September/October 2010 - Oser Communications Group

ConvenienceRETAILER
Volume 3, Number 5
THE NACS PRESHOW ISSUE
September/October 2010
LEGAL STATUS OF
E-CIGARETTES TO BE
SETTLED BY COURT
By Justyn Dillingham
If you see someone puffing on a small
white stick next to a “No Smoking” sign,
sniff the air before you complain. If you
don’t smell anything, you could be in the
presence of what some people are calling
the key to the future of the smoking
industry–an electronic cigarette.
They’re also the subject of the industry’s latest legal battle. The Food and
Drug Administration began confiscating
e-cigarette imports in 2008, contending
that they were being sold as unapproved
devices to help people quit smoking. A
federal judge halted those efforts in
January, ruling that e-cigarettes are a
recreational tobacco product that ought
to be treated no differently than traditional cigarettes. The debate centers on
whether e-cigarettes are primarily a medical device (and thus subject to FDA regulation) or a tobacco product.
The U.S. Court of Appeals is set to
take up the case in September, and the verdict could determine whether e-cigarettes
Continued on Page 46
SWEET & SAVORY
TREND SPARKS NEW
CONFECTIONS FROM
MARS CHOCOLATE
NORTH AMERICA
M&M’S® Pretzel Chocolate Candies and
SNICKERS® Brand Peanut Butter Squared
new products
Flies Be Gone
Luciano Smokes Inc.
Quaker Oats Company
Resfab Equipment Inc.
SandenVendo America Inc.
Tropicana Products Inc.
NACS 2010 SHOW
PRODUCT PREVIEW
SEE PAGE 38
It’s the age-old dilemma when you’re at
your hungriest—salty or sweet. But now,
consumers don’t have to choose, according to research from the National
Confectioners Association (NCA), which
shows combined sweet and salty snacks
are increasing in popularity.
First, the startling statistics:
Chocolate sales increased 4 percent from
mid-May 2009 to May 2010, according to
the NCA. The salty snack category, meanwhile, is growing at an even higher rate:
more than 15 percent from 2007 to 2009,
according to Mintel market intelligence.
In response to this trend, Mars
Chocolate North America has added two
new treats for the C-Store channel that
combine real milk chocolate with savory
fillings: M&M’S® Pretzel Chocolate
Candies and SNICKERS® Brand Peanut
Continued on Page 46
contents
september/october 10
38
19
10 news briefs
38 show preview
46 top news
53 new products
ConvenienceRETAILER
Lee M. Oser
CEO and Editor-in-Chief
Steve Cox
Kate Seymour
Senior Associate Publishers
Kim Forrester
Kerry Roberts
Associate Publishers
Paul Harris
Bill Morris
Account Executives
27
Lorrie Baumann
Editorial Director
Justyn Dillingham
Editor
Valerie Wilson
Art Director
Yasmine Brown
38
Graphic Designer
Renee Meyerhofer
Circulation Manager
Enrico Cecchi
European Sales
53
Convenience Retailer is published by
Oser Communications Group ©2010.
All rights reserved.
BPA Worldwide Member since June 22, 2009.
Executive and editorial offices at:
1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715
520-721-1300/Fax: 520-721-6300
www.oser.com/www.convenienceretailer.net
European offices located at
Lungarno Benvenuto
Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy.
news briefs
CHILL DRINKS BRINGS SOMETHING
NEW AND DIFFERENT TO
THE CONSUMER
By Marc Lewin, Chill Drinks LLC
Chill Drinks LLC is a new hemp beverage company. Our line of hemp-infused
beverages brings something new and different to the consumer. The energy drink,
which arrived in the United States four
months ago, is made from a blend of vitamins including B12 and hemp seed
extract to give CHILLO its unique flavor
and energy boosting affect. C+SWISS is
an aromatic, hemp-infused, all-natural,
ice tea featuring environmentally
friendly packaging.
Having launched in Austria in late
2009, CHILLO has already spread to
many European countries, and is set to
sweep the American market this year.
This past June, in CHILLO’s first
couple months, we set up a booth at the
Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester,
Tenn. Over four days we sold thousands
of cans to young kids from all over the
USA who came to hear some of their
favorite bands at the biggest music and
arts festival of the year. The response was
overwhelming; everybody loved us. Not
a bad way to start our show!
Since then CHILLO’s been selling in
many stores across the South Florida
BAERO LIGHTING OFFERS
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
When you begin planning your next
store, BAERO North America, Inc. can
provide lighting that is both visually
appealing and incredibly energy efficient. Green design does not have to
mean sacrifice anymore.
Combining cutting-edge lighting
10
ConvenienceRETAILER
September/October 2010
technologies with exquisitely designed
luminaires such as the Canopus Batwing,
St. Louis-based BAERO North America,
Inc. can truly offer C-Store owners the best
in lighting quality and energy efficiency.
For over five decades, BAERO has
been the European market leader in fresh
market and is beginning to ship out to
other states as well. In 90 days we expect
to launch our C+SWISS Hemp-Infused
Ice Tea, as well as a CHILLO sugarfree version.
CHILLO offers a new option to a
demographic who has been forced to
accept energy drinks that taste like medicine for years. Remixing the ordinary is
what CHILLO is all about. Our marketing is geared towards lifting the everyday
moments and putting a little spin on the
tired daily routine. Other energy drinks
appeal to the wild stuntman or the crazy
daredevil. CHILLO likes you just the
way you are, no strings attached.
The CHILLO marketing strategy is
designed to remix the ordinary by adding
a little random and quirky fun. By asking
our energy drinkers, “How do you
CHILLO?” we invite them to partake in
the brand and help create our identity, not
subscribe to a pre-written stereotype
“adrenaline junkie.”
Anything and everything you want to
do, you can. No one is stopping you from
mixing it up a little. And CHILLO is the
proud participant with you, the energy
drinker. Everything is what you make of it
and nothing has to be the way everyone
says it is. It’s all about how you remix.
C+SWISS is our all-natural,
hemp-infused ice tea with not only
great flavor, but also a great aroma—
an attribute most beverages can’t
match. Our eco-friendly green packaging not only locks in the flavor and
aroma at its best, but promotes the
“GREEN” mentality behind the tea as
well as the CHILL DRINKS, LLC line
of hemp-based beverages.
For more information, call 303-4709663, visit drinkCHILLO.com or stop by
booth 6616.
food and food service lighting. In 2006,
BAERO North America, Inc. introduced
the same German-engineered luminaires
and lamps to the United States and
Canada. BAERO is unique in that its
entire product line has been designed
with the challenges of market lighting
foremost in the minds of our engineers.
Reflectors designed to match rectangular
cases or aisle shelving, filters expressly
manufactured to keep product fresh,
lamps that provide optimum product
display, and fixtures with state-of-the-art
electronic ballasts all work seamlessly
together to provide unmatched product
illumination and cost performance.
North America is just beginning to
take advantage of BAERO’s innovative
lighting products that Europe discovered
years ago. Indeed, BAERO’s patented
Batwing reflector technology was
recently featured in the NACS Green
Continued on Page 14
news briefs
SPOT ON ENERGY NETS CIRCLE K
FOR 4,000 STORES
Retail placement is everything for a
new brand.
Spot On Energy™ announced August
31 an agreement to be placed in 4,000
Circle K convenience stores by the end
of 2010. Point of sale placement provides outstanding opportunity for consumers to see and purchase a new item.
Spot On Energy patches are newly
released to the retail market. Many
health-conscious adults need extra
energy to survive their hectic
lifestyles. Energy drinks, with massive
amounts of preservatives, sugar and
calories, come with unwanted side
effects. Stomach problems and nervous
jitters are avoided when you avoid the
digestive tract by using a patch.
The combination of favorite energy
ingredients and the patch application
provides the benefits of increased
RAPPER SNOOP DOGG TOUCHES
DOWN ON FOURTH 7-ELEVEN ‘COFFEE
CUP WITH A CAUSE’ BENEFITING
INNER-CITY FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Snoop Youth Football League To Score
Proceeds Of Next ‘Cup With A Cause’
7-Eleven Inc. has scored Snoop Dogg, a
global superstar, as the fourth designer in
their charitable “Coffee Cup With A
Cause” program. Proceeds from Snoop’s
cup will benefit the Snoop Youth Football
League (SYFL), a Los Angeles-based
football club founded by the entertainer
himself six years ago to help inner-city
kids spend their free time in a healthy,
safe environment.
Snoop fans who want to support the
SYFL can head into any participating
7-Eleven® store across the U.S. to purchase his signature cup, on sale from
Sept. 1 through Oct. 18 or while supplies
energy with sustained release for an
optimal boost without negative effects.
Spot On Energy is available in
many retail outlets, independent pharmacies, convenience stores and
Internet stores nationwide, including
Amazon.com, Costco.com, Kroger and
Valero Corner Stores.
“Circle K adds to the strong retail
foundation for the Spot On Brand. We
are thrilled to be joining this outstanding
retailer,” said Brenda Stoner, CoFounder of Spot On Energy. Circle K is
placing Spot On Energy in a new energy
display being deployed in their stores.
The product will be merchandised by
Acosta Sales and Marketing.
last. 7-Eleven guarantees a $250,000 minimum donation to SYFL, but the support
could increase depending on the number
of cups sold. Consumers can increase the
contribution by purchasing the cup.
To celebrate 7-Eleven’s donation
and the launch of his cup, Snoop will
make a special announcement at the
beginning of his SYFL team’s practice.
The kids of the SYFL program—the true
beneficiaries of the donation–will learn
firsthand about the program and associated donation, as well as get to be one of
the first to get their hands on one of the
Snoop-designed 7-Eleven cups.
“We’ve been running this league for
six years now with more than 3,500 kids
participating in that time, but our partnership with 7-Eleven’s ‘Coffee Cup with A
Cause’ program is huge for us,” Snoop said.
“It means many good things are in store for
the players, and the league can reach out to
more kids and touch more lives.”
Snoop has recently seen the seeds of
his namesake league come to fruition as
four of the former players have gone on to
play football at NCAA Division I colleges.
“The Snoop Youth Football League
serves an important role in the community by helping kids focus their energy on
something
positive,”
said
Rita
Bargerhuff, 7-Eleven’s Vice President
and Chief Marketing Officer. “We
believe our customers will want to help
make a difference in the lives of these
youth by supporting Snoop’s football
league through his ‘Cup With A Cause.’ ”
“I’m just so proud of my league and
my players right now, and designing a
‘Cup With A Cause’ is really an exciting
opportunity for us,” Snoop added. The
entertainer plans to expand his youth
football program to other cities across the
country, beginning in Chicago this fall.
During 2010, other entertainment
and sports celebrities designed cups sold
exclusively at participating 7-Eleven
stores in the U.S. Cups can be filled with
any 7-Eleven hot beverage and customized with an assortment of creams,
syrups and spices at no extra charge.
Snoop’s cup follows Nicole Richie and
Benji and Joel Madden’s Richie-Madden
Children’s
Foundation,
Jennifer
Hudson’s Boys and Girls Clubs of
America and John Cena’s Make-A-Wish
Foundation limited-edition cups.
The Snoop Dogg-themed SYFL custom cups are available while supplies last
at 7-Eleven’s franchised and companyoperated stores nationwide. For
more information about this program,
please
visit:
www.cupwithacause
.com, www.facebook.com/7Eleven and
www.twitter.com/7Eleven.
BAERO North America, Inc. (Con’t. from p. 10)
LED light sources while delivering up
to 104 lumens per watt. In other words
our BBS-based light fixtures are twice
as energy-efficient as today’s LED
interior products.
In the end this is lighting you have
to see to believe. And you have just that
opportunity by stopping by and visiting
with the BAERO North America staff at
their award-winning booth 2274.
However, if you are not able to make it
by, you can contact Lee Rhoades,
BAERO Sales and Marketing Director,
at 314-692-2270 or e-mail him at
[email protected].
Tool Kit*. As detailed in the “Green
Solutions for Convenience Stores” section, BAERO’s HID Batwing allowed a
C-Store chain in Ireland to reduce the
number of fixtures needed in each store
which resulted in a 40 percent energy
reduction. That type of performance will
get noticed even across an ocean.
But, as mentioned, the energy savings and reduction in carbon footprint
is actually accompanied with an
upgrade in lighting quality. BAERO’s
own line of lamps, the BAERO Bright
Star and BAERO Food Lamp, give performance with a punch. The 70 or 150
watt ceramic metal halide-based BBS
and the 100 watt pressure sodium BFL
both offer a quality of light and color
pop unattainable with fluorescent or
14
ConvenienceRETAILER
September/October 2010
About Spot On Energy
Spot On Energy is the leading brand
for Enceutical Corp, a provider of
health and wellness products to wholesale and retail markets. Located in
Dallas, Texas, with sales and service
offices in Peoria, Ill., the company is
focused on coupling well-known formulas and supplement ingredients with
advanced delivery systems to create
innovative new products.
For
additional
information
about Spot On Energy, visit www
.spotonenergy.com.
About 7-Eleven Inc.
7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and
largest chain in the convenience retailing
industry. Based in Dallas, Texas,
7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses
close to 8,200 7-Eleven stores in North
America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates,
franchises or licenses more than 38,000
stores in 16 countries. During 2009, 7Eleven stores worldwide generated total
sales of more than $58.9 billion. Find out
more online at www.7-eleven.com.
*NACS is a registered trademark of the
National Association of Convenience
Stores. Use of this trademark does not
imply or represent promotion of BAERO
by NACS.
news briefs
K-STATE PROFESSOR USING
SNACK CAKE DIET TO COUNTER
POPULAR HEALTH BELIEFS
TRIBE MEDITERRANEAN FOODS GOES
MOBILE WITH LAUNCH OF ALL NATURAL
FOOD FINDER IPHONE APPLICATION
A month-long diet of entirely snack cakes
and fatty foods may sound like a fantasy,
but for one Kansas State University professor it’s serious business. In 30 days
Mark Haub is attempting to prove some
common beliefs about nutrition are untrue.
Haub, Professor of Human Nutrition,
teaches an obesity-related, energy balance
course that sparked his diet idea.
“The overarching principle is to
bring to light some of the issues with
obesity, our understanding of health,
health outcomes and societal issues on
what is good,” he said.
Haub wants to show that foods
known to ruin diets may not have that
effect, and he wants to point out that
there is no strong definition of what
healthy weight loss is. He will be recording his results on Facebook throughout
the course of his experiment.
His special four-week diet started
Aug. 25. It includes products like peanut
butter-chocolate bars, chocolate cake
rolls, breakfast pizza, donuts and sugared
cereal. Within the first four days of the
diet, Haub had lost seven pounds by eating foods high in saturated fats and sugar
while maintaining his calorie goal of
1,800 kilocalories a day.
New iPhone Application Lets Users
Locate Natural Food Stores And
Farmer’s Markets On-the-Go
“It’s portion controlled. I’m eating
foods that are deemed by many to be
unhealthy; we will see if they are,” he said.
“I’m not doing ‘Super Size Me,’
where I’m eating until I’m stuffed or
overeating until I regurgitate, as Morgan
Spurlock did with his documentary,”
Haub said. “The purpose is to illustrate
metabolic, mental and sociological issues
surrounding weight. The principle is simple: eat fewer kilocalories than I expend.”
Haub expects that his diet will affect
his health and knows it could be a risk.
But he points out that other diets have
risks, as does gastric bypass surgery—
which is performed all the time.
Haub is monitoring his health by
measuring his body mass index, body
composition, blood pressure, cholesterol
and glucose.
He believes the United States has an
obesity epidemic.
“We have become heavier as a
nation and that’s undeniable,” he said.
“The debatable part is what the health
outcomes are that come with that
increased weight gain.”
Many think increased weight gain
Continued on Page 22
TIC TAC MINTS PARTNERS WITH
CANCERCARE ON THE SHAKE, SHARE
& CARE CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT
OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
New Facebook application allows fans to
share acts of kindness to show support
for the cause.
The Tic Tac® brand announced August 30
the launch of their Shake, Share & Care
program in support of Breast Cancer
Awareness as well as all those affected by
cancer. As part of its six-year partnership
with CancerCare, an organization
focused on raising awareness of the
affect cancer has on people with the illness, caregivers, loved ones and the
bereaved, the Tic Tac brand has made an
initial donation of $100,000 to
CancerCare as part of its commitment to
the cause. Tic Tac has also launched its
official Facebook page to encourage fans
to Shake, Share & Care by posting their
kind acts in an effort to help the brand
reach its goal of an additional $100,000
donation to the organization.
The Tic Tac brand will contribute
additional funds on behalf of consumers
who get involved in an effort to spread
CancerCare’s mission of helping those
affected by cancer. Fans are encouraged
to visit www.facebook.com/tictacusa
and share their acts of caring. For
example, driving a patient to and from
18
ConvenienceRETAILER
September/October 2010
treatments or bringing a home-cooked
meal once a week to someone with cancer. For each person that shares their act
of caring, the Tic Tac brand will donate
$5 to CancerCare, up to an additional
$100,0001.
The kick-off of Shake, Share & Care
also marks the introduction of the brand’s
limited edition Pink Grapefruit flavor Tic
Tac as part of the brand’s ongoing support of CancerCare.
“We are delighted to partner with the
Tic Tac brand to help raise awareness and
support for individuals affected by a cancer diagnosis,” said Christina Wyman,
Director of Corporate Relations at
CancerCare. “Together, we hope the
Shake, Share & Care program will go far
in offering professional support services
for anyone whose life has been affected
by cancer.” The limited edition Pink
Grapefruit flavor will be available at
select drug, grocery, mass merchandiser,
warehouse club and convenience stores
from August through October 2010.
“CancerCare is a remarkable organization, and the Tic Tac brand is thrilled to
continue its support of such a great
cause,” said Tic Tac Category Manager
Noah Szporn, of Ferrero U.S.A. Inc.
Tribe Mediterranean Foods, the only manufacturer of all natural hummus available
nationwide, announced on Sept. 1 that it
has launched the All Natural Food Finder,
an Apple iPhone app that allows users to
locate natural food stores and farmer’s
markets based on their current or pending
location, wherever they may be in the
United States.
The user-friendly app helps consumers live an all natural lifestyle, allowing users who are constantly on-the-go to
find the closest natural food through the
simple press of a button. Complete with
details and directions for each location,
users can check in on Foursquare, tweet
their location, or send an e-mail about
their whereabouts to a friend.
“At Tribe, we understand how busy
consumers are, yet we also know their
desire for healthy and delicious all natural foods,” said Carlos Canals, President
and Chief Tribal Officer of Tribe
Mediterranean Foods. “Our new iPhone
app provides increased mobility, convenience, and recommendations to satisfy
“The Shake, Share & Care program not
only raises money for a great cause, but
allows consumers to share their inspiring
stories to generate greater awareness of
the effect cancer has on people’s lives,”
Szporn added.
To help bring the message of Shake,
Share & Care to a broader audience, Tic
Tac was a supporting sponsor of the GBK
Luxury Gift Suite in Honor of the 2010
EMMY Awards Nominees and Presenters.
Tic Tac and CancerCare know that cancer
affects everyone, including celebrities and
their families, which is why the brand was
thrilled to be a part of the excitement surrounding the EMMY Awards. The suite
gave celebrities and influencers the
chance to upload their own acts of caring to the Tic Tac brand Facebook page.
In addition, each celebrity that visited
the suite walked by the Tic Tac wall, a
8x12 ft. wall featuring a diamond pattern made entirely out of limited edition
Pink Grapefruit and Freshmint flavor
Tic Tac mints.
About Tic Tac
The Tic Tac brand was launched in the
United States in 1969 by the Italian confection manufacturer Ferrero and has
been a leading mint brand for 40 years.
Tic Tac is sold worldwide. For more
information, visit www.tictacusa.com.
About The Ferrero Company
The Ferrero Company was established in
1946 in Alba, Italy. The company’s first
product was made with hazelnuts and
cocoa, resulting in the base ingredients
the need for simple all natural nutrition
on-the-go.”
If users are looking for unique and
yummy new ways to use their market
finds, Tribe’s app offers consumers a list
of delicious and healthy recipes for any
occasion, courtesy of Tribe’s website.
After selecting the tasty all-natural recipe
of their choosing, users are then provided
with a detailed shopping list containing
the necessary ingredients to produce a
great-tasting meal or snack.
The All Natural Food Finder also
allows users to add new locations and
hidden gems not currently listed, so that
other shoppers can be alerted to their
findings. Tribe’s app is free for download
through the Apple iPhone app store.
Additionally, visitors to Tribe’s website
can easily access the download page via
www.tribehummus.com/promotionsand-events/iphone-app.
This June, Tribe launched its new
line of all natural, smooth and creamystyle hummus, Tribe Origins. Available
in four unique flavors, Tribe Origins
brings consumers the most delicious
and pure all natural hummus eating
Continued on Page 22
for the world’s No. 1 selling sweet spread
on the market today—Nutella® hazelnut
spread. Since then the company has
grown to become one of the world’s
largest confectionery companies with a
vast global portfolio that includes
high-quality products such as Ferrero
Rocher® chocolates, Ferrero Rondnoir®
dark chocolates, Kinder® chocolates,
Raffaello® confections and Tic Tac®
mints. Ferrero products are distributed
globally throughout Europe, North
America, Australia, Asia and South
America. For more information, visit
www.ferrerousa.com.
About CancerCare
Founded in 1944, CancerCare is a national nonprofit organization that provides
free, professional support services to
anyone affected by cancer: people with
cancer, caregivers, children, loved ones
and the bereaved. CancerCare programs,
including counseling and support groups,
education, financial assistance and practical help, are provided by professional
oncology social workers and are completely free of charge. Last year,
CancerCare provided individual help to
more than 100,000 people in addition to
the more than 1 million unique visitors to
its websites. Find more detailed information about CancerCare programs at
www.cancercare.org.
1Only
one donation to CancerCare per
person/per act of caring. Minimum guaranteed donation of $25,000 to CancerCare. Donation capped at $100,000.
news briefs
NEW NACS MOBILE APP ENHANCES
THE NACS SHOW EXPERIENCE
MEDORA DEBUTS POPCORNERS,
THE NEW SHAPE OF POPCORN
NACS has introduced another free
mobile app that will improve attendees’
experiences at the NACS Show, which
will take place Oct. 5–8 at the Georgia
World Congress Center in Atlanta.
New air-popped popcorn chip is an allnatural, healthy alternative to high-fat
baked and fried chips.
The NACS mobile app, available in
native and Web-based forms, gives
NACS Show attendees comprehensive
information on the event, plus a platform
to deliver late-breaking news and
updates. It includes detailed event information, speaker biographies for general
sessions and workshops, listings of the
1,000-plus exhibitors, an interactive
expo map with routing to booths, a
NACS TV video channel, and integration of social media and trending of the
#nacsshow Twitter feed.
NACS launched its first mobile app
for NACStech, the premiere technology
solutions event for the convenience and
petroleum retailing industry that took
place in May 2010. The successful
launch of that app built momentum for
the launch of a new app in support of this
year’s NACS Show in Atlanta.
Exhibitors can use the mobile app to
create dynamic advertising capabilities,
video messages and banner ads. In addition, exhibitors can upload sales materials,
handouts and PDFs virtually for attendee
access within the app.
“The new NACS mobile app
enhances the world-class connections
that the NACS Show already delivers,”
said NACS Vice President of Marketing
Derek Gaskins. “It creates more robust
experiences with attendees not only at the
NACS Show but throughout the year.”
Most functionality of the native
mobile app will be accessibility, even
when there is no Wi-Fi, 3G or Web connection. It is compatible with the iPhone,
iPad, iPod Touch, Android and
BlackBerry devices. It can be downloaded for free by accessing the iTunes
library or directly by pointing a mobile
browser to nacsonline.com/mobileapp.
About NACS
Founded in 1961 as the National
Association of Convenience Stores,
NACS is the international association for
convenience and petroleum retailing,
representing more than 2,100 retail and
1,500 supplier member companies. The
U.S. convenience store industry, with
nearly 145,000 stores across the country,
posted $511 billion in total sales in 2009,
with $328 billion in motor fuels sales.
American Licorice Company, one of the
original licorice manufacturers in the
U.S. candy industry, announced on
August 27 the Red Vines World of
Sharing, an interactive contest designed
to spread positive messages around the
planet. Every person who leaves a positive message on the website will help to
Snack diet (Con’t. from p. 18)
leads to diabetes, heart disease, mortality and more. But Haub said
Tribe Mediterranean Foods (Con’t. from p. 18)
experience. Three of the new Tribe
Origins flavors—Spicy Red Pepper,
Zesty Spice & Garlic, and Tomato &
Veggie—feature a generous serving of
hand-crafted toppings made from original recipes and using the finest possible
ingredients found in nature.
22
ConvenienceRETAILER
September/October 2010
School Systems
PopCorners is not only a preferred “better for you” snack for adults, it has also
been given to more than 150,000 students
in Philadelphia and Chicago’s school
systems as an alternative to fried, baked
and sweet snacks. With the anticipated
addition of New Jersey, Los Angeles and
San Francisco school systems, they will
soon be enjoyed by more than one million students per month. PopCorners is
an easy choice for school systems given
that they are 100 percent all-natural, in
addition to being completely free of trans
fat, gluten, and cholesterol.
Continued on Page 34
grow a giant chain of Red Vines®
Licorice that will circle the globe beginning and ending at the Red Vines candy
factory near San Francisco, Calif. Every
message is also automatically entered to
win weekly prizes as well as the grand
prize of a $5,000 voucher good for a trip
around the world. Submissions in the
contest will be accepted starting today.
Designed in conjunction with creative partner Dentsu America Inc., the
Red Vines World of Sharing uses an
innovative mash-up of Google Maps that
allows visitors to hover over the planet
and zoom down over the locations that
the Vine is crossing as it circles the globe.
Highly integrated with Twitter and
Facebook, the site enables users to easily
log in using their e-mail or Facebook
Connect and leave whatever short positive message comes to mind. As the Vine
goes around the world, it will award
users 240 4 lb. jars of Red Vines
Licorice, 24 prize packs with Red Vines
Candy and Gear, and one grand prize.
“The World of Sharing is all about
exchanging positive messages to set off a
chain reaction of goodwill and happiness
around the planet,” said Michael Kelly,
Consumer Communications Manager at
American Licorice Company. “We’re
having so much fun with our friends on
Facebook and Twitter that we wanted to
give something back with this once in the
lifetime opportunity to get out and see the
entire world on us.”
“Red Vines is all about sharing,
which is why the ad campaign line has
been ‘The world could use a little more
About American Licorice Company
An industry leader in manufacturing and
marketing candy products, the American
Licorice Company is one of the original
licorice manufacturers in the U.S. candy
industry. Since its establishment in 1914,
American Licorice has brought happiness
to consumers with their Red Vines®,
Snaps®, Sour Punch®, Super Ropes®,
Extinguisher® and Natural Vines® candy.
Additional information is available online
at www.americanlicorice.com.
research from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention has found
overweight people have lower mortality
rates and health care costs.
Haub said his diet also is easy on a
budget.
“It’s very inexpensive and I get all of
my calories for about five bucks a day,”
he said. “I am not promoting this or recommending it; it’s just an exercise in
nutrition.”
SOURCE: Kansas State University
Tribe Origins is now available in
major grocery and food retailers throughout the United States. The packaging of
each 11 oz. container is fully-recyclable
and features a clear covering that allows
for the toppings to be in full view for the
consumer. The suggested retail price is
$3.99 to $4.49.
Tribe’s Classic line of hummus,
which includes a combination of 14 allnatural flavors and four organic varieties,
is also available nationally at major grocers and natural food stores.
all natural and organic hummus. Tribe is
the only all natural hummus available in
supermarkets and convenience stores
throughout the United States, Canada and
Mexico. For more information, visit its
website at www.tribehummus.com or
growing Facebook page at www
.facebook.com/tribehummus and Twitter
page at www.twitter.com/tribehummus.
AMERICAN LICORICE COMPANY
ANNOUNCES RED VINES WORLD OF
SHARING CONTEST TO SPREAD
POSITIVE MESSAGES AROUND GLOBE
Interactive Website Where Every
Message Left Helps Grow A Chain of Red
Vines Licorice That Circles The Planet
And Enters Users To Win Prizes
Including A $5,000 Voucher For A Trip
Around The World
On August 31, Medora Snacks LLC
announced a welcome change to the
snacking industry with the debut of
PopCorners, The New Shape of Popcorn.
PopCorners are made from all-natural
ingredients and were created to satisfy the
cravings of popcorn lovers’ desire for
popcorn at an affordable price, all while
maintaining that authentic chip-like experience. PopCorners are currently available in 1.1 and 5 oz. serving size bags in
four delicious flavors including White
Cheddar, Butter, Sea Salt and Kettle that
range from 3.5 to 6 grams of fat.
“Consumers are demanding healthier
snacks across the board and with a dramatic increase in popcorn sales, 21 percent in the past year, PopCorners are an
ideal and easy decision,” said Linda
Fishman, President, Medora Snacks LLC.
“PopCorners are a healthy alternative to
most snacking options and something that
everyone can enjoy given the great taste
of our already popular flavors.”
PopCorners are popped, not fried or
baked, in the form of a triangle or tortilla
that achieves an all-new shape of
popcorn never seen before. The
PopCorner’s “chip” can be eaten alone or
used with any kind of dip including salsa,
ranch or sour cream and onion.
The average American eats about 68
quarts of popcorn each year, yet the
snack has never had a true makeover
aside from adding flavor to it. The fact is,
it still gets stuck in your teeth and ends
up making a mess. PopCorners, the first
real popcorn chips, are here to shake up
the traditional popcorn industry with a
new shape that is made for your mouth.
About Tribe Mediterranean Foods
Founded in 1994, Tribe Mediterranean
Foods produces a healthy, great-tasting line
of Mediterranean food products, including
Red Vines,’ ” said Mike Parise, EVP
General Manager of Dentsu America’s
L.A. office. “When American Licorice
asked us to develop an idea to support its
growing social media effort, the World of
Sharing was a natural extension of the
campaign.”
The Red Vines World of Sharing
is open to users age 18 and over.
Complete rules are available at www
.redvines.com/world-of-sharing.
news briefs
FIND IMPERIAL BEER WITH
YOUR IPHONE
North American Breweries creates app
that locates Imperial® Cerveza across
the country.
A new iPhone application helps fans of
Imperial Cerveza locate their favorite
beer in their town and around the country.
The application, called “Pura Vida,” is
available free at the iTunes online store, at
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/
pura-vida/id386959721?mt=8.
Once the application is downloaded,
iPhone users can search the map for places
to purchase Imperial including grocery and
convenience stores, bars and restaurants,
gas stations, bowling alleys and more. The
name, address and phone number are provided, along with a list of other North
American Breweries products available in
that location. Additional products in the
NAB portfolio include Labatt, Honey
Brown, Genesee, Dundee and Seagram’s
Escapes. The search feature also allows
users to explore other cities for their
favorite brews–a great tool when planning
vacations. To view a demo, visit:
http://tinyurl.com/PuraVida-App-Preview.
“Imperial is the first beer brand in
the U.S. to have this sort of application,”
said James Pendegraft, Vice President of
Sales for North American Breweries.
“Now people can download the free app
and find our products in stores, bars and
restaurants around the country. Our hope
is that it will drive consumers to our
many partners throughout the United
States carrying their favorite beer and
malt beverages.”
You must be 21 years old to download the Pura Vida App.
About Imperial
Imperial is considered a national symbol
and also the No. 1 selling beer in Costa
Rica with nearly 60 percent market share.
Imperial uses the finest ingredients and
natural spring water to create a tropical
beer with a flavor profile in-between
Pilsner and Dortmunder styles of beer.
Made with a combination of malts, cereals,
and hops, the beer has a slightly bitter to
medium taste. Imperial is imported by The
Genesee Brewery from Costa Rica. For
more information on Imperial, follow them
on
Twitter
at
http://twitter.com/
Imperial_US or become a fan at
www.facebook.com/ImperialBeer.
Please drink responsibly.
HANOVER INSURANCE EXPANDS ITS
SMALL COMMERCIAL CAPABILITIES
The Hanover Insurance Group Inc., a
leading provider of property and casualty insurance, announced that it has
made a number of investments to
significantly strengthen its small
commercial capabilities.
The Hanover launched a combination of more than 65 new and enhanced
business owners’ classes and coverages to help the company’s agent partners effectively capture even more
business in the small commercial market. These extensive enhancements
further demonstrate the company’s
commitment to being responsive to its
agent partners’ needs and offering the
broadest and most relevant product
portfolio possible.
As part of this effort, The Hanover
expanded its small commercial appetite
to include 15 new business owner classifications, which are also available for
commercial package policies. In addition
to more than 500 BOP classes currently
available, the company now offers coverage for various types of convenience
stores, gas stations, liquor stores, and janitorial services, among others.
PopCorners (Con’t. from p. 22)
Magruder’s Supermarkets in the
Washington D.C. area, Fairway in N.Y.
and N.J., online at Medora Snacks’
Amazon.com digital storefront, and
coming soon to a location near
you. Visit www.popcorners.com for
more information.
It has been Medora’s mission to
bring the world wholesome, great-tasting
snacks made from the very best, allnatural ingredients. PopCorners stays
Where can I get PopCorners?
Recently PopCorners has become
available at JetBlue’s T5, a new stateof-the-art terminal at JFK International
Airport in New York, in addition to
other locations throughout JFK and
LaGuardia. PopCorners are available
at
Key
Foods
in
Brooklyn,
assorted Manhattan delis and grocers,
34
ConvenienceRETAILER
September/October 2010
About The Hanover
The Hanover Insurance Group Inc.,
based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding
company for a group of insurers that
includes The Hanover Insurance
Company, also based in Worcester,
Citizens Insurance Company of
America, headquartered in Howell,
Mich., and their affiliates. The Hanover
offers a wide range of property and casualty products and services to individuals,
families and businesses through an
extensive network of independent
agents, and has been meeting its obligations to its agent partners and their customers for more than 150 years. Taken as
a group, The Hanover ranks among the
top 30 property and casualty insurers in
the United States.
ALL IN ENERGY COMPLETES
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
FOR THE U.S.
Kore Nutrition Incorporated (“Kore” or
the “Company”) and the company’s
wholly owned subsidiary, Go All In Inc.
(“ALL IN”), are pleased to announce the
appointment of LMB Sales Inc. (“LMB
Sales”) to represent and market ALL IN
products throughout the Western United
States, which is the company’s initial
focus territory, as one of the company’s
initial key distributors.
LMB Sales, located in Murrieta,
Calif., has strong relationships with some
of the largest and most well-known retail
distributors in the United States and has a
significant track record of success in
marketing and representing new retail
brands and products. Retail store chains
such as Kroger, Walgreens, 7-Eleven,
Costco and Walmart will be the company’s
first priority for distribution, with additional well-known regional and national
accounts to be added.
David Powley, ALL IN’s President
and CEO, commented that the key to successfully penetrating markets is through
the strength of a company’s distributor’s
relationships.
“LMB Sales has significant relationships with some of the largest retailers in
the United States,” said Powley, “which
will enable ALL IN’s healthier alternative energy drinks to quickly become
a household name to the millions of
beverage consumers.”
LMB Sales will play an integral role
in ALL IN’s North American marketing
and distribution plan over time. Through
specialty food distributors, such as U.S.
Foods, Coremark and Sodexo, ALL IN
products will initially be available in
casinos and retail outlets across
California, Nevada and Arizona.
Utilizing the extensive LMB Sales network, ALL IN will first build up sales
through on-premise casino property distribution in these three states and then
further this effort by expanding to retail
store outlets within close proximity to
each casino hub. With nearly 1,500 casino
and casino hotel properties between
them, in addition to numerous gambling
parlors, poker rooms, and off/on track
betting venues, the states of California,
Nevada and Arizona have been identified
as prime markets to expand the ALL IN
brand in North America.
Access to ALL IN products via both
on-premise and off-premise sales channels
is expected to build brand awareness and
consumer loyalty, leading to increased
revenue and shareholder value.
true to brand values of delivering guiltfree, better-for-you snacks that mothers
can feel good about eating and sharing
with their family and friends.
wholesome goodness as popcorn. They
are popped with real corn and the finest
all natural ingredients. You can snack
smart while still satisfying your craving for popcorn. Take them to the
movies or in your lunch bag. Enjoy them
alone or with your favorite dips. For
additional information on PopCorners,
please visit www.popcorners.com, fan
them on Facebook or follow them on
Twitter—@PopCorners.
About PopCorners
All natural PopCorners created by
Medora Snacks, LLC out of Freeport,
N.Y. are The New Shape of Popcorn.
PopCorners are a delicious snack
with the snap of a chip and the same
About LMB Sales Inc.
LMB Sales has an experienced team of
professionals in several major city/markets that have extensive relationships
with major retailers in the consumer
products arena. Bringing new and exciting products like ALL IN to major retailers has been a trademark of its sales
team’s success, as it is very selective in
the products and brands it represents and
sells. Besides handling name brand items
like ALL IN, LMB also handles some
major private label brands for retailers in
both the United States and Canada. LMB
Sales has a reputation for fair dealing,
superior service, and continuous sales
growth in the food, drug, convenience
store and club store industries.
About Kore Nutrition And ALL IN
Kore, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, ALL IN, is engaged in the business of developing, producing and selling
non-alcoholic beverages. It produces premium energy drinks and an enhanced
purified water under the brand name,
ALL IN Energy, to suit the demands of an
active world. Unlike competitive energy
drinks, which can lack great taste and
occasionally create a mere energy blip,
ALL IN Energy is a premium sugar-free
product, with no carbohydrates, and less
than 10 calories per can. ALL IN Energy
uses herbs, vitamins and amino-acids to
provide a balanced and sustained sharpening of focus and pure energy. ALL IN
Energy drinks are available in three
unique and delicious flavors: Citrus,
Grape and Acai Berry. ALL IN also
offers a premium water that uses
advanced technologies, and preliminary
research suggests that ALL IN water is
a faster hydrator than ordinary tap water
and other mineral waters. Legendary
poker champion Johnny Chan has
joined together with fellow top poker
professionals, who all endorse ALL IN
Energy drinks. Kore intends to expand
the production, sales and distribution of
ALL IN Energy drinks and water
over the next 12 months. For
additional information, visit ALL IN’s
websites at www.allinenergy.com
and www.allinenergy.net.
show preview
NEW FINANCIAL SERVICES PRODUCTS
OFFER CONVENIENCE
A new brand of prepaid products is making its way to the convenience channel.
And who better to create and distribute the
product than one of the leading prepaid
card providers, Blackhawk Network?
If the success of the company’s Gift
Card Mall has proven anything, it’s that
Blackhawk understands the consumer,
and knows what they want and need.
Therefore, it’s no wonder that the
company is providing today’s consumer
the help they need for staying in control
of their spending.
Recently, Blackhawk developed a
suite of products called PayPower, simple and safe solutions that provide
value, transparency and budgeting.
PayPower is targeted to consumers
looking for alternatives to traditional
financial products, whether for everyday
use, travel, online purchases or simply
to pay a bill. PayPower allows consumers the opportunity to turn their cash
into a reloadable debit card at thousands
of retailers nationwide and easily reload
that card through Blackhawk’s vast
HIGH-SPEED ENERGY-EFFICIENT
HAND DRYER FROM AMERICAN DRYER
American Dryer recently expanded the
eXtremeAir series high-speed, energyefficient hand dryer with the new EXT
series. The EXT consumes three times
less power than other “green” hand
dryers–an industry-leading 540 watts
of electricity.
The patented design dries hands in
12-15 seconds while using less electricity.
The EXT is the first hand dryer to use
less than $0.18 of electricity per 1,000
hand dryings. It can dry your hands 55
times for the cost of one paper towel.
The reduced power consumption
allows up to three EXTs to be connected
to a single dedicated electrical line. This
industry first reduces installation costs
compared to other hand dryers that need
a dedicated electrical line for each dryer.
American Dryer, Inc. has been creating quality hand dryers for more than 55
years. Their eXtremeAir high-speed hand
dryer line is the most compact and energyefficient in the industry. It’s used in
schools, stadiums, factories, convenience
stores and other facilities that want to
save money while reducing maintenance
and landfill waste. The eXtremeAir is
backed by a premium five-year warranty
with same-day factory service.
For more information, contact
Michael E. Robert at miker@american
dryer.com or call 800-485-7003 or stop
by booth 2168.
INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY PIONEER
JOHN HERVEY DIES
NACS, along with the convenience and
petroleum community, was saddened to
hear of John Hervey’s death on August 5.
To many who knew him, he was a friend,
mentor, family man and leader.
Hervey, a former NACS employee
and PCATS executive director, had a
long and distinguished career in the
convenience and petroleum retailing
industry. His 40-year-plus career began
at Mobil Oil Corporation, where he
served in a variety of capacities for 25
years, including providing retail
automation solutions for its 1,000-plus
convenience stores. He retired from
Mobil in 1992 and began a second
career as an industry consultant.
In 1995, he joined Minit Mart Foods
in Bowling Green, Ky., as its director of
IT, where Hervey was an early proponent
of data standards. In 1997, he returned to
38
ConvenienceRETAILER
September/October 2010
consulting with Gerke and Associates,
where he led the industry standards initiative that was to become the Petroleum
Convenience Alliance for Technology
Standards (PCATS). Hervey also was a
retired U.S. Navy Captain, having served
more than 35 years both active duty and
in the Navy Reserve beginning in 1955 as
a seaman recruit.
Hervey’s career at NACS began in
2000 as its chief technology officer,
where he took the helm of the NACS
Technology Standards Project. In 2003,
the NACS Board of Directors agreed
that a spinoff of the project into its own
organization was appropriate, thus
forming PCATS. Hervey was named
executive director of the newly formed
association and guided its growth and
Continued on Page 40
reload network.
In a 2009 study, commissioned by Bretton
Woods and the Network
Branded Prepaid Card
Association (NBPCA), it
was found that a consumer who chooses a prepaid card instead of a
basic bank account with
direct deposit can save
close to $150 annually.
PayPower can be found in
Blackhawk’s Prepaid Center, which
also includes prepaid wireless and the
company’s Reloadit Pack. The Reloadit
Pack is a safe and easy way to reload and
transfer funds onto your personalized
prepaid debit card.
The Prepaid Center is
offered at thousands
of convenient locations, attracting a
vast and diverse consumer base, while
increasing store traffic and providing
customer loyalty.
Consumers can
choose to have their PayPower card
personalized with their name.
PayPower is competitively offered at
$3.95 with a $3.95 reload fee, free customer service, free direct deposit and
free bill payment services. Cards are
issued by MetaBank™.
new
showproducts
preview
show preview
THE STORY OF TREEZWRAP
NATURAL LEAF CIGAR WRAP
Quincy Andrews, President of Treezwrap
Brand, tells us what makes his company’s
main product unique.
CR: What’s your main line of business?
Who are your target end-users and what
distinguishes your products from the
competition?
QA: For a very long time, consumers
have been rolling their own cigarettes.
However, over the last 15 years or so, a
fantastic niche market has developed in
the tobacco industry that catered for the
consumers who seek the pleasurable
experience of rolling their own cigars,
utilizing their favorite tobacco blend,
which most times carry more aroma than
commonly found even in premium cigars.
Treezwrap Natural Leaf Cigar Wrap falls
into this niche and for the last five years
we have carefully worked to offer a well
prepared broadleaf product to the consumers to enjoy the pleasure of rolling
their own cigars. I think our quality and
the fact that we offer a natural tobacco
leaf separates us from the competition.
CR: What was the most significant event
or series of events affecting your company
in the past year and how has your
company responded?
CONNECT WITH CONSUMERS WHERE
IT COUNTS—ON THEIR PHONE
Adding mobile applications to your marketing strategy gives you a new way to
stay top-of-mind with customers and
build customer loyalty. Custom-branded
mobile applications give you a chance to
have your C-Store branded logo directly
on the display of the customers’ phone.
Newly released research by The
Nielsen Company indicates that smartphones capable of running mobile applications will account for a majority share
of wireless subscribers in the United
States by Q4 2011. As smartphones
begin to dominate the wireless handheld market, three major players
have emerged: iPhone, Android and
BlackBerry which currently represent
28 percent, 9 percent, and 35 percent
respectively of active smartphone
devices, according to Nielsen.
Rutter’s Farm Stores, a 55-store
convenience and petroleum network
based in York, Pa., is an early adopter of
mobile applications. Rutter’s turned to
PEPSICO CONTINUES
BOTTLER INTEGRATION
WITH LATEST CHANGE
Gatorade to be distributed via direct
store delivery system for select channels
in 2011.
On Sept. 1, PepsiCo announced a
change of distribution for its Gatorade
products in the key trade channels of
Convenience, UDS (up and down the
street) and Dollar from a warehousedelivered go-to-market system to direct
store delivery through both companyowned and independent bottlers in the
United States and Canada. The company expects the change to become effective January 1, 2011.
“This is a clear example of using
PepsiCo’s broad set of go-to-market
Hervey (Con’t. from p. 38)
standards adoption work until his retirement in 2009.
During his tenure at PCATS,
Hervey’s guidance and expertise helped
develop today’s commonplace industry
standards—from POS and back office
integration, to electronic business-tobusiness document exchange, payment
40
ConvenienceRETAILER
September/October 2010
systems to best serve our customers.
We remain dedicated to the existing
warehouse distribution system for
some of our beverage products, but the
change to direct store delivery makes
sense for Gatorade as we redefine the
sports nutrition category through the G
Series,” said Massimo d'Amore, CEO
of PepsiCo Beverages Americas. “As a
company, we are committed to bringing a wider variety of products to market more quickly and efficiently than
ever before.”
This will be the first large scale step
toward optimizing delivery systems
resulting from the bottling acquisitions
earlier this year. The expected synergies
systems and device integration. After his
retirement in 2009, Hervey created his
own consulting firm, 1148 Consulting
LLC, providing IT and management
solutions to convenience and petroleum
marketing companies.
“John knew how to make things happen. He moved our industry from being
laggards to having state-of-the-art technologies. He brought all the relevant
QA: Most definitely it has been the
SCHIP Law and various states’ increase
in taxes that would have priced any product that did not present a ‘High Value
Reward’ to the consumer. Luckily, we
can safely conclude that our product does
deliver such a ‘High Value Reward’ to
our consumers. This realization has been
the strongest catalyst for our present
drive for market growth.
CR: What are your company’s plans for
the near-future, and are you introducing
any new products?
QA: Good question; that actually brings
us full circle. You see, by being in the
industry for a fair amount of time and
having a very close relationship with our
customers, we have a good idea of the
aroma and blend of loose tobacco that
they end up using to make their own
cigars using our wraps. As such, this
gives us an opportunity to construct great
blends and actually make a complete
cigar in the near-future. This is creating
much excitement internally but we will
remain fully consumer-driven.
CR: How do you handle distribution?
QA: Our distribution is contracted to
Treezwrap Marketing and Distribution
LLC, headed by Jesse Enniss, and operated under Federal Import License in
south Florida. Our policy is to sell directly
to licensed distributors across the
United States.
Check us out at www.treezwrap.com or
call Marketing and Distribution at 954676-3401.
GasBuddy OpenStore Inc. to enhance
their mobile presence with custom
applications to gain an edge in the
highly
competitive
Pennsylvania
C-Store market. By offering customers
targeted promotions via mobile applications, Rutter’s has helped their brand
appeal to a newer, younger audience that
ultimately results in a stronger future for
Rutter’s. In addition to mobile coupons
and special offers, the Rutter’s mobile
applications are integrated with the
Rutter’s Rewards loyalty program
allowing customers to register for the
rewards program or check their rewards
balance from their phone. Rutter’s has
also noted a five-fold increase in
customer feedback, since customers can
now easily send in their feedback and
store reviews directly from their phones.
The benefit of engaging customers on
their mobile device is clear.
OpenStore mobile applications meet
all the criteria of a robust mobile
marketing strategy by offering custom
applications for iPhone, Android and
BlackBerry as well as a way to segment
and deliver offers for particular customers with the right analytical tools to
evaluate and refine marketing strategy.
For more information, stop by booth
2244 at the NACS Show or call 612-8752766 to arrange a demo custom tailored
to your brand.
related to these changes are included in
the company’s target of $400 million in
pre-tax annualized synergies from the
bottling acquisitions once fully implemented by 2012.
“The distribution of Gatorade in key
trade channels of Convenience, UDS
and Dollar is well suited to the direct
store delivery model due to its high
velocity, so the switch will result in
better store-level customer service,”
added Eric Foss, CEO of Pepsi
Beverages Company. “By achieving
greater speed, simplicity and flexibility, we will be able to better serve the
current and future needs of both our
retail customers and consumers in the
marketplace.”
Other PepsiCo brands that are warehouse-delivered to the key trade channels of Convenience, UDS and Dollar,
including Tropicana, Quaker and
Naked Juice, will not be affected by
this change.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo offers the world’s largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage
brands, including 19 different product
lines that each generates more than $1
billion in annual retail sales. Their main
businesses–Frito-Lay, Quaker, PepsiCola, Tropicana and Gatorade–also make
hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods
and drinks that bring joy to their consumers in more than 200 countries. With
annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo’s people are united by
their unique commitment to sustainable
growth, called Performance with
Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to
offering a broad array of choices for
healthy, convenient and fun nourishment,
reducing their environmental impact, and
fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong
financial returns with giving back to their
communities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.
players together to develop the standards
that allow technology to more effectively
support our businesses and our customers. John’s impact on technology
standards was instrumental to our success, and he will be truly missed,” said
NACS President and CEO Hank Armour.
Association of Convenience Stores,
NACS is the international association
for convenience and petroleum retailing, representing more than 2,100 retail
and 1,500 supplier member companies.
The U.S. convenience store industry,
with nearly 145,000 stores across the
country, posted $511 billion in total
sales in 2009, with $328 billion in
motor fuels sales.
About NACS
Founded in 1961 as the National
top news
Achieving good flavor has been a challenge for many natural and organic food
companies, but one at least has succeeded
so well that even hard-to-please children
are among its most enthusiastic consumers.
In addition to good taste, though,
Crunchies Food Co. emphasizes quality
in its line of 15 natural and organic
snacks, according to President Jim Lacey.
Crunchies are created by freeze-drying
fruits and vegetables in a refrigerated vacuum chamber that removes up to 97 percent
of the moisture. As a result, the ingredients
retain virtually all of their nutrients and
enzymes while maintaining their shape,
intensifying their flavor and giving them a
crisp, crunchy texture as well.
“Most snacks contain a lot of sugar
and preservatives,” said Lacey. “We’re
focused on giving the consumer a goodtasting product that is pure and easy to
digest, that isn’t messy but has a long
shelf life.” From customer research and
testimonials, the company has learned
that many consumers eat Crunchies like
popcorn, right from the bag. Parents find
them an excellent way to get their children to eat—and enjoy—fruits and vegetables. Crunchies is launching its new
E-Cigarettes (Con’t. from p. 1)
retailers who want to fill the gap in their
cigarette sales–are obvious. You can
smoke e-cigarettes anywhere, and they’re
not subject to the same regulations and
taxes as traditional cigarettes.
Some companies are also marketing
them as a healthier alternative to tobacco,
or a means to quit smoking altogether,
though others are careful to note that the
jury’s still out on just how safe ecigarettes are. Few studies on the longterm effect of inhaling only nicotine have
been done, and it remains unknown
whether e-cigarettes are more likely to
discourage smoking or give users a reason to continue smoking.
“In high quantities, nicotine is
deadly,” Van Burren said. “But there has
been no visible evidence over the past
seven years that anybody’s been negatively affected by e-cigarettes.”
A 2009 preliminary FDA test of two
leading e-cigarette brands determined
that “detectable levels of known carcinogens and toxic chemicals” were present,
including one used as an ingredient in
antifreeze. But it also advised that due to
“variability among products, this analysis
should not be used to draw conclusions
about what substances are or are not present in particular cigarettes.”
Jonas Joiner, International Marketing
Director for SS Choice, said that the
absence of many of the chemicals and
toxins found in traditional cigarettes was
a major selling point for e-cigarette consumers. He also noted that buying new
cartridges for your e-cigarette is far more
cost-effective for most consumers than
buying a pack of cigarettes a week.
“With the growing ban on smoking
tobacco in most major sites and restaurants, even casual smokers are benefiting
from e-cigarettes,” Joiner said.
Electronic cigarette entrepreneurs
say that their product has the potential to
transform the entire smoking industry.
“Electronic cigarettes are here to
stay,” Van Burren said. “They will dominate the tobacco market. Regular combustible cigarettes will become obsolete
eventually.
“With the growing health risks associated with combustible tobacco and the
costs and the legislation and everything
else, people will eventually quit. Tobacco
has been around for thousands of years,
and it will probably be around in some
fashion for a considerable time. But it
will become less and less used.”
“Supplanting tobacco would be an
amazing feat for any product, especially
for e-cigarettes,” Joiner said. “Electronic
smoking is still an infant in the U.S., and
we believe that the product has infinite
possibilities to grow and become a
smarter smoking solution.”
But if the court’s ruling favors the
FDA, all bets are off.
Last year, Oregon became the first
state to go to court to prevent the sale of
e-cigarettes, settling with one leading
distributor in August. California and
Florida have also moved to block the sale
of e-cigarettes. The Air Force recently
banned the product from workplace use,
and some consumer groups have complained that flavored e-cigarettes target
minors. E-cigarette companies have
countered that children are unlikely to
have the money to spend on a starter kit,
which ranges from from $60–$170.
“We only hope that the government
will not take away the option of electronic
cigarettes in the U.S., as we have seen
how many people have benefited from
them and enjoy having them as an alternative to tobacco,” Joiner said. “As for a
concrete prediction, it is very hard to say
what will happen to e-cigarettes in the
U.S., as there are many alternate and traditional smoking industries that would be
affected by a negative ruling.”
facets of the marketing launch campaign.
In the design, M&M’S Character Orange
is holding up an X-ray that shows a pretzel inside him. This concept is now featured in television and print advertising,
social media like Facebook and in-store
displays. In addition, the blue bag helps
the product stand out on-shelf from other
chocolate brands. The 1.14-ounce singles
have an SRP of $.79.
But M&M’S Pretzel isn’t the only
savory snack making consumers’ mouths
water. A number of consumers are also
choosing peanut butter confections to
satisfy their hunger.
“According to industry research,
peanut butter candy is growing at nearly
twice the rate of the overall candy industry,” explained Larry Lupo, Vice
President of Sales–Convenience and
Retail, Mars Chocolate North America.
“Consumers love the flavor fusion of
sweet chocolate with savory peanuts,
which helps make our SNICKERS Bar
the No. 1 selling candy bar in America.
We’re giving consumers more delicious
options, with the addition of SNICKERS
Brand Peanut Butter Squared.”
With everything there is to love about
SNICKERS—peanuts, caramel, nougat
and milk chocolate—consumers will go
nuts with the addition of peanut butter to
the new SNICKERS Brand Peanut Butter
Squared. Available in December 2010,
each 1.78-ounce singles pack includes two
delicious square-shaped bars.
Nothing satisfies hunger like the traditional SNICKERS Brand, and with the
appeal of peanut butter, SNICKERS Brand
Peanut Butter Squared will reach an even
wider audience. SNICKERS Bar is the No.
1 selling candy bar (IRI w/e 7/18/10) and
SNICKERS Brand Peanut Butter Squared
is already looking to be a winner with consumers. This new bar is the top-testing new
candy bar launch for Mars in the last three
years. (BASES II, July 2009)
In support of the launch and to build
peanut butter excitement for retailers, Mars
will implement a comprehensive marketing campaign including a consumer promotion and advertising on television, print,
online, in-store and national FSI.
Mars Ice Cream is also following the
sweet and savory trend with the introduction of DOVEBAR® Caramel Cashew.
Featuring vanilla-caramel swirl ice
cream smothered in milk chocolate and
cashews, this indulgent treat has an SRP
of $1.99 for each 2.89-fl.-oz. bar.
These new introductions follow on
the heels of another successful Mars
sweet and savory peanut butter product
launch in 2009. DOVE® Silky Smooth
Chocolate with Peanut Butter offers soft
and creamy peanut butter surrounded by
luscious DOVE Chocolate. Available in
1.30-ounce singles bars, DOVE Silky
Smooth Milk Chocolate with Peanut
Butter is the most indulgent way to experience the premium taste of 100 percent
real, authentic milk chocolate and
creamy peanut butter.
With three of the top five chocolate
brands, Mars Chocolate North America
also continues to offer popular peanut
butter confections that are experiencing
tremendous growth. M&M’S Peanut
Butter Chocolate Candies has grown
more than 50 percent over the last two
years, and TWIX® PB has enjoyed more
than 15 percent growth over that time
span. And M&M’S Peanut Chocolate
Candies continues to top the charts as one
of the most popular singles in C-Stores.
When it comes to snacking, more
and more Americans are tantalizing
their taste buds with both sweet and
savory snacks. Mars Chocolate North
America answers the call with a wide
range of 100 percent real chocolate
confections featuring pretzels, peanuts
and peanut butter.
CRUNCHIES FOOD CO: SNACK LINE
MELDS TASTE AND QUALITY
become a convenience store staple as
familiar as their more traditional cousins
or remain a novelty item most readily
available on the Internet.
Developed in China in the early
2000s, e-cigarettes began to trickle into
the United States later that decade,
mostly through online sales.
“I could sit here and explain it to you
in fine detail, but until you actually see it
yourself, you really don’t get it,” said
Nicholas Van Burren, Owner of Envy
Electronic Cigarettes. “Even the person
that is seeing it and doing it may not
really understand what it is. It’s a totally
new concept, and with new concepts you
have to spend additional time performing
feats of education.”
Many e-cigarettes are designed to
look just like a regular cigarette, right
down to the red tip that lights up when
you inhale. But it’s really a batteryoperated gadget with a replaceable nicotine cartridge inside. The “smoke” that
you exhale is really water vapor.
With sales of traditional cigarettes
declining across the country in response
to higher taxes and health concerns, the
advantages for consumers–as well as
Mars Chocolate North America (Con’t. from p. 1)
Butter Squared.
M&M’S Pretzel are a fun new way
to combine sweet and salty in every bite
size piece. Available since May, each
lentil features a crunchy, salted pretzel
center covered in delicious M&M’S
Brand Milk Chocolate and coated in a
colorful candy shell. This exciting new
flavor from America’s favorite candy
brand capitalizes on a consumer insight
that people enjoy combining M&M’S
Brand Chocolate Candies with savory
snacks like trail mix and popcorn.
The product introduction is supported by a multi-faceted marketing campaign, including advertisements in TV,
print, online and movie theaters, in-store
POP, sponsorships, a digital campaign,
consumer promotion activities and an
extensive public relations plan.
To celebrate the launch of the new
product, this season’s American Idol
finalists performed their first public live
concert from the inside of a giant
M&M’S stage in New York City. The
event kicked off the American Idols
Live! Tour 2010, which is sponsored by
M&M’S Pretzel.
The package design inspired several
46
ConvenienceRETAILER
September/October 2010
line of single serve lunch box natural
snacks targeted to the on-the-go consumer.
“People are looking for a healthier
alternative to traditional snacks,” said
Lacey. “We’re seeing soccer moms looking for healthier products to give their
children, and they are willing to pay for
high-quality products. Children love them
and are converting their parents.” He noted
that Crunchies can be added to salads,
soups, omelettes, muffins and other dishes.
For more information, stop by booth
6151 or visit crunchiesfood.com.
new products
The new Bear Naked™
100% Pure & Natural
Trail Mix is available in
Cranberry
Almond,
Pecan Apple Flax, and
Chocolate
Cherry.
Cranberry Almond is a
powerful and delicious
blend of tangy cranberries, sun-ripened
raisins, walnuts, almonds and Bear
Naked Peak® Protein granola clusters.
Pecan Apple Flax puts a twist on the
average trail mix by including 200 mg
of the omega-3 ALA in each serving
through clusters of Bear Naked Peak™
Flax granola, raisins, roasted sunflower
seeds, pecans, pepitas, apple slices and
flax seeds. Chocolate Cherry excites
the sweet tooth by blending Heavenly
Chocolate™ whole grain granola clusters, luscious cherries and almonds
covered in cocoa.
Four new high-antioxidant bars have just
been added to Betty Lou’s product line.
These “Just Great Stuff” bars include:
Superberry Acai, Cacao Acai, Fruit &
Veggie and Chocolate Covered Dream
Greens. All of these bars taste so fresh
and flavorful, that you wouldn’t believe
they’re vegan, gluten-free, all natural,
certified organic and full of antioxidants!
Bear Naked
619-234-0345
www.bearnaked.com
Betty Lou’s Inc.
503-434-5205
www.bettylousinc.com
Resfab has taken the
market by storm with
state-of-the-art fryers,
featuring the smallest
footprint, touchscreen
password-protected controls, and a two year
parts and labor warranty.
All the Resfab features
you are currently used to,
with much, much more.
This includes lower
wattage, a stainless steel
180'' fire bar and large
Available without vent
cold zone which greatly
increases oil life and food quality. Their
zero recovery time enables the operator to
produce for even the heaviest product
needs. Safety is first with no manipulation
of hot parts. What is “HOT” with these fryers is the automatic filtering with no staff
needed. It filters, re-circulates (polishes the
oil) and returns the oil to the fry pot with
no staff intervention!
Visit them at www.resfab.com for
more information on fryers and rotisserie
systems, perfect for the demands of any
size convenience store operation.
Resfab Equipment Inc.
866-359-0808; U.S. Office 352-326-2443
NACS Booth 8825
It’s time to get creative with breakfast!
Quaker Instant Oatmeal New Mix-Up
Creations give your kid an amazing
range of choices—apples, cinnamon,
blueberries, maple or bananas—to help
them mix and create their own perfect
blend of incredible flavors! It’s a creative
experience that kids will love. What will
your kid Mix-Up for breakfast today?
Quaker Oats Company
800-FOR-OATS
www.quakeroats.com
SandenVendo America introduces the
new 2 ft. Mini Hot Food Display.
Individually adjustable shelf temperatures and multi-selection timers (1–4
hrs.) allow it to accommodate a variety of
different food items! The Mini HFD’s
small footprint and three lift-up, selfserve doors make it the ideal display for
small counter spaces. You can visit them
at NACS booth 8301.
SandenVendo America, Inc.
800-344-7216
www.vendoco.com
Now through Oct. 3, Krispy Kreme is
offering two new sharable treats—the
Caramel Apple Cobbler and Apple Spice
Cake doughnuts. The Caramel Apple
Cobbler doughnut is bursting with the
taste of full-grown, savory fruit. It features a tree-ripened apple filling that has
a sprinkle of cinnamon, a smooth
caramel icing and a crunchy oats topping.
Add to the seasonal bounty by enjoying
the Apple Spice Cake doughnut. Created
with real apples and complementary
spices, including nutmeg and cinnamon,
this satisfying autumn treat is then finished with Krispy Kreme’s signature
Original Glaze.
LUCI Electronic Cigarettes are the
hottest items on the shelves, and the most
recognizable brand name in the industry!
Customers desire the portability and
flexibility of these amazing products.
LUCI uses the highest quality ingredients and offers the smartest alternative to
cigarettes. Don’t miss out on carrying the
first product of its kind! Start now with a
low cost to start and high ROI.
Luciano Smokes Inc.
800-500-LUCI
www.lucireseller.com
Krispy Kreme
800-4KRISPY
www.krispykreme.com
Kellogg’s
888-289-5554
www.kelloggsconvenience.com
Just in time for back to school, Hostess®,
the maker of America’s most popular snack
cakes, has launched a new line of portable
and delicious muffins for families on the go.
Baked with whole grains as well as real
fruit, chocolate and nuts, Hostess’ new
muffins are available in Blueberry, Banana
Nut and Chocolate Chip varieties. New
Hostess muffins provide a good source of
fiber and are 150 calories.
JT International USA, one of the world’s
leading tobacco companies, is pleased to
introduce its newest brand—WINGS: a
high-quality, American blend cigarette
with a smooth taste designed for today’s
value-seeking adult smokers. WINGS is
100 percent guaranteed and will be available in six top-selling box styles, including Red, Gold and Menthol in King Size
and 100s—available to distributors as of
June 21. JT International U.S.A. is proud
to add WINGS to its brand portfolio,
which includes Export ‘A’ and Wave.
This super-effective, pesticide-free fly
trap is safe to use around people and
animals. It catches thousands of flies
over a large outdoor area for up to one
month. The traps are simple to use,
maintenance-free, disposable and economical. The product has been approved
by the U.S. Department of Defense and
used by troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The trap protects barbecue picnic areas,
patios, swimming pools, barns and
dumpster areas.
Hostess Brands Inc.
800-483-7253
www.hostesscakes.com
JT International USA
800-966-9709
www.wingscigarettes.com
Flies Be Gone
800-372-4860
www.fliesbegone.com
Launching a new C-Store product?
Introducing new Kellogg’s® Rice
Krispies Treats® Crunch Mixes, brought
to you by The Kellogg Convenience
Team. Rice Krispies Treats Crunch
Mixes are mixtures of Rice Krispies
Treats clusters, cookies, pretzels,
chocolatey-coated pieces, and other delicious goodies, packed in a 4-oz. pouch.
Available in both Classic and Chocolatey
flavors, this delicious new line of sweet
snack mixes combines the strength of the
Rice Krispies Treats brand with unique
snack food, sure to be a success in the
salty snack set.
With the launch of
Tropicana Trop50 Farmstand Apple, apple lovers
can now pour a glassful
of crisp apple flavor
without an ounce of guilt.
Trop50 Farmstand Apple
delivers the goodness of
juice with 50 percent less
sugar and calories, and no
artificial sweeteners.
Tropicana Products Inc.
800-237-7799
www.tropicana.com
E-mail [email protected] with “Convenience Retailer: New Product” in the subject line for a list of
what to include and deadlines.
September/October 2010
ConvenienceRETAILER
53