CSN - Oct 2018 by ensembleiq

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TOP 5 DAILY NEWS HEADLINES

Pilot Flying J Lays Off Employees as Part of Restructuring

The travel center operator gave notice to 50 employees at its Knoxville, Tenn., headquarters. The decision came after consulting firm Deloitte completed an analysis of the company’s business to identify resources that could be reallocated to streamline its operations.

First-Ever Shell Select Convenience Store Debuts in Louisville

Shell Select provides a consumer-focused retail convenience store experience to customers, featuring a broad range of high-quality, locally inspired, freshly prepared food and beverage offerings, all served in a relaxing and friendly environment, according to the company.

Casey’s General Stores Begins Checking Off Boxes of Value Creation Plan

Casey’s President and CEO Terry Handley told investors during the company’s first-quarter fiscal year 2019 earnings call on Sept. 11 that the retailer completed several key milestones of its value creation plan over the course of the last quarter. “Our multi-year, long-term plan is comprised of several key programs and value drivers, including a new fleet card program, price optimization and digital engagement programs, as well as a continued focus on controlling operating expenses and capital reallocation,” he explained.

7-Eleven Testing Vending Machine-Style Convenience Stores in South Korea

7-Eleven convenience stores in South Korea are going completely high-tech. The retailer started rolling out convenience stores with rows of vending machines, making it the first time a c-store operator has adopted a full self-service concept.

Ricker’s to Roll Out Frictionless Checkout Technology Chainwide

Ricker’s partnership with Skip is a hybrid of mobile pay and the Amazon Go concept. The mission is to provide a best-in-class convenience store experience, easy access to promotional deals, and enable customers to purchase in-store items at the pump or prior to arrival.

WEB SERIES: Disruptive Trends in Retail The way consumers shop continues to evolve and EnsembleIQ, parent company of Convenience Store News, continues to help retailers and consumer packaged goods companies keep up with the evolution. EnsembleIQ’s new webinar series, “2018’s Disruptive Trends in Retail,” offers a look at the nine trends radically influencing the purchase decisions of today’s shoppers. Presented as a 10-part series, “2018’s Disruptive Trends in Retail” leverages the expertise of EnsembleIQ’s research and editorial teams to deliver the key cultural drivers currently impacting the state of retail. 10 Convenience Store News C S N E W S . c o m

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

The Eight Factors Prospective Employees Are Looking for Today The competition for high-quality employees is greater than ever for all retail channels, including convenience stores. Bruce Tulgan of RainMaker Thinking, a consulting firm in Whitneyville, Conn., maps out eight dream job factors that today’s employees are looking for when considering employment. “The No. 1 issue troubling business leaders today is the increasing difficulty in recruiting, motivating and retaining the best talent,” said Tulgan. “There is a talent shortage at every level, in every industry. The talent wars are back on and more heated than ever.” For more exclusive stories, visit the Special Features section of www.csnews.com.