Category: Business

Frank Beard is a longtime convenience retail enthusiast who currently works in marketing and customer experience at Standard AI. His column, The Road Ahead, examines innovation in the c-store industry.  If you’re a coffee nerd like me, then you’re probably familiar with the history of Starbucks. For everyone else, allow me to bring you up […]

Dive Brief: Archaea shareholders approved the company’s pending sale to BP by a wide margin on Tuesday morning. The transaction could close by the end of the year, pending regulatory approvals. Ahead of the vote, the company released a supplemental proxy filing in response to multiple lawsuits alleging that Archaea violated the Securities Exchange Act by omitting […]

Dive Brief: Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is expanding its My Love’s Rewards (MLR) program to its Trillium Energy alternative fueling stations, according to a Tuesday announcement. As part of the expansion, customers can now earn MLR points and get free items when they purchase compressed natural gas (CNG) at over 60 Love’s-owned Trillium […]

It’s hard to not bring up self-checkout when discussing the convenience store industry’s evolving use of technology.  Over the past few years, major c-store players like Circle K, Wawa and Sheetz have taken on autonomous checkout in various forms like standard kiosks or mobile scan-and-go. Smaller chains such as Spinx and Texas Born (TXB) are […]

As the time approaches when states begin doling out electric vehicle (EV) charging funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, some c-stores could get up to 80% of certain EV charging costs reimbursed. It’s a lot of money to help offset what can be a very expensive installation. And retailers can help make the process […]

It’s no secret that convenience stores are struggling with labor. Turnover in the industry in 2021 reached 150% — its highest level since 2012, according to NACS’ most recent State of the Industry Compensation Report.  As 2023 approaches, it’s apparent that offering decent pay isn’t enough to attract and retain talent. Prospective and current employees […]

Dive Brief: Convenience store chain Sunshine Gasoline Distributors has upgraded its mobile app, now allowing customers to pay for gas from their mobile phones, according to a Thursday press release. The Florida-based chain is partnering with marketing technology company Liquid Barcodes to allow gas purchases via automated clearing house (ACH) payments at the chain’s roughly […]

Dive Brief: Kum & Go will open its first c-store in Utah on Monday, in Draper, about 20 miles south of downtown Salt Lake City, according to a Thursday announcement. The first Utah store comes about 19 months after Kum & Go announced its expansion into the state. At the time, the retailer said it […]

Dive Brief: Convenience store chain Mapco opened its first checkout-free store on Thursday in Brentwood, Tennessee, according to a press release. The location, which features Grabango cashierless checkout technology, is one of an expected two Tennessee stores taking part in the pilot program, the retailer said when the partnership was first announced in February. Mapco […]

While the c-store industry didn’t see as many CEO changes as clothing or beauty retailers did this year, the industry nonetheless saw its fair share of executive changes. From major players to mid-size and small chains, c-stores around the country saw longtime leaders step out and fresh faces slide into their company’s executive offices. Here’s a […]