Posts by theo.foukkare@bigpond.com

Irish convenience and fuel operators are globally recognised for their excellent foodservice standards. Local players continuously invest and innovate in a market that shows retailers around the world the best of customer service and fresh food. The idea of having a freshly made salad for lunch in the same premise where you fuel up your vehicle was unthinkable not that long ago, and still is in some markets. It was brands from the United States like Sheetz, Wawa and QuikTrip that revolutionised the gas station industry. Foodservice has become increasingly important and one of the biggest shares of revenue for any c-store business. The decline in fuel sales in developed markets, stricter environmental regulations and the incoming EV revolution has only made foodvenience more essential to the survival of road retail operators. Although profit levels of U.S. stores remain high compared to other markets, the attention of the world has…

Crowds of shoppers camped out overnight for the public opening of the world’s largest convenience store – a Buc-ee’s travel center in Tennessee. The store, located in Sevierville, is the first business to open at Exit 407: Gateway to Adventure – a 200-acre development owned and operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.  The new site spans 74,000 square feet, boasts 120 gas pumps, a 250-foot car wash and has 400 full-time employees. Fans reportedly began lining the streets on Sunday evening ahead of the opening at 6AM on Monday morning. Local traffic officials previously warned that any new Buc-ee’s stores tend to attract a ‘miles-long line of cars.’ And news outlet Six on Your Side showed footage of shoppers excitedly hurrying into the store shortly after it unlocked its doors. Both Tennessee Govenor Bill Lee and Servier County Mayor Larry Waters spoke at the grand ceremony – along with Buc-ee’s cofounder…

A crackdown on the illegal sale of vapes has seen WA Health compliance officers seize $1 million of vapes destined to be illegally sold in Western Australia. Following a tip-off, a truck carrying 17,000 vapes from New South Wales was intercepted in Perth and the vapes on board were seized by compliance officers at the Department of Health. The liquid content from the seized vapes has been tested, and returned a positive result for nicotine, a highly addictive poison. A 22-year-old man from Perth is assisting the Department with its inquiries. It is an offence to manufacture, supply, or possess a product containing nicotine without a doctor’s prescription. Vapes and e-cigarettes can contain up to 200 toxic chemicals, including the same harmful chemicals found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer, bug spray and paint stripper. In addition to the WA Schools Anti-Vaping Toolkit, the State Government has provided…

Sainsbury’s is launching a ‘Dinspiration’ pop-up next week at London’s Kings Cross station offering commuters grab-and-go meal kits for dinner inspiration. The pop-up launches next Monday and Tuesday during the key commuting period of 5pm to 7pm offering consumers “a flavourful and healthy” grab-and-go meal kit for two, with options such as teriyaki stir fry and harissa chicken traybake. This contains ingredients from Sainsbury’s Inspired to Cook range, alongside fresh ingredients and recipes needed to cook the meals at home. Commuters can buy the meal kits for just 50p, with all proceeds donated to Comic Relief. The meal kit pop-up comes as research by the supermarket chain finds that deciding what to cook for dinner is high on the agenda for commuters, with 74% saying they think about their evening mealtime on their journey home while 63% admitted they struggle to come up with healthy options. The main reason behind this is…

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — At Texas Born (TXB) convenience stores, directing customers’ attention to the brand’s unique, fresh-made menu items begins before they ever set foot inside. From the fuel pumps to the building itself, everything serves a purpose. “We start the messaging outside. You start seeing food at the pump,” said Kevin Smartt, CEO of Spicewood, Texas-based TXB, pointing to the food-centric digital and physical signage that drivers see as they gas up. “You see the outdoor dining facility. When you walk in, you get a very fresh-feeling store. You see a lot of different connotations of food.” This is done in service of making food a central traffic driver, Smartt explained during his presentation, “Distinguishing Your Store Through Constant Menu Innovation,” at the 2023 Convenience Store News Convenience Foodservice Exchange (CFX) event, held in Nashville. “We focus pretty much 100 percent on the food,” he said. This food-focused mindset extends to…