CSNews Online

TOP VIEWED STORIES

1

7-Eleven & Speedway Deal Leads to Corporate Restructuring

7-Eleven Inc. downsized its corporate workforce by eliminating approximately 880 jobs, a move that was part of finalizing its organizational structure more than a year after the company completed its acquisition of Enon, Ohio-based Speedway LLC. The job cuts were primarily positions at the convenience retailer’s support centers and field support operations in Enon and 7-Eleven’s hometown of Irving, Texas.

2QuikTrip Opens Checkout-Free Store Located inside the BOK Tower at One Williams Center in Tulsa, Okla., the new QuikTrip Corp. store is powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, which leverages a combination of computer vision, sensor fusion and deep learning to determine what items shoppers take from or return to shelves.

3

7-Eleven Reportedly Expands Delivery With Startup Deal

7-Eleven Inc. reportedly acquired white-label delivery provider Skipcart, which offers to “deliver anything in 45 minutes or less” at a starting rate of $6.99. The acquisition would allow the convenience store operator to compete directly with delivery providers such as DoorDash and Gopuff.

4

Wawa Ends 24-Hour Operations at Select C-stores

Seven out of 12 Wawa locations in Philadelphia’s Center City neighborhood now close before midnight. The adjusted hours will be in place until further notice, according to the company, which did not provide specific reasons for the recent changes.

5Circle K Invests in Ghost Kitchen Startup Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., parent company to the Circle K and Couche-Tard convenience store banners, is part of the latest funding for Kitchen United, a ghost kitchen and restaurant hub technology company. Kitchen United’s proprietary technology enables customers to order from multiple prepared food and consumer goods brands on the same ticket and with the same delivery driver, all synchronized to maximize quality and payload, and minimize time and expense.

EXPERT VIEWPOINT

Returning to the Corner Market

It is likely that many convenience store visitors will respond to economic uncertainty by trading down from higher-priced restaurants and choosing convenience retailers, writes Joseph Bona, founding partner and president of Bona Design Lab, and James Owens, vice president and shareholder at HFA. To encourage customers to “go local” and lean into a local identity, they recommend that retailers bring in local options, offer opportunities to touch and feel the merchandise, localize interior design, and get more creative with outdoor spaces.

Three Steps to Attract & Retain Hourly Employees

According to a recent Convenience Store News webinar, the pandemic-era trend known as “The Great Resignation,” where favorable conditions encourage employees to quit their jobs in search of better and ample opportunities elsewhere, is showing signs of slowing down. Legion’s 2022 State of the Hourly Workforce study identified concrete ways to improve the labor pool and improve managers’ lives: provide the schedule flexibility and control hourly employees want and are increasingly demanding; invest in tools to improve communication between managers and employees; and attract and retain Gen Z employees with instant access to earned wages.

For more webinars, visit the Events & Webcasts section of csnews.com.

MOST VIEWED NEW PRODUCT

Island Brands CRUSH

In response to consumer demand for more options in the flavored malt beverage category, Island Brands USA introduced two new products: CRUSH Tropical Punch and CRUSH Lime Margarita. Both offerings are made with natural flavors and have a 10 percent ABV. The 16-ounce cans are available in singles, four-packs, and 24-can cases. The CRUSH line marks the second significant expansion of Island Brands’ portfolio in 2022, following the first quarter debut of the Get Active Pack, which features three new flavors of low-calorie, super-premium Island Active beer, including Island Active Mango, Island Active Lime and Island Active Watermelon.

Island Brands USA Charleston, S.C. islandbrandsusa.com