thetransfer amount and fees at the sametime as they make other retail purchas-es, and then actually make the transferwhen convenient for them—online orby phone. Consumers using the servicecan send money to any MoneyGramagent location around the world.

“MoneyGram Xpress broadensways to access money transfer services,and—for many consumers—assistswith time and money management,”Skiba said.

Cumberland Farms CategoryManager Mike Esposito said, “As thenewest agent for MoneyGram, we lookforward to marketing this safe, effi-cient, and cost-effective money transferservice to our loyal base of customers.We fully expect this innovativeMoneyGram Xpress service to appeal toour customers throughout the regionswhere we operate.”

Cumberland Farms is the first nation-al in-lane prepaid money transfers rolloutwith MoneyGram and its processing part-ner, Ceridian Stored Value Solutions. TheMoneyGram and SVS arrangement givesMoneyGram core processing capabilitiesin more than 40 countries, includingCanada, Hong Kong, Russia, the UnitedKingdom, the United States and countriesin the European Union. �

DaniMer Scientific, best known interna-tionally for biopolymers in the plasticsand resins industry, has moved into the oil field services sector through the development of a series of new biodegrad-able polymers that can be used in the oiland gas extraction process. DaniMer’sknowledge and expertise in the biopoly-mer field has made the firm a sought-aftermanufacturer of innovative, renewable-based polymers that are designed to createvalue from their ability to degrade naturally.

DaniMer’s production of abiodegradable coating to shield a sandcontrol screen is being used to preserve

the screen’s ability to function as designedafter it is inserted into an oil well. The nat-ural coating fully covers and protects thescreen while it is positioned in the welland then dissolves naturally as it isexposed to the elevated temperature andwet environment inside the well. Thebiodegradable coating’s dissolving effectleaves the filter clear and undamaged forthe purpose of separating sand from oil.

“The opportunity to aid the oil fieldindustry with the creation of a biopolymersand control screen coating has beeninventive and worthwhile. We are enthusi-astic about the prospect of expanding themarkets we serve in our mission to sup-

Environmentally friendly corporation uses biopolymers to aid oil services

Research and Market Offers InsightsContinued from Page 21

port renewable resources,” says BlakeLindsey, President of DaniMer Scientific.“This advancement has also led to ourdevelopment of additional biodegradableproducts that can be used in shale anddense rock oil extraction methods.”

DaniMer’s biodegradable productoffers oil and gas production companiesand companies who are involved in theoil and gas well service industry an opportunity to more efficiently extractoil and gas from the ground in a more cost efficient manner while at the sametime, assisting the industry in their continuous pursuit of reducing environmental impact. �

and consumers’ shopping patterns. Itidentifies the leading companies andbrands, offers strategic analysis of keyfactors influencing the market—be theythe developments of new store types, theimportance of non-store retailing, eco-nomic/lifestyle influences, private labelor pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how

the market is set to change and criteriafor success.

The report gives a detailed picture ofthe retailing market; pinpoints growthsectors and identifies factors drivingchange; gives insight to understand thecompetitive environment, the market’smajor players and leading brands; anduses five-year forecasts to assess how the

market is predicted to develop. Key topics include “Key Drivers of

Convenience Retailing,” “How DoConvenience Stores Fare Against OtherChannels?” and “Key Opportunities andThreats for Convenience Retailers.”

For more information, please visithttp://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6b8802/convenience_retail. �

lion or 43.2 percent of shrink. Dishonest employees were responsi-

ble for $41.65 billion or 35 percent ofshrink. Employee theft in North Americasurpassed shoplifting and was responsiblefor 44.1 percent of shrink. The averageamount admitted stolen by employeeswas more than eight times the averagestolen by shoplifters.

“Although there are commentatorswho view retail crime as a harmless orintriguing social phenomenon or simplyas a cost of doing business, this ignoresthe impact of criminal gangs, growinglevels of violence against employees andcustomers, and the links between retailcrime and drugs, fraud and extortion,”said Prof. Joshua Bamfield, Director ofthe Centre for Retail Research and authorof the study. “Moreover, retail crime onaverage cost families in the 43 countriessurveyed an extra $200 on their shoppingbill, up from $186 last year.

“The 2011 study also found thatwhile retailers increased their spendingon loss prevention and security by 5.6percent over 2010 to $28.3 billion global-ly, loss prevention equipment’s share oftotal loss prevention expenditures actual-ly declined slightly. This may be whyfewer thieves were apprehended global-ly,” he said.

“Of the top 50 global retailers whoresponded to the survey, the ones whichreported a decline in shrink from the previ-ous year did not construe loss preventionmerely as a matter of theft, but worked

ShopliftingContinued from Page 1

across their operations to systematicallycombat shoplifting, employee theft, ven-dor loss and administrative errors. Ninety-six percent of these retailers’ stores usedaudit programs to monitor the use of lossprevention policies and above all, theretailers increased their loss preventionspending almost twice as much as theglobal average,” Bamfield said.

The countries suffering the highestrate of shrink included India (2.38 percentof retail sales), Russia (1.74 percent) andMorocco (1.72 percent). The lowest ratesof shrink were found in Taiwan (0.91 per-cent), Hong Kong SAR (0.95 percent), andJapan and Austria (both 1.04 percent). TheU.S. rate was 1.59 percent.

Shrink varies according to businesstype, vertical market and country. In2011, some of the highest average shrinkrates were found in apparel/clothing andfashion/accessories (1.87 percent) fol-lowed by cosmetics/perfume/health &beauty/pharmacy (1.79 percent). Amongthe highest shrink items was cheese (3.09percent). Shrink for health and beautyitems such as mascara, eye liner and eyeshadow increased globally by 30 percentto 2.14 percent and outerwear shrinkincreased by 15.3 percent to 2.94 percent.Meanwhile, footwear shrink increased by1 percent to .99 percent globally.

“As global economic growth stalledin the past year, retailers did not increasecapital equipment expenditures at thesame rate as the rest of their loss preven-tion expenditures,” said Farrokh Abadi,President Shrink Management Solutions,Checkpoint Systems. “The result, unfor-tunately, may be seen in higher shrinknumbers. As illustrated by Professor

Bamfield, the retailers who most success-fully combated shrink last year investedjudiciously in comprehensive loss pre-vention solutions.”

Loss prevention solution is such ahot topic that the Retail Industry LeadersAssociation (RILA) welcomed a selectgroup of senior level asset protectionexecutvies, product manufactorers andrenouwned academic researchers to the2011 Asset Protection Leaders Council(APLC) meeting in Minneapolis inOctober to launch the APLC process-driven shrink initiative.

At the meeting, the Best Buy assetprotection team led a walk through of alocal store, highlighting Best Buys’ 360-degree approach to loss prevention. Theday’s events also included presentations byTarget’s asset protection team that focusedon the role of upstream partnerships andoperational excellence in driving downshrink and Dr. Mark Barratt of ArizonaState University’s W.P. Carey School ofBusiness, who challenged the currentviews on shrinkage and the approach mostcompanies adopt when trying to controlInventory Record Inaccuracy.

RILA members also attendedTarget’s Investigations Center for RILA’sCrimes Against Business Committeemeeting. Retailers slated to give presen-tations on a broad range of topics includeCVS, Lowes, Publix, Target, The HomeDepot and Walmart. Attendees also heardfrom a Florida prosecutor who has suc-cessfully prosecuted ORC cases usingthe RICO statute.

For more information on Checkpoint services, visit www.checkpointsystems.com. �

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DaniMer Scientific Aids Petroleum and Oil FieldIndustry in Pursuit of Environmental Preservation

Page 24: Convenience Retailer Nov/Dec 2011

D & S Car Wash Equipment Co.’s IQ Soft-TouchSmarter. Cleaner. Greener. The new, intelligent “IQ” Soft-Touch by D&S Car Wash Equipment Co. is astate-of-the-art, in-bay automatic. The industry’s first 3D vehicle profiling software produces a smart,efficient, and safe wash. A 3D computer scan captures each vehicle’s unique shape while “mapping”details including luggage racks and spoilers. The result is a custom wash for every vehicle—Hummersand Duallys included! The Invisible Treadle™ vehicle positioning system and voice announcer workflawlessly together to enhance the total customer experience. The Invisible Treadle produces theclean, “open bay” look that many consumers prefer. The voice announcer gently guides customers inand out of the wash bay. The 3D scan, coupled with contouring logic, translates into optimum force onevery surface. The top brush is 90 inches wide and has counter-rotating action to ensure top-of-vehi-cle coverage. When combined with brush counter-rotation and front and rear swapping side brushes,the IQ Soft-Touch produces a new standard of clean. The IQ Soft-Touch features Pro Gloss™ closed-cell foam brushes. Pro Gloss brushes produce a consistent, yet gentle contact with the vehicle surface.The Tire Cannon™ is a powerful wheel and tire cleaner! The innovative, heavy-duty scissor extenderfinds the center of the wheel. The extender device allows for optimal high pressure force applicationand complete coverage. The IQ is a completely new design. It is not just an “improved” version of oldertechnology. The IQ is built to be extremely efficient by optimizing pumps and motors in order to reducepower, water and chemical usage. Each and every movement is guided by VFD motor controllers. Fornoise reduction, inside the car and outside the bay, the IQ Soft-Touch is whisper quiet during a wash

cycle. You simply have to hear it to believe it! Plug and play installation. Low cost-of-ownership. Smarter, cleaner, greener.

D & S Car Wash Equipment Co.800-844-3442www.dscarwash.com

CarChip DataloggerCarChip is a “mechanic in a chip” that plugs into (no toolsrequired) any 1996 or later model vehicle sold in the U.S.CarChip is a datalogger, the size of a 9-volt battery that canrecord up to 300 hours of continuous driving data, track how thevehicle is performing and help owners diagnose on-the-roaddriving problems. Small business owners can use CarChip Fleetto track how their fleet of service vehicles is performing andbeing driven. CarChip can be used to reset the “check engine”light and will report the reason the light comes on through atrouble report using any standard PC. CarChip can be set usinga computer to record up to 23 different engine parametersusing the desktop software. CarChip costs $99.

Davis Instruments800-678-3669www.davisnet.com

Crunchies Food Co., LLCCrunchies Food Co., LLC, the leading producer of all-naturalfreeze-dried vegetable and fruit snacks, is announcing the newsingle-serving packaging for some of its most popularCrunchies® flavors. These individual-serving pouches of all-natural, freeze-dried fruit, otherwise known as the Munch Pak,are perfect for a snack on the go or to put right into a lunchboxas a healthy and tasty treat. They are available in six differentflavors: Strawberry, Mixed Fruit, Mango, Pear, Cinnamon Appleand Pineapple. Nutritious and delicious replacements for high-calorie sweets or chips, Crunchies contain no fat, cholesterol,sodium or added sugars. The convenient single-serving sizemakes fitting in the recommended five servings of fruit and veg-etables easy as crunch! Crunchies are made in the U.S. througha unique freeze-drying process in which individually frozenfruits are placed in a refrigerated vacuum chamber thatremoves up to 97 percent of the moisture. This special processgives Crunchies their crunchy texture and a great concentrat-ed flavor that explodes in your mouth. This process also allowsthem to retain a high percentage of the nutritious enzymes thatare invariably lost through traditional heat drying, makingCrunchies both a tasty and wholesome snack.

Crunchies888-997-1866www.crunchiesfood.com

Crunch Pak Disney Princess FoodlesCrunch Pak, the industry leader in fresh sliced apples, intro-duced to the October NACS Show an addition to its Disney-inspired Foodles line with a Disney Princess edition featuring acarriage-shaped tray. The portable snack that is fit for aprincess will feature packaging in the shape of a carriage andan assortment of nutritious snack food options includingapples, grapes, cheese and pretzels that meet the USDA’sdietary guidelines for children and Disney’s commitment tonutritional standards for better-for-you products. Foodleslaunched in the grocery, mass and convenience store channelsin 2011 with a Mickey Mouse-shaped tray; the addition ofDisney Princess themed will grow incremental sales in thefresh cut fruit snack category. In addition to the carriage-shaped tray, the Disney Princess-themed Foodles line byCrunch Pak will include favorite Disney Princess characterssuch as Ariel from “The Little Mermaid”; Aurora from “SleepingBeauty”; Belle from “Beauty and the Beast”; and Tiana from“The Princess and the Frog.” Disney Princess-themed Foodlesfrom Crunch Pak are available to retail customers nationwide.

Crunch Pak509-782-7753www.crunchpak.com

BUYERS GUIDEThis listing is compiled from a survey of products conducted by Convenience Retailer.

PRODUCTS FROM THE NACS SHOW

24 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

b u y e r s g u i d e

Amish Pie Co. Fry PiesAmish Fry Pies have all of the mouthwatering taste of an after-dinner pie condensed into a hand-held delicacy! These pastriesare deep-fried and sealed with a dripping glaze that containsyour preference of tasty filling: Blueberry, Peach, Cherry andApple. The Amish Fry Pies are very popular at concessionstand/sporting events, convenience stores and gourmet, spe-cialty food markets. The convenience of a slice of fruit-filled pie,held in your hand, makes it the ultimate grab-and-go food, attrac-tive to all of us living in this busy on-the-run lifestyle. Unlike somesnack pies made with a fruit flavored filling, Amish Fry Pies arepacked with only the best fruit; sweet pitted cherries swimmingin a sweet glaze, apples that are firm and crisp, the enchantmentof peach slices that pack a punch; and blueberries all but lost inthe dark richness of their flavor packed filling. A bite of theseirresistible pies can be like visiting a fresh farmers market inHolmes County’s Amish Country of Ohio. Made with only thefinest, quality ingredients, the Amish Fry Pies are a familyfavorite; that take you back to a simpler time.

Amish Pie Co.866-919-5956www.amishpie.com

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b u y e r s g u i d e

ConvenienceRETAILER 25November/December 2011

D&P Custom Lights & WiringFor companies interested in energy savings and the environment,D&P Custom Lights & Wiring Systems offers cost-efficient LED-litinterior signage for convenience stores, grocery stores and otherretail settings including mass merchandisers, discount stores, ware-house clubs and department stores. LED signs are available in vari-ous shapes, sizes, thicknesses, colors and configurations (including3D) to suit any need, and are completely customizable for each client.Their long life, durability, high-efficiency and reduced maintenanceneeds make them a cost-effective choice, with energy savings ofmore than 80 percent easily attainable. Using the latest design hard-ware and software, D&P’s staff of graphic designers works withretail clients to achieve just the right customized design for LED signsas well as standard seasonal, holiday and directional signs. All signs,including LED and conventional back-lit self-contained signs, aredelivered “ready-to-hang” with all necessary hardware included.

D&P Custom Lights & Wiring Systems, Inc.800-251-2200www.dandpcustomlights.com

DeMet’s Candy Co.’s FlipzLips love salty. Lips love sweet. Lips love the perfect salty-sweet combination that fits any snack occasion. DeMet’s freshbakes its own pretzels in an old-world brick oven and thensmothers them in delicious milk chocolate, decadent whitefudge, irresistible peanut butter and other favorite flavors. Ifyou’re licking your lips right now, it’s because Lips Love Flipz!DeMet’s Candy Co. takes great pride in making Flipz candy-coatedpretzels. Its fresh-baked brick-oven pretzels are crafted in the heartof Pennsylvania. Each golden pretzel is slow-baked to perfection andthen enrobed in one a delicious coating. DeMet’s dedication to high-quality ingredients and a traditional manufacturing process continues to make Flipz the No. 1 brand ofchocolate covered pretzels. Enjoy all the fabulous Flipz flavors: Milk Chocolate, White Fudge, DarkChocolate, Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter and Chocolate Swirl Yogurt. Now in the 2-ounce grab-and-gosize introduced at the recent NACS Show.

DeMet’s Candy Co.203-329-4555www.demetscandy.com

Just Born’s Mike and Ike RedRageousFor the second year in a row, candy maker Just Born haswon the non-chocolate candy category of Best NewProducts Award—this year for its new Mike and IkeRedRageous!—at the NACS Show (National Associationof Convenience Stores) in Chicago. Mike and IkeLemonade Blends won in 2010. RedRageous! is a sweetnew collection of Mike and Ike reds exploding withchewy fruit flavors, which include cherry, watermelon, raspberry, strawberry and fruit punch. Mike andIke Red Rageous! is packaged in a 6-ounce theater box, 2.12-ounce count goods bag, and .78-ouncechangemaker box. Just Born, Inc. is a privately-owned company founded in 1923 and headquartered inBethlehem, Pa., where it manufactures Peeps, Hot Tamales, Mike and Ike, Mike and Ike Zours andTeenee Beanee Brand Candies. All Just Born candies are made in the U.S.

Just Born, Inc.800-445-5787www.mikeandike.com

Monster Fly Trap’s FliesBeGone trapsFlies are dangerous. In addition to being carriers of filth, flies aid inthe transmission of over 65 harmful human diseases, includingtyphoid fever, dysentery, anthrax and tuberculosis.Unfortunately, pesticides used to control fly populations can often

be more dangerous than the insects themselves. Flies Be Gone, newto NACS this year, is more effective than pesticides in controlling flypopulations in these areas, without the dangers that pesticides canpose, and at only a fraction of the cost. Flies Be Gone traps flies out-doors using a safe, bio-degradable biomass bait (exclusive to FliesBe Gone). The bait in each trap is effective for up to four weeks andcan catch up to 20,000 flies, making it perfect for high-infestationareas. It is just as effective even for flies that have become pesticide resistant. Since they use naturalbiomass as a bait, Flies Be Gone traps are non-toxic and safe to use around humans and animals. Theyare completely self-sufficient, requiring no power source, and are disposable. Flies Be Gone has beena successful fly control method since 1981, and is used in 27 countries worldwide.

Combined Distributors, Inc. 866-359-3948www.pestwholesale.com

Partners’ Get Movin’ Cookies, CrackersGet Movin’ cookies and crackers from Partners, atasteful choice company, are perfect for healthyand delicious snacking on the go. Packed in color-ful, single-serving bags and available in seven fla-vors, these snacks are all-natural, preservative-free and contain no hydrogenated oils or artificialflavors. For the sweet tooth, Get Movin’ cookies areavailable in three scrumptious flavors: cinnamoncrisp, chocolate vanilla swirl and lightly lemon.Unlike most sugary treats, Get Movin’ cookies arelight and crispy and satisfy the sweet craving with-out the excess calories. They are delicious alone, but also complement ice cream, sorbet, tea and coffee.For the customer looking for a wholesome treat, Get Movin’ crackers are available in four savory flavors:roasted garlic & rosemary, olive oil & sea salt, four cheese and honey wheat. With less than 90 calories perbag, these crackers are excellent alone or are a great accompaniment to spreads, meats and cheeses.Get Movin’ cookies are packed in 1-ounce bags with a suggested retail price of $0.99 cents per bag.

Get Movin’ crackers are packed in 0.75-ounce bags with a suggested retail price of $0.89 per bag.

Partners800-632-7477www.partnerscrackers.com

Power Crunch™ Protein CookieTake award-winning taste, a crunchy texture and mix inhigh protein and low sugar and you have what industrybuyers call the right recipe for success. Kevin Lawrence, CEO of Irvine, Calif.-based BNRG,

will tell you his philosophy is much simpler: “The chal-lenge today is to offer nutritional snack products that notonly provide authentic and nutrition, but deliver a‘knockout taste’ that has consumers second-guessingthe nutritional validity. We hear this every day. Consumers continually comment to our sampling teams,‘There is no way that Power Crunch™ is good for you.’ If you can deliver a ‘candylike taste’ with a solidnutritional profile, you can have a hit in the nutritional bar business.” With more than 2,000 bar SKUs now on the market, the category has naturally segmented into sub-

categories ranging from bars designed to fuel athletic performance to products for nutritious snack-ing. In 2003, nutrition bar category sales figures skyrocketed to approximately $600 million, makingnutrition/energy bars the fastest-growing segment of the snack bar industry. Today, sales figures areapproaching the $2 billion mark.

BioNutritional Research Group, Inc. 714-427-6990www.bnrg.com

Twang’s Caliente 86 Hot Lime Beer Salt Introducing Caliente 86: a premium hot lime beer salt from Twang. In cel-ebration of Twang’s 25th anniversary, Caliente 86 is its boldest and mostunique profile yet! Caliente 86 could drive impulse purchases and giveyour business the boost you’ve been looking for. With eye-catchingpackaging and innovative merchandising options, paired with the uniquehot lime flavor that has just enough heat to make your beer scream andbeg for more, you will see your profits heat up.

Twang Partners, Ltd.210-477-2392www.twang.com

ZICO Premium Chocolate Coconut WaterZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water introduced its latest flavor addition andmost innovative to date, ZICO Chocolate. The first and only chocolate coconutwater on the market, ZICO Chocolate coconut water tastes amazing with only110 calories per 14-ounce bottle and has more than 30 percent less sugar thanfruit flavored coconut waters from other leading brands. As with all ZICO prod-ucts, ZICO Chocolate is an ideal choice for athletes and health conscious con-sumers as it is loaded with electrolytes for superior hydration and replenish-ment. According to BevNet, ZICO Chocolate has a very “addictive flavor” andwas awarded 4.5 out of 5 stars. They liked that the product’s package is “botheasily recognizable as a coconut water and a chocolate drink, giving it twoplaces that it can compete.” They also stated they enjoyed ZICO Chocolate“both for its innovative qualities and its high-quality execution of a tough flavormaneuver.” ZICO Chocolate is available in the brand’s resealable, recyclable,on-the-go bottles, making it easy to merchandise and easy to drink anytime,anywhere. As with all ZICO varieties, ZICO Chocolate can currently be found atnational retailers including Amazon, Target, Safeway and others.

ZICO Beverages LLC866-SAY-ZICO www.zico.com

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26 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

t o p t e c hOnline Advertising Lifts In-Store CPG Brand Sales, Studies ShowConsumers are paying attention to onlinedisplay ads and that’s translating into offlineretail sales, according to results from multi-ple studies released by comScore Inc.

The studies measured offline salesimpact of online display advetising for con-sumer packaged goods advertisers. Retailsales were measured by analytically linkingthe permission-based comScore panel of 1million U.S. Internet users to their anony-mous loyalty card in-store purchase dataprovided by dunnhumbyUSA; no identifi-able personal information was disclosed.

By comparing the in-store brand buy-ing of households exposed to online adver-tising with that of households not exposed, itwas possible to determine the impact ofonline advertising campaigns. The results ofthe studies indicate that exposure to onlinedisplay ads can lead to improved in-storesales for CPG brands.

“Effective advertising has always beenabout increasing awareness, favorability andpurchase intent in order to increase in-storeconversion,” said comScore Chairman GianFulgoni. “After several years of conductingadvertising effectiveness research for CPGbrands, we are learning how digital cam-paigns can lift sales in retail stores. It’s nowclear that online ad campaigns should be anintegral part of any CPG marketer’s inte-grated communications strategy.”

“The comScore dunnhumbyUSAresearch highlights the potential impact ofan integrated, customer-driven approachacross channels,” added Matthew Keylock,Senior Vice President, New BusinessDevelopment & Partnerships atdunnhumbyUSA. “With these results, weare one step closer to a more comprehensiveunderstanding of what motivates shoppers tobuy and how online advertising can play asignificant role along the path to purchase.”

An analysis of multiple CPG online adcampaigns that involved comparing theoffline buying of households exposed to

advertising with the buying behavior ofhouseholds who were not exposed revealeda median in-store sales lift of 21 percentamong the exposed households, with 5 outof every 6 campaigns generating a positivesales lift. Approximately 70 percent of cam-paigns generated a double-digit sales lift,and more than 40 percent generated lifts ofat least 30 percent.

ComScore also analyzed the offlinesales results of a limited set of ad effective-ness campaigns that leveraged a new adver-tising product called Microsoft CPG OnlineEffect. This solution uses sophisticated pre-dictive targeting algorithms powered byanonymous in-store buying data fromdunnhumbyUSA coupled with onlinebrowsing data from comScore. These target-ing algorithms are deployed by MicrosoftCorp. across its network of sites.

The results showed an in-store sales liftof 42 percent, double the lift from cam-paigns that were not targeted using thisapproach. These results demonstrate howtargeting algorithms can help improve effi-ciency and effectiveness in display ad deliv-ery, providing more relevant ads to con-sumers, improved ROI for advertisers andhigher CPMs for publishers. Dr PepperSnapple Group is one of more than 20 CPGadvertisers that has used this purchase-basedtargeting solution.

“Based on these results, the power ofpurchase-based ad targeting is clear,”Fulgoni said. “By delivering a relevant andpersuasive message to the appropriate con-sumer segment, brand buying at retail storescan be increased substantially. It’s clear thatthe level of accuracy in reaching a brand’sconsumer target that is possible with theInternet can drive ROI several times higherthan what can be obtained using traditionalmedia channels.” �

Eaton’s Highly Efficient 9E UPS DeliversSimple Power Management for Complex IT EnvironmentsDiversified industrial manufacturerEaton Corp. has launched the Eaton9E uninterruptible power system(UPS), a highly efficient backuppower device designed specificallywith the information technology (IT)manager in mind. Integrated withEaton’s award-winning IntelligentPower Manager software, the 9Edelivers affordable data center powermanagement in a small footprint.

The 9E’s sleek, compact towerconfiguration delivers superiorpower protection for expanding loads inspace-constrained data centers while oper-ating at up to 98 percent efficiency, makingit the most efficient UPS in its class. The 9Eis the first UPS in its class to offer internalbatteries up to 60 kVA, which saves signif-icant floor space when compared to exter-nal battery cabinets.

Further addressing the IT manager’sgrowing energy management and efficien-cy concerns, the 9E’s physical footprint isup to 35 percent smaller than competingmodels, which allows better space utiliza-tion for revenue-producing equipment andmaterials, in turn, saving costs to build,protect, insure, heat and cool the data cen-ter. The unit further curtails total cost ofownership by minimizing energy, space,installation and maintenance costs, offer-ing a potential lifetime savings of more

than $85,000.“The 9E UPS was created to

help IT managers, whether in asmall data center or complex ITenvironment, address typical datacenter problems head on,” saidLouis Pinkham, Vice Presidentand General Manager, CriticalPower Solutions, Eaton. “The 9Eprovides a simple solution forcommon data center concernssuch as return on investment,energy costs, remote management

and efficiency, so the user has more time tofocus on other mission critical operations.”

The 9E comes complete with Eaton’scomplimentary Intelligent Power Managersupervisory software, which allows quickand easy management and monitoring ofmultiple power devices across a networkfrom any personal computer with an inter-net browser. The 9E also boasts a range ofseamlessly integrated accessories to maxi-mize runtime options, meet unique loca-tion requirements and allow for planningexpansion. The 9E is accompanied bybest-in-class service and one year parts andlabor warranty with startup.

To learn more about and interact withthe new Eaton 9E, visit www.eaton.com/9E.To learn more about Eaton’s power qualityproducts and services, visitwww.eaton.com/powerquality. �

RedPrairie Demonstrates Continued Focuson Supply Chain in CloudRedPrairie Corp., a global supply chainand retail technology provider, hasannounced the launch of RedPrairie On-Demand Supply Chain, an operating busi-ness unit dedicated to delivering supplychain solutions in the cloud. As part of thecompany’s on-demand product roadmap,RedPrairie On-Demand Supply Chain willsupport advanced functionality for ware-house management (WMS) and trans-portation management (TMS) delivered inboth a single and multitenant model.

After acquiring on-demand WMSprovider SmartTurn and on-demand TMSprovider Shippers Commonwealth, Red-Prairie became the only provider to offer acomplete supply chain solution in the cloud.

According to Brian Schoenbaechler,General Manager of IntegraCore, a third-party logistics provider and RedPrairiecustomer, “Supply chain visibility is atthe heart of our client-driven business,and RedPrairie’s supply chain in thecloud has been our cornerstone. BecauseRedPrairie’s innovative thinking hasremoved the barriers tied to inaccessibledata, we’ve enhanced supply chain excel-lence with customers and prospects alike.Not only have we expanded our businessbecause of RedPrairie, but our clientshave benefited highly with better collabo-ration and accountability.”

RedPrairie offers supply-chain solu-tions that address the operations of any

supply chain operation, from the smallestfacility to the most complex shipping cen-ter, to the broadest supply network or dis-tribution chain. During its annual userconference RedShift earlier this year,RedPrairie announced its on-demandproduct strategy to its customers outliningits plans to support multitenancy for TMSand fully integrate its on-demand productportfolio. Phase 1 of the rollout of itsproduct roadmap, which includes the sup-port of multi-tenancy for TMS, will becompleted by the end of the year.

“RedPrairie is the only company thatcan offer a mix of solution functionality,delivery model and price that can accom-modate any business, no matter how big,small, simple or complex their supplychain operation may be,” said RedPrairiePresident of Global Operations DougBraun. “Whether you are looking for alow-cost solution to manage inventoryand shipments in a small warehouse, pro-duction facility or even a constructionyard, to a uniquely customized combina-tion of WMS and TMS to run multiplemega-DCs, the suite of on-demand soft-ware solutions complements RedPrairie’sability to address those needs.”

To learn more about how RedPrairiesolutions can optimize your inventory,improve employee productivity, orincrease sales, visit RedPrairie.com oremail [email protected]. �

Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc., abusiness of Emerson, has added a newapplication to its growing list of HVACRmobile resources. The HVACR FaultFinder™ mobile app provides on-sitecompressor troubleshooting for air condi-tioning and refrigeration systems.

The app allows contractors to easilyaccess product specifications for com-pressor electronics products, along withthe ability to interface with and diagnosethe system. Contractors can choose toenter the flashing “alert” code from theelectronics module or use a tap feature tohelp identify the code, gaining themaccess to troubleshooting tips as well asan interactive flow chart to aid in diagnos-ing system problems.

HVACR Fault Finder offers a

number of features designed to help con-tractors use their smart phones as a toolto quickly identify and address systemissues. The app includes both interactivetroubleshooting tools like LED descrip-tions and module alert code status, plusresources including electronic productmanuals, videos and application engi-neering guides. The app provides valu-able information for diagnosing andtreating fault codes in HVACR equip-ment, including systems with technologysuch as Comfort Alert, CoreSense tech-nology and the Copeland Scroll DigitalController.

Information on this and other EmersonClimate smart phone apps is available athttp://www.emersonClimate.com/mobileapps. �

New Mobile App From Emerson ClimateTechnologies Helps HVACR ContractorsDiagnose System Problems

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product features

28 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

Award-winning healthy olive snacksOloves are ideal for convenience storeoperators who are interested in healthy,nutritious alternatives to their currentmix of food and snacks. Suitable for veg-ans and vegetarians, kosher approved andwith an 18-month shelf life, Oloves haveproved popular in travel catering and arestocked on several airlines, too. Each 30-gram, liquid-free, foil-fresh pack con-tains 12 to 14 naturally tasty pittedolives. They are available in two flavors:Tasty Mediterranean and Light HeartedVinaigrette. Two new flavors—LemonyLover and Hot Chili Mama—will beavailable soon.

[email protected]

The unique combination of half tea andhalf lemonade was made famous by leg-endary golfer Arnold Palmer. His name-sake beverage is now available in a“spiked” version: Arnold Palmer Hard.Arnold Palmer Hard is a malt beverage,produced by the Mississippi Brewing Co.and distributed by Hornell BrewingCompany, parent company of AriZonaBeverages. It is made with AriZonabrand iced tea and lemonade and containsfive percent alcohol by volume.Launching in 24 oz. cans from Rexam,this refreshing, non-carbonated beveragehas 110 calories per 8 oz. serving. ArnoldPalmer Hard is available in Arizona,Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky,Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, NewMexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio,Oregon and Pennsylvania and will con-tinue to roll out nationally.

Hornell Brewing Co.800-832-3775

Dole Fruit Smoothie Shakers can helpAmericans balance their calorie intakeand follow the 2010 Dietary Guidelines,which encourage eating more healthyfoods like fruits and vegetables, and con-suming less sodium, saturated and transfats, and added sugars. Plus, real yogurtcontaining the benefits or pre- and probi-otics (live and active cultures) in DoleFruit Smoothie Shakers provides addi-tional nutritious value. Dole FruitSmoothie Shakers are available now inthe frozen aisle of select retail outlets andselect Wal-Mart stores, and will be avail-able at major food and mass retail outletsnationwide in April. Suggested retailprice is $2.19.

Dole Food Co., Inc.800-356-3111www.dole.com

28

The integrated pay-at-the-pump platformof Gilbarco Veeder-Root’s Encore 700 Sfuel dispenser line, which was unveiled atthe NACS show, is EMV and PaymentCard Industry Unattended PaymentTerminal (PCI-UPT) certified and offersa rich multimedia platform, enhancedsecurity and mobile payment ready tech-nology. Gilbarco Veeder-Root has the c-store industry’s largest population ofEMV-compliant pay points. The compa-ny was first to market with EMV-compli-ant dispensers for Canada, installing over90 percent of compliant dispensers. Thecompany was also first to market withmodular PCI-compliant Encrypting PINPads and Secure Card Readers for fueldispensers in the U.S. and is recognizedglobally as a leader in fueling paymenttechnology. Enhanced multimedia per-formance means Encore 700 S workswith Gilbarco’s Applause Media Systemto implement forecourt merchandising toboost in-store sales and customer loyalty.The product is available with larger 10.4-inch color screens to also run ApplauseTV with Outcast.

Gilbarco Veeder-Root336-547-5607www.gilbarco.com

Convenience store cashiers may notremember their customers by name orrecall their favorite soft drinks, but fueldispensers soon will—thanks to theenhancements announced today by theindustry’s leading forecourt merchandis-ing provider, Gilbarco Veeder-Root. Thecompany’s Applause™ Media Systemand Applause™ TV with Outcast willhelp retailers differentiate themselves bypersonalizing the customerexperience–and boost site profits by tai-loring content, promotions, and on-demand coupons based upon loyalty sta-tus and purchase history. Using theApplause loyalty interface, the POS-independent solution will also allowretailers to easily combine mobilecouponing and social media promotionsdirectly from the pump. Gilbarco Veeder-Root is partnering with top loyaltyproviders Excentus, Kickback Points andOutsite Networks to design a genericinterface to allow retailers to work withtheir preferred loyalty partner. GilbarcoVeeder-Root will offer retailers this newfunctionality through the Applause digi-tal media platform, which utilizes largecolor screens integrated in the dispenserto drive customer loyalty and in-storesales.

Gilbarco Veeder-Root336-547-5607www.gilbarco.com

Finally, a petroleum piping solutionthat’s as healthy for your bottom line as itis for the environment. Introducing a rev-olutionary new product in petroleum pip-ing—DoubleTrac from OmegaFlex. Thisenvironmentally friendly flexible petro-leum piping system offers a zero perme-ation double wall system that is listedunder UL 971A and because it is flexible,it makes it the easiest product to install.DoubleTrac has zero permeation, makingit an industry leader in safety and is themost cost effective solution for under-ground storage tank systems for all fuelapplications. The DoubleTrac systempassed Praxair’s Tracer Tight, CGRS iotaVaporTite V005 and Leak Technologies’MDleak test methods. The MDleak testresulted in a tightness leak rate standardof 0.000001 gph. This rate exceedsCalifornia’s leak rate by 1,000 times.DoubleTrac gives the owner and installera highly reliable system while providingthe most cost effective solution to theindustry—resulting in a petroleum pipingsolution as healthy for your bottom lineas it is for the environment.

OMEGAFLEX INC. 800-355-1039 www.doubletrac.net

Franklin Fueling Systems is pleased tointroduce the latest addition to its line ofXP Pipe fittings with the release of newXP Quick Release Fittings. XP QuickRelease Fittings bring a new level of easeto XP pipe installation and servicing.These installer-friendly fittings combinethe clamping system found on the origi-nal XP clamshell fittings with the capa-bility to connect seamlessly to flex con-nectors utilizing the connector’s clampand gasket. Installations are made easierthan ever with the removal of additionalthreaded connections. The flange andclamp also allow for quick disconnectionof the pipe from a submersible pump foreasy servicing.

Franklin Fueling Systems608-838-8786www.franklinfueling.com

PT Coupling’s Secure-Lok™ features anew cam-and-groove locking system thatsecures your couplings and prevents tam-pering of cam groove couplings and theftof media. Secure-Lok can be used forpollution prevention, as it improves thecurrent industry method of securing thecoupling with tape or wire, can be usedfor lockout/tagout system and preventsremoval of coupler cam pins by conceal-ing the coupler cam pin area. Made of 12gauge 316 stainless steel for strength andcorrosion resistance, it’s designed to fitmost brands and configurations of cam-and-groove couplings. Secure-Lok fea-tures a welded hinge pin for added tamp-er resistance and comes with additionallugs used for lanyard or ID tags. Secure-Lok™, which is made in the U.S., nowavailable in 2, 3 and 4 inches.

PT Secure-Lok800-654-0320www.ptcoupling.com

Page 29: Convenience Retailer Nov/Dec 2011

CandyRific announces M&M’S BrandRockstars, an entertaining new line ofcandy novelties that make beautifulmusic beginning Jan. 1. Prior to takingthe stage with Rockstars, CandyRific andM&M’S Brand have teamed up with sea-sonal items and the hot-selling “StarWars” novelties featuring the M&M’SCharacters. Rockstars are sure to be a hitwith music and candy lovers of all ages.These entertaining novelties are availablein two choices—Red playing the guitarand Blue playing saxophone. EachRockstar plays music and contains aFUN SIZE (.53 oz.) bag of M&M’SBrand Chocolate Candies in the base.Suggested retail price is $5.99; wholesaleprice is $3.89.

CandyRific502-893-3626 www.candyrific.com

new productsproduct fea tures

ConvenienceRETAILER 29November/December 2011

LifeAID Beverage Co. has announced thelaunch of GolferAID, an innovative newentry in the functional beverage category.GolferAID contains 2,691 mg of activeingredients in the form of vitamins andsupplements targeted at enhancing thearray of functions required while playinga round of golf—power, focus, balance,endurance and flexibility.

Today’s golfers are more educated,demanding and health conscious thanever before, and the GolferAID teambelieves their golf drink is at the forefrontof the golf fitness movement. Developedby doctors, GolferAID is 100 percent nat-ural and contains no artificial sweeteners,HFCS, artificial colors, or caffeine. Each12-ounce can contains a mere 45 caloriesand only nine grams of sugar from itssweetener—organic blue agave.

“GolferAID is not another energydrink or a one-size-fits-all sports drink,”says company Co-Founder and CEOOrion Melehan. “Our effective golf bev-erage has been designed for one missiononly: to improve golf performance fromthe inside out. It is a new type of golf aid,one that happens to be in liquid form.From your golf swing to putting and eventhe enhancement of mental performance,regular consumption of our golf drinkmay be the best golf tip you’ll ever get.Some players live for the game. Wellthose who are on a steady golf diet nowhave a unique beverage to call theirown.”

LifeAID intends to improve golf inanother way as well. Charitable givingplays a large part in LifeAID’s corporatephilosophy. Five percent of the compa-ny’s net profits from the golf beverage areearmarked for charitable giving whichalign with its corporate mission—to aidthe body, aid the causes and aid the life ofits customers.

LifeAID Beverage Co.888-558-1113www.golferaid.comYummyEarth, the No. 1 organic candy

company in the U.S., has launched a newline of all-natural candy, YumEarthNaturals. The line premieres withYumEarth Naturals Sour Beans, nowavailable and in time for bunny season.Fantastic tasting candy made with all-nat-ural ingredients, YumEarth Naturals con-tains no artificial colors or flavors and nomajor allergens such as gluten, nuts anddairy. The launch of YumEarth NaturalsSour Beans celebrates YummyEarth’snewest flavor: Perfectly Peach, the 22ndvariety of fabulous and award-winning fla-vors, including Pomegranate Pucker, Wet-Face Watermelon and Too BerryBlueberry. YumEarth Naturals Sour Beanscomes in mouth-watering sour flavors:Perfectly Peach, Pomegranate Pucker andMango Tango.

YummyEarth201-857-8489 www.yummyearth.com

The makers of Johnnie Walker announcethe launch of Johnnie Walker DoubleBlack, a new limited edition Scotchwhisky debuting in the U.S. Imagineyour favorite song; now turn up the vol-ume. Double Black amplifies the signa-ture style of Black Label, including itshallmark smokey flavor, to produce abold blend of extraordinary depth, rich-ness and character.

Johnnie Walker Black Label haswithstood the test of time. Over the past100 years, this iconic brand has grownfrom a grocer’s blend to a whiskyenjoyed around the world. Year afteryear, the liquid inside a bottle of BlackLabel honors the legacy of its creators.The heart of the whisky is the pioneeringspirit of innovation passed down by JohnWalker and his sons, and Double Black isthe product of this legacy.

By reaching deep into some of theHouse of Walker’s most distinctive—andunparalleled—single malts reserves,Master Blender Jim Beveridge has creat-ed a powerful whisky that stands tallwhen placed shoulder to shoulder againstits brethren blends and stands apart fromall other whiskies on the market. Richpeaty single malts are combined withwhiskies matured in deeply charred oakbarrels. The result is a powerful intensityof flavor that is undeniably JohnnieWalker, and undoubtedly drawn from thesignature style of Black Label.

Johnnie Walker Double Black has asuggested retail price of $40. The limitedsupply is expected to last just until theholiday season.

Johnnie Walkerwww.johnniewalker.com

Slim-Fast, the weight-loss brand that hashelped millions of people experience“wow” moments for more than threedecades, has announced a makeover of itsown. Slim-Fast is introducing the brand’srichest, creamiest and best-tasting shakesever in new, convenient on-the-go bottles.

A recent taste test conducted by Slim-Fast revealed that both current and non-Slim-Fast users prefer the taste of the new,bottled shakes to the brand’s cannedshakes. Slim-Fast’s balanced and provenapproach to weight loss is supported bymore than 45 published, clinical studies.The all-new Slim-Fast shakes are part ofthe Slim-Fast 3•2•1 Plan and product line, aproven method to meet weight-loss goalsquickly, conveniently and safely. The planincludes three snacks, two shakes or mealreplacements bars and one nutritious, bal-anced, 500-calorie meal of your choice.

Flavors of the new Slim-Fast shakesinclude: Creamy Milk Chocolate, FrenchVanilla, Rich Chocolate Royale,Cappuccino Delight and Strawberries N’Cream. The new 10-ounce bottles will besold in packs of four, eight and 20 and arelighter, re-closable and more versatile thanthe previous Slim-Fast canned shakes—making it easier to reach weight-loss goalsanytime and anywhere. Suggested retailprice is $6.49 for a four-pack, $11.99 for aneight-pack and $22.49 for a 20-pack.

Unilever U.S.www.unileverusa.com

Supporting your immune system just got awhole lot easier: Introducing convenientand great-tasting new chewable tabletsfrom Airborne Inc. (Airborne), the makerof innovative immune support supple-ments. Available in berry and citrus fla-vors, new Airborne Chewables can be con-sumed on-the-go. Just pop them in yourmouth. No water needed. It’s that easy.

“Your immune system’s got a big jobto do and supporting it is now even moreconvenient thanks to Airborne Chewabletablets,” said Airborne spokesman, theAirborne Guy. “We’ve packed our samegreat formula with a powerful blend of14 vitamins, minerals and herbs—includ-ing Zinc, Echinacea, Ginger and a blastof vitamin C—into great-tasting, easy-to-chew tablets.”

In scientific studies and medicaljournals, the key ingredients in Airborneproducts have been shown to help supporta healthy immune system. One AirborneChewable tablet provides a blast of vita-min C—as much vitamin C as in three 8-ounce glasses of orange juice.

In addition to new chewable tablets,Airborne immune support supplementsare available in original effervescenttablets which, when dissolved in water,offer fast-acting absorption, and areavailable in Zesty Orange, Lemon Lime,Pink Grapefruit and Very Berry flavors;and on-the-go powder packets.

Airborne Chewables are sold in 32count bottles at drug, grocery, club andmass merchants nationwide. The retailprice is $6.99. Airborne chewable tabletsare free of caffeine, wheat, gluten andlactose. One to four tablets can be takenat a time, not to exceed 12 tablets daily.Airborne products are for adults and chil-dren ages 12 and older.

AIRBORNEwww.airbornehealth.com

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30 ConvenienceRETAILER November/December 2011

c a l e n d a r/

FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY

/UPCOMINGEVENTSWHEN WHAT WHERE WEBSITE

NOVEMBER 2011

November 6-9 Retalix Synergy 2011 Conference & Expo Dallas, TX http://retalix.com/synergy.cfm

November 7-9 Retail Law Conference 2011 Chicago http://www.rila.org/events/conferences/retaillaw/Pages/default.aspx

November 8-9 Kosherfest Secaucus, NJ www.kosherfest.com

DECEMBER

December 5-6 International Council of Shopping Centers New York Conference Hilton New York, NYC www.icsc.org

JANUARY 2012

January 2-6 Promotional Products Association International Expo Mandalay Bay Convention Center,Las Vegas

theppaiexpo.com

January 15-18 NRF 101st Annual Convention & Expo Javits Convention Center, NYC http://events.nrf.com/annual2012/Public/MainHall.aspx?ID=11628

January 23-26 Vision 2010 Consumer Products Conference Hotel Inter-Continental, New Orleans www.inda.org

January 26-28 OASIS Gift Show Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, AZ

www.oasis.org

FEBRUARY

February 12-15 NGA Show Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas www.thengashow.com

February 15-17 AWMA Show - The Convenience Distributor Conference & Expo Paris Hotel, Las Vegas www.awmashow.com

February 18-22 NATSO Show Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas www.natsoshow.org

February 21-23 Western Petroleum Marketers Association National Convention & Convenience Store Expo

Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas www.wpma.com/national-convention

February 24-25 PACE 2012 Kansas City Convention Center,Kansas City, MO

www.paceshow.com

February 29 - March 1 Southeast Petro-Food Marketing Expo Myrtle Beach Convention Center,Myrtle Beach, FL

www.sepetro.org

MARCH

March 4-7 Refrigerated Foods Association Annual Conference & Tabletop Display La Quinta Resort and Club, PalmSprings, CA

www.refrigeratedfoods.org

March 8-11 Natural Products Expo West Anaheim Convention Center,Anaheim, CA

www.expowest.com/ew12/public/enter.aspx

March 13-15 Midwest Petroleum and Convenience Tradeshow Indiana Convention Center,Indianapolis, IN

www.m-pact.org

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