Press Releases

LAVAL, Quebec — As the second-largest convenience store chain in the United States, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. and its banners — primarily, its global Circle K brand — are well known in the convenience retail space. Couche-Tard’s appetite for acquisitions may be the first attribute that comes to mind when thinking about the Laval-based retailer, which operates in 31 countries and territories, with more than 16,700 stores. However, the company’s willingness and ability to innovate is just as noteworthy. Couche-Tard Inc. has been chosen as the 2024 Convenience Store News Technology Leader of the Year for the company’s use of tech to:  More specifically, a sampling of the solutions the retailer has implemented either across its network or regionally include its Inner Circle loyalty program across 10 U.S. business units; Smart Checkout touchless systems; and in Europe, Pay by Plate. The Technology Leader of the Year award goes to a technology leader (individual or company) that not only contributes to the success of…

A fantastic turnout attended the recent Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) Women in Convenience Breakfasts in Sydney and Melbourne. At the Sydney event, Michelle Rushton (GAICD) Co-Founder and Director of People of Influence, had the room captivated for her entire keynote outlining The Smiling Ox Paradox and the science of becoming the person others are compelled to follow. Rushton’s learnings proved valuable for everyone that attended, in both their business and personal life, helping them find ways to elevate their executive presence and influence. Ashley Whitehead from EQ Minds spoke to the Melbourne audience on finding balance, sharing simple steps to reduce stress, cultivate resilience and restore harmony along with how to prioritise their mental and physical wellbeing. The audience took away useful tips everyone can easily practice. Theo Foukkare, CEO of AACS, thanked both attendees and their sponsors UCB Stores and Patties Food Group. “We will continue to bring…

7-Eleven Australia’s Fuel Pass fuel card has received five-star ratings from customers surveyed, winning Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers 2024 Award in the Small to Medium Business Fuel Cards category. According to Jason Tran, Head of Fuel, the award recognises the work of the 7-Eleven team to provide small and medium businesses with a fuel card product convenient for their needs. “Winning the Canstar Blue 2024 Most Satisfied Customers Award in this category is an extraordinary effort by the entire team to design a competitive fuel card offer, and provide a market leading in-store offer and overall customer service experience.” “At 7-Eleven, our ambition is to be ‘My Convenient Neighbourhood Store’ for more Australians. From a fuel perspective, this means having more fuel stores in more neighbourhoods based on our customers’ needs,” Mr Tran said. “Given how critical small and medium businesses are in Australia, it’s important to us that…

A range of single use plastic products will be banned from today in one of the most significant phases of the Malinauskas Government’s efforts to reduce plastic waste in our natural environment, waterways and beaches. From today, the following items are banned.

A leading retail advocacy group has thrown its support behind calls for a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into illicit tobacco – by Independent MPs Gareth Ward and Joe McGirr – to stop an all-out Victorian style tobacco turf war engulfing the state. Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) CEO Theo Foukkare said the inquiry – called for by Independent Kiama MP Gareth Ward, must be urgently acted upon. “Just last week AACS had warned the tobacco turf wars in Victoria – that have resulted in close to 100 stores being firebombed – would spread to New South Wales and now it has, with an arson attack on a store in Ettalong on the New South Wales Central Coast,” he said. “Mr Ward’s Notice of Motion for this inquiry must be supported if Sydney and all parts of New South Wales are to be spared of the almost weekly firebombings…

SYDNEY: The Australian Beverages Council, Australian Association of Convenience Stores andNational Retail Association commend the South Australian Government for its action to remove noncompliant energy drinks from retail shelves across the state. Australia has some of the strictest regulations around energy drinks in the world, regulated byStandard 2.6.4 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Under this Standard, energy drinks can contain no more than 32mg of caffeine per 100mL or 80mg in a 250mL container. This is comparable to the amount of caffeine in a cup of instant coffee made with one teaspoon of powder. Australian Beverages Council CEO, Geoff Parker welcomed today’s news and applauds the SouthAustralian Government and Health officials for their decisive action to remove non-compliant anddangerous products from the shelf. “The regulations for Australian energy drinks are long standing and are some of the strictest for thisproduct category in the world. Consumers can be…