Food Packaging Considerations

Recently, the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) released its 14th annual Trends Report, which identified convenience stores as a growing segment for food packaging due to the expansion of their foodservice offerings This report also highlighted an uptick in interest for off-premises dining, such as drive-through and curbside pickup, and emphasized the importance of using appropriate packaging to ensure food safety, freshness, and quality during delivery or on-the-go consumption. CStore Decisions interviewed Natha Dempsey, FPI's president, to gain further insight into current foodservice packaging trends. When choosing packaging for food products, it is important to consider the availability of infrastructure for composting or recycling. Although some localities may have the necessary facilities, others may not. Since foodservice packaging tends to be highly mobile, especially in convenience stores where customers are always on the go, it is crucial to keep in mind that just because one city has recycling or composting capabilities, it does not mean that the next town over does as well.

U.S. Supports Sale of CITGO

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the US government is no longer protecting CITGO Petroleum from seizure as they are backing a forced sale of the company to satisfy Venezuela’s foreign creditors. CITGO has been protected by the US Treasury Department for three years from creditors with claims against the company, but now that the US has backed down, claims can be settled by negotiation or through an auction of shares in CITGO parent PDV Holding. CITGO is the only valuable state asset that businesses like Crystallex International have targeted for compensation for billions of dollars in unpaid claims.

Becoming a Five-Star Employer

Becoming a five-star employer is crucial for attracting top talent, retaining employees, boosting productivity, and building a positive reputation for your company In a competitive job market, potential employees seek companies that offer great benefits, a positive work culture, and opportunities for growth and development. Once top talent is hired, it is essential to create an environment that employees enjoy and feel valued in to reduce employee turnover. A positive work environment with meaningful work, recognition and rewards, and opportunities for career development will lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity Additionally, being a five-star employer can help build a positive reputation for the company and attract more customers and potential employees. Humetrics recommends updating retention plans to provide career development opportunities, a positive work environment, recognition and rewards, a sense of community, and meaningful work while listening to and valuing employee feedback.

Oil Price Fluctuation Causes Low Gas Prices

According to AAA, the price of oil has recently dropped to the upper $60s per barrel, resulting in a decrease in gas prices. The national average for regular gasoline has dropped six cents since last week to reach $3 57 Andrew Gross, a spokesperson for AAA, stated that market volatility and a lull in domestic demand for pre-summer driving are the two factors contributing to lower pump prices. Recent data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reveals a significant decrease in gas demand, which is more in line with market observers' expectations. Total domestic gasoline stocks have increased while demand has decreased, leading to a decline in pump prices. The top ten states with the largest price decreases in gas include Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Delaware, Tennessee, Indiana, Maryland, Iowa, Florida, and North Carolina. The ten least expensive markets for gas are Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Missouri Recent market concerns over rising interest rates leading to a recession resulted in a decrease in oil prices, which could also lead to a decline in oil demand and prices.