AUBURN, Calif. — Flyers Energy has sold all of its 39 convenience-store and gas-station locations to the newly renamed Andeavor Corp., formerly Tesoro Corp., according to a report in the Auburn Journal.

Auburn, Calif.-based Flyers Energy is a third-generation family-owned business operated by the Dwelle family. It ranked No. 100 on CSP’s 2017 Top 202 list of the largest c-store chains in the country. With the Andeavor deal, Flyers effectively exits the c-store industry, instead choosing to concentrate on other areas of business.

The company operates 39 Flyers c-store locations and 18 hybrid locations that act like franchises, but the operators pay Flyers a commission on sales. Flyers Energy is also a wholesale supplier of fuels and lubricants and operates 263 card locks (83 stand-alone and 180 retail sites) and 15 lube outlets (nine in Nevada and six in California). Flyers Energy is a branded distributor of Chevron, Shell and Valero fuel for both wholesale and retail.

Newly renamed, San Antonio-based Andeavor is an integrated marketing, logistics and refining company with more than 3,200 gas stations and convenience stores under multiple fuel brands, including Arco, SuperAmerica, Shell, Exxon, Mobil, Tesoro, USA Gasoline and Giant.

Watch CSP Daily News for details.

Gas, tobacco and cold beverages may be what get customers in the door. But don’t discount good old-fashioned luck in the form of lottery scratch-off and computer-generated tickets. They represent a consistent revenue stream for convenience operators, generating about $8,000 in sales weekly and 9% of total convenience sales, according to Management Science Associates (MSA).

“Lottery remains a very reliable source of revenue that sells itself,” says Don Burke, senior vice president of MSA, Pittsburgh. “It’s a category consumers rely on being able to purchase at a convenience store.”

But lottery is more than merely consistent; data suggests that it’s also complementary in building the market basket. Ninety-five percent of lottery buyers purchase at least one extra item inside the c-store, and the overall basket ring by these lottery customers averages $10.35, according to NACS. In comparison, those not buying lottery spend $6.29.

Curious which goods get rung up most often with lottery? Recent SwiftIQ findings shared at the 2017 NACS State of the Industry Summit point to 10 categories:

• Newspapers (112% more likely to be purchased with lottery)
• Bakery items (68%)
• Coffee (59%)
• Cigarettes (60%)
• Soda (56%)
• Bottled water (50%)
• Prepared food (50%)
• Pizza slice (48%)
• Energy drinks (41%)
• Gasoline (27%)

So is lottery the primary purchase driver, or a reactive afterthought? It depends on the size of the  windfall. “Lottery is typically an impulsive, add-on purchase to some of the staples and destination items  that drive consumers to a convenience store, like fuel and cigarettes,” Burke says.

But the dynamics change when the payout does. “The state lottery and multistate games are very dependent on the jackpots,” says Steve Montgomery, president of b2b Solutions LLC, Lake Forest, Ill. “When those jackpots get to a certain size, sales increase at a rapid rate. I think this is due to non-lottery players deciding to play.”

Burke concurs: “It is proven that when lottery jackpots increase, so does convenience-store traffic. That fact suggests that higher lottery amounts become a destination vs. an impulse transaction.”

Tales From the Trenches

Lottery is more than an impulse sale for Dev Chaudhari. Owner of five Green Apple and Stop N Go c-stores in the Gainesville, Fla., area, Chaudhari considers himself a lucky operator: One of his stores pulls in $1 million in annual lottery sales (more than double the average estimated by NACS) and counts 60% of its patrons as lottery players. He credits this to the fact that the store is on a main highway, has many low- to middle-income customers who often play the lottery, offers a wide selection of games, and provides prompt service that keeps checkout lines moving quickly.

“Eighty percent of my lottery customers are scratch-off buyers, while 20% play the online games like  Powerball,” says Chaudhari.

Less than 10% of these shoppers are impulse lottery buyers, he says. “Some customers come in up to three times a day to play, spending up to one hour to scratch-off tickets right in the store after spending $300 or more.”

Four out of five of his lottery consumers purchase additional SKUs, the most common coming from the tobacco (60%), snacks (30%) and alcohol (10%) categories.

Lottery is big at Signal Food Stores too, where beer and liquor, cigarettes, fountain drinks, coffee and fuel most often accompany a lottery transaction.

“Lottery buyers are some of our most frequent customers,” says Sean Bumgarner, vice president of Scrivener Oil Co., the Ozark, Mo.-based parent company of 11 Signal c-stores in Missouri. “But I’m not sure they’re entirely loyal, as it seems that the most hardcore of our lottery buyers also visit our competition to purchase lottery tickets.”

Pat Determan, owner of Lyons Filling Station in Clinton, Iowa, says he operates in a blue-collar town, where buying lottery is viewed as a priority and tobacco is often purchased with tickets.

“We sell anywhere from $300 to $500 in lottery ticket sales per day, with sales peaking on both Wednesday and Saturday when Powerball drawings occur,” says Determan.

When the prize climbs to $300 million, “nine out of 10 people who come to our register will buy at least one $2 ticket,” he says. “If the pot is a normal $40 million, you do not get the same volume. When it gets to $100 million, more people will buy a $2 ticket.”

Improving the Odds

Want to encourage grab-and-go shoppers to pick four or more on their way out the door, or incentivize the lottery-minded masses to indulge in a packaged snack? Don’t rely on random chance—be proactive via promotional and propitious tactics.

Start by regularly publicizing lottery at the pumps and counter, especially when jackpots go higher, Burke suggests.

“Signage at the fuel pumps lets them know lottery tickets are available inside and can compel them to purchase, particularly if there is a high prize amount,” he says.

Also, consider offering bundled deals and discounts. “Place a cooler near the lottery register and offer something like two Red Bulls for $3 if they purchase lottery,” says Burke. “It’s all about effective signage around the area and secondary placement of products that are commonly in the market basket when lottery is bought.”

Chaudhari recommends offering a wide variety of scratch-off games and opening more facings of the same games to entice buyers to try their luck from different stacks.

Also, have a plan for high-traffic lottery days, and aim to improve the in-store experience for all shoppers, including lottery buyers.

“We have a separate area near the checkout where scratch-off buyers can play and not hold up the line,” says Chaudhari, who hired a second employee just to handle lottery sales at his lottery-centric location. “I’ve seen employees at other locations become annoyed at the time a customer takes to pick out a scratch ticket or pick their online lottery numbers. This makes customers less likely to purchase anything else or even return,” says Bumgarner of Scrivener Oil. “Remember that customers are not an inconvenience—they are the reason we’re here, and we need to make them feel that way.”

Try to reward loyal lottery clientele, too.

“We take care of our common customers who come in regularly to play and who spend a lot of time in the store by giving them a free bottle of soda or water,” Chaudhari says.

And remember that drawing attention to lottery becomes particularly important when America prospers.

“Studies have shown that lottery sales go up when the economy is bad, as consumers are looking for hope and luck,” Burke says. “When consumers have more money, they don’t necessarily think of the lottery—they see it as more of an aspirational-type purchase.”

A Jackpot of C-Store Facts

• About half of all U.S. lottery tickets are purchased at convenience stores.
• Lottery accounts for 9% of total c-store purchases.
• Average lottery sales weekly per c-store is $8,000.
• C-store lottery transactions peak on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
• Strongest c-store lottery sales occur from 3 to 5 p.m.
• C-store lottery commissions: typically 5% to 6% (depending on state)

Sources: NACS, MSA, SwiftIQ

The Scratch-Off Basket

While a fuel purchase is the most common item to accompany a scratch-off lottery ticket purchase,  premium cigarettes are not far behind in frequency.

Source: MSA

* Percent of scratch-off market baskets that include the item

LANSING, Mich. — A Michigan gas station is facing a lawsuit for falsely advertising fuel prices.

The state attorney general’s office is suing Great Lakes Gas & Mart LLC, Orion Township, Mich., for alleged violations of the Weights and Measures Act. The law requires that if there are different unit prices for the same grade of fuel and the street sign cannot display all prices in the same size and style of lettering, then the retailer must display the highest price for that grade in the largest-size lettering.

Great Lakes Gas & Mart has two road signs that advertise the price for fuel, one for gasoline and one for diesel. Both are only able to show one price per side. The gas station offers a lower cash price and a credit price for gasoline and diesel.

In April 2016, an inspector with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), which enforces the Weights and Measures Act, inspected the site and first documented that Great Lakes was advertising only the lower cash price on the street sign, according to the attorney general’s office. Not until customers pulled up to the pump did they see the higher credit price for the same grade of fuel.

MDARD reportedly documented that repeated violations happened for more than a year. While the retailer corrected the violation during one of the MDARD inspector’s visits, later inspections showed that Great Lakes continued to violate the law, according to the lawsuit.

MDARD repeatedly asked Great Lakes to fix the issue but was ignored, according to the suit. It then referred the matter to the department of the attorney general, which also sent a letter asking Great Lakes to come into compliance. Later inspections found that the retailer still did not address the issue. The lawsuit asks for civil penalties, reimbursement of MDARD’s investigation expenses and recovery of any financial benefit that Great Lakes received from violating the Weights and Measures Act.

“When a driver shops for gas, they make their buying decision based on advertised roadside prices,” said Bill Schuette, Michigan’s attorney general, in a statement. “The law is clear that when prices differ for the same grade of motor fuel, the highest price should be clearly displayed. Great Lakes continually and repeatedly deceived its customers, and now they will be held accountable for that decision.”

Brought to you by Core-Mark.

Fried chicken never seems to get old.

In fact, according to Technomic, the classic staple of American comfort cuisine continues to rank among the top five most sought-after fast-food or quick-serve concepts in the convenience channel.

Here’s a look at some of the advantages and considerations for offering fresh-fried chicken prepared in store for your customers.

Bolder flavors

While most consumers favor Southern-style fried chicken, Nashville-style hot fried chicken has been gaining ground with an almost cultish following, led by the likes of Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken and Big Shake’s Hot Chicken & Fish, CSP reported in its latest Foodservice Handbook, produced in conjunction with Technomic.

C-stores have an opportunity to introduce new, exciting flavors in the form of sauces and sides, from timeless favorites such as barbecue, ranch, honey-mustard and Buffalo sauces to more interesting hot sauces, bolder barbecue sauces and herb infusions.

Sandy Carritt, deli manager at PetroMart in Missouri Valley, Iowa, uses BirdShack, a fresh-fried chicken solution from Core-Mark. The concept includes prep/frying/holding equipment, ingredients (chicken, breading, frying oil and sides), marketing supplies and employee training for frying fresh, bone-in chicken pieces and boneless tenders in a 300- to 700-square footprint.

Carritt has recently been running a Cajun Chicken LTO with her BirdShack program to offer customers bolder flavors in addition to the more straightforward, Southern-style fried-chicken menu.

“We cook eight-piece tenders using BirdShack’s Cajun Breader mix so we don’t need to add any additional ingredients on our end,” says Carritt. “Our customers love it. We’ve even had a line at times, so people will call ahead to make sure we have the chicken. I think they enjoy something different and the Cajun flavoring offers just that.”

Through the program, Carritt is also able to offer popular side items like steamed green beans, baked beans and coleslaw, which results in an increased basket sizes. Since the addition of the BirdShack program and Cajun Chicken LTO, Carritt says she’s definitely noticed added in-store traffic.

Penchant for profits

One of the main benefits of offering fresh food items is the menu differentiation they offer. “The majority of c-store customers just fuel up and go, which challenges the operator to entice in-store visits where higher margin products are available. Offering quality, fresh-fried chicken gives them a reason to stop in the store,” says Richard Hunt, Corporate Director of Fresh and Foodservice for Core-Mark International Inc.

Chicken dishes remain the most menued entree-style food at c-stores after sandwiches, Mexican dishes, pizza, hot dogs and burgers and above things like salads, combo plates and more, according to CSP’s Foodservice Handbook. But chicken’s middle position on that list means c-stores serving it can differentiate themselves among other food items, particularly since Chicken rises near the top in per store sales dollar contribution.

Hunt agrees, and notes its potential for added profits. “When operators are looking to offer that type of fried-food offering, they’re fairly limited in terms of a quality program and often have to resort to prebreaded, precooked and/or microwaveable products,” he says. Being able to offer a fresh-to-fried menu item, therefore, can give c-stores a leg up on their immediate c-store competition, but even in some cases, their quick-serve competition.

“BirdShack is a turnkey solution for retailers wanting to offer fried chicken; it’s flexible and it’s made fresh daily with a delicious recipe made with simple ingredients,” says Alexis Lobodocky, Brand Manager at BirdShack. “Plus, the wide variety of featured sides bring in customers craving more than just fried chicken.”

According to the same list mentioned earlier, average prices for chicken dishes ranked at $3.91, well above burgers, hot dogs, Mexican and sandwiches. A family-style fried-chicken meal, complete with sauces and sides, however, could be sold for upwards of $10 for a much bigger profit potential.

Chicken all day

While bone-in fried-chicken pieces and sides help recruit customers during the peak lunch hours, they also offer a quick, easy and delicious solution for families on the run closer to dinnertime.

In fact, 45% of c-store foodservice consumers would be likely to order hot chicken-breast sandwiches for lunch from c-stores at least occasionally, and 55% of c-store foodservice consumers say the same for dinner, according to Technomic’s May 2016 Menu Trends report.

Offering smaller pieces and items such as fried chicken nuggets and fried chicken tenders can also help entice between-meal and snack seekers during those slower times in the afternoon. Technomic’s November 2016 Menu Trends report found that 30% of c-store customers say they typically purchase chicken strips, nuggets or wings as a snack.

“Offering something like fried chicken can help retailers push past the breakfast sandwich and processed, microwaved foods,” Hunt says. “While those foods are still important for c-stores, many customers nowadays are looking specifically for fresh food items at all times of the day.”

Milennials and Gen Z customers in particular are looking for non-sandwich, fresh items, so fresh-fried chicken with clean ingredients and cooking on-site is a natural fit for those meal-seekers, Hunt says. And, with the equipment for fresh-fried in place, it’s possible to add additional items into that sandwich category, like fried-chicken biscuit sandwiches for all dayparts, including breakfast.

Finding the right turnkey solution for offering freshly cooked, piping-hot fried chicken in-house offers c-stores a leg up among their competitors when it comes to satisfying both existing and new customers in today’s increasingly competitive market.

CHICAGO — Less than a week after a sweetened-beverage tax went into effect in Cook County, Ill., an area resident has filed a class-action lawsuit against Walgreens claiming the drug-store retailer is charging the tax on unsweetened drinks, and a CBS 2 Chicago news report shows similar confusion at a Chicago convenience store.

Vince De Leon of Schaumburg, Ill., filed the two-count lawsuit Aug. 7 on behalf of himself and anyone else who has paid the new tax on an unsweetened drink at a Walgreens location, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report. The lawsuit alleges Walgreens violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act and was unjustly enriched by collecting the taxes.

The filing comes less than a week after the county’s 1-cent-per-ounce tax on sweetened beverages went into effect on Aug. 3.

De Leon claimed he was wrongfully charged the sweetened-beverage tax on a case of Dasani Tropical Pineapple Sparkling Water on Aug. 4 at the Walgreens store in the 1000 block of North Roselle Road in northwest suburban Hoffman Estates, even though the case was “clearly labeled ‘unsweetened,’ ” according to the lawsuit. De Leon didn’t know he should not have been charged the tax until later and claims Walgreens deceived him in the purchase.

The lawsuit details two other transactions in which people who are unnamed in the complaint were charged the tax on unsweetened beverages, according to the report. And a CBS 2 Chicago news report (see video below) chronicles a reporter seeing the tax added when she purchases an unsweetened bottled water at a Chicago c-store.

Walgreens has not responded to the lawsuit so far.

The class-action lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, requests a trial by jury and seeks at least $50,000 in damages, including the refund of all improperly charged sweetened-beverage taxes.

WESTLAKE, Ohio — TravelCenters of America has installed 1,000 new digital menu boards at its locations nationwide, through a partnership with Maine-based Abierto Networks. Abierto’s supplier partnership with TravelCenters of America has assisted the travel-plaza convenience chain in upgrading digital menu boards in the company’s TA, Petro Shopping Centers and Minit Mart store locations.

The digital menus are remotely and centrally managed, and use high-impact food photography, vibrant colors and eye-catching animation to enhance the retailer’s promotional platform while influencing customer purchases.

“We are honored to have been selected by TA Petro to power the in-store digital marketing communications efforts with our technology platform,” said Rick Sales, president of Abierto. “We are very excited to see our technology at work in their stores, helping them educate and motivate their consumers to try delicious new menu items.”

Westlake, Ohio-based TravelCenters of America and its brands operate about 500 travel centers and convenience stores in 43 states and Canada.

Abierto Networks, York, Maine, is a digital-solutions provider for the convenience-store and convenience-foodservice industries. The company specializes in in-store digital signage, digital menu, engagement kiosks, mobile coupons and mobile-engagement technologies.

FRISCO, Texas — The convenience-store and beverage industries are mourning the death of former Nestle Waters North America executive Rex Griswold, 56, who died Friday, Aug. 4, from complications related to his five-year battle with multiple system atrophy, or MSA.

“Rex embodied courage, as do his wife and children. The nasty journey that the family endured these past years is not wished upon anyone,” said Kay Segal, a board member of the Rex Griswold Foundation and a former Winsight and c-store executive. “They dealt with the ordeal head-on—with humor, tenderness, courage and a desire to bring information about MSA into the open.”

Griswold is survived by his wife Traci and two sons, Park and Wilson. A memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. CDT Friday, Aug. 11, in Christ United Methodist, 3101 Coit Road, Plano, Texas.

MSA is a fatal and incurable degenerative neurological disorder in which systems of the body slowly shut down.

Upon Griswold’s diagnosis in 2012, along with those of others in the industry, the convenience-store industry via the Rex Griswold Foundation became a leading proponent of fundraising efforts to help find a cure for MSA. Over the past three years, a charity dinner/party during the industry’s NACS Show has become a primary fundraising event for the foundation, raising thousands of dollars in an effort to find a cure for the disease.

“The foundation started in Rex’s name has provided important information, hope to others and funds for important research, with help from our industry,” Segal said. “Rex lives on in our hearts, minds and actions. His energizing smile and the light of his will continues to shine upon us with the sun and the moon.”

Griswold worked for Nestle Waters North America for 23 years, rising to the position of vice president of out-of-home channels, which includes c-stores. He retired in 2014.

Here are some other sentiments shared since Griswold’s passing:

“Rex Griswold was a person who could literally light up a room with his big booming voice. He loved to laugh and meet people; all the while he was the consummate business person. As I worked with Rex, his drive to win was infectious, and he made it seem like fun. The c-store channel was the perfect environment for Rex, because the community takes and sees thing at face value, which describes Rex to a tee. No question, he changed many lives at Nestle Waters. Rex was so treasured and loved and will surely be missed.”–Tom Hipwell, Nestle Waters North America

“I was one of the more fortunate individuals to have known Rex over the 15-plus years we worked together at Nestle Waters. His kindness, humor, passion, demeanor, humbleness and mentorship that he brought daily are only a few of the words in which to describe him. His courage that he displayed during his fight with the disease was done with honor and grace while also trying to help others facing the same challenges. I am honored to have known and learned from Rex. He was a true friend who I will deeply miss.” –Jim Donker, Nestle Waters North America

“For me, Rex embodied the true meaning of dignity, will and passion for life. He never wavered in the face of the greatest of all challenges.” –Mike McGowan, Nestle Waters North America

“Rex was a model for us. I recall very early in his struggle with this devil disease a discussion I had with him as to how he could provide much to many by way of example, purpose and resolve. He did just that and so much more. He didn’t just fight the disease and go down in defeat, he lived a life of courage and example.” –Paul Reuter, Midwest Retail Group and formerly of CSP Business Media

“Rex was an industry leader and very well respected. He was certainly a man that many of us admired for his professionalism and integrity, especially as he fought this illness. He will be greatly missed, and all of us are better for knowing him and experiencing his leadership and courage.” –Kevin Martello, Dr Pepper Snapple Group

“Grace, courage, joy in the face of adversity, just some of the words to describe Rex. Tracy and the family are in the thoughts and prayers of my family.” –Glenn Diehl, Skyline Genesis Event Marketing

“For me personally, he was a gift of a friend, client and overall humble human being. Courageous is the word that I think sums up who he was.” –Karen Spiegel, Winsight

This year’s Fuel the Fight Against MSA benefit during the NACS Show will be held Thursday, Oct. 19, at Navy Pier in Chicago. Click here for more information.

CSP Daily News sends its condolences to family and friends.

Brought to you by Harbor Industries.

Electric vehicles are here and are changing the landscape of many industries in varied ways. These changes will directly impact the current convenience-store footprint in ways we only partially understand, so how can we anticipate what will happen and thrive in the marketplace during and after this seismic shift?

Electric vehicle (EV) numbers are exponentially increasing and, around 2020, electric cars are predicted to be cheaper to produce than gasoline vehicles. In January 2017, Morgan Stanley raised its predicted sales estimates of electric vehicles by 2025 by threefold. Others say that by that time, EVs will represent 25% of all private cars sold.

These figures, alongside the launch of the Tesla Model 3 in July (with production capacity of 30,000/month) and the Volvo announcement of a wholly electric/hybrid vehicle line by 2019, means these projections may come true even sooner than expected.

EVs will likely be the densest in cities and surrounding areas with large concentrations of people, technology and the wealth to support them.

So, how can we address this opportunity and thrive long term?

Embrace change and design thinking

Design thinking draws upon logic, imagination, intuition and systemic reasoning to explore possibilities of what could be and to create desired outcomes to solve changing and complex problems. The key is being able to let go of the “not change” option and visualize change positively.

With longer dwell time, what services will be in demand—movies, community-area rest stops, device recharging, deeper food offerings? Can some charging stations be overnight rentals making money when closed, serve breakfast or late-night food? Can meeting spaces be rentals?

EVs trend smaller, so can we get more chargers on-site than pumps? Can solar power receive federal funding to offset an emergency response future need? Can stations work together to share power through unused battery capacity? Can stations create more on-site uses like package pickup to take advantage of the smaller required footprints? Can cleaner footprints allow wider use?

Change is the truth

To not change is to not survive. Future-positive thinking is a way of creating a powerful mindset that not only embraces change but actively works to thrive in it. Each solution will be different, but the starting line is the same. Time to start.

HARBOR: Makes Innovation Relevant
HarborRetail.com

Brought to you by Lil’ Drug Store Products.

Convenience-store operators plan their stores so that when customers come in looking for a snack, they’ll have no trouble finding an array of chips, candy, sodas and other tasty treats. But when it comes to appealing to consumers who want a healthier snack, stocking shelves with better-for-you options can be a great way to increase sales.

More people are looking for healthy snacks

A July 2015 study from Brandware showed that 72% of consumers prefer to buy healthier snacks.  Nowadays, shoppers have more options to choose from, including freshly prepared hummus and veggie cups, fruit cups and grab-and-go yogurt. Some consumers still think that c-stores don’t offer enough healthy snacks, though. To change the mindset that c-store don’t have enough options, retailers need to make these snacks highly visible in their stores—that can include placing them on endcaps or displays, where shoppers are more likely to notice them.

In the realm of shelf-stable options that are convenient and easy to eat, snacks such as Popchips have been gaining traction. Touted as having all the flavor but half the fat of regular fried potato chips, Popchips are a nonfried chip that offers a familiar taste in a better-for-you package, which is perfect for snackers looking for healthy options. 

With an increase in snacking frequency, there’s also been a shift in what people are snacking on. According to Technomic’s 2016 Snacking Occasion Consumer Trend Report, powered by Ignite, 51% of consumers say healthfulness is very important to them when choosing a snack, and 40% of consumers say that in the last two years, they’ve been snacking on healthier foods more than they used to.

When they reach for a snack at a c-store, consumers who want something healthier often choose fresh fruit, wellness/protein or granola bars, trail mix or jerky. Alongside these snacks, lower-calorie, lower-fat and more natural versions of snacks that consumers already love, such as chips and popcorn, are on the rise.

What does ‘healthy’ mean?

The Technomic Snacking Occasion Report pointed out that highlighting the added nutritious aspects of snacks may drive sales of healthful snacks, so it can be key to sell products that call out benefits on the label. Additionally, the Brandware study showed that the healthy attributes most important to consumers included all natural, non-GMO and high protein. Retailers looking to increase sales of healthy snacks should stock items that fit that criteria.

Other health benefits that can tip the scales for sales, according to Technomic’s 2016 Healthy Eating Consumer Trend Report, powered by Ignite, include natural and real. Fifty-three percent of consumers say that food and beverage described as natural is slightly or much tastier, and 49% say the same about food and beverage described as real. Retailers should stock shelves with snacks that offer benefits such as all-natural ingredients, no trans-fats, no artificial sweeteners or flavors and fewer calories than traditional snacks, as well as options that are non-GMO and high protein, in order to boost sales of healthy snacks.

Appealing to more consumers, boosting sales

Retailers know they have what consumers want in the realm of indulgent snacks such as baked goods or chips, but for customers who want grab-and-go options that are convenient and delicious but not too indulgent, it’s important to stock alternatives. If consumers still think that c-stores don’t have the healthy snacks they’re looking for, they’ll go elsewhere—like their local supermarket—to purchase those snacks. C-stores can boost incremental sales by changing that mindset, which can be done through product promotion, including signage, and placement of healthy snacks in highly visible spaces within the store.

Once consumers see that they can get the same snacks at a c-store that they can at a grocery store, they may stop in to pick up a snack more frequently. Signage that promotes new, healthy items can boost engagement, as can marketing the new healthy snacks as a tasty, healthful alternative to products consumers already love.

BOSTON — Retail gasoline prices have hit their highest point since June.

In the past week, gas prices rose in 46 states to hit a national average of $2.35 per gallon, according to GasBuddy. This is the highest average in more than eight weeks. Oil prices provided the upward pressure, driven higher as inventories tighten over concerns about instability in Venezuela, which provides about 10% of U.S. oil imports. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported last week that crude inventories fell 1.5 million barrels, reaching their lowest point since December 2016. Gasoline inventories fell 4.4% below their level a year ago.

However, Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for Boston-based GasBuddy, noted that gas prices have stayed within a “relatively tight” 30-cent range for the past year. “While we’re likely to see gas prices continuing to move higher in the week ahead as they catch up to oil, we’re unlikely to break out of the well-established rut in the national average, which has kept prices between $2.12 and $2.42 for the last 15 months,” he said.

The largest weekly increases in retail gasoline averages were in South Carolina, Iowa, New Jersey and Georgia, all up 7 cents per gallon (CPG). Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico and Virginia followed, all with 6-CPG increases.

The lowest state retail averages for gasoline are mainly in the Southeast, with Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina each at $2.09 per gallon, followed by Arkansas and Missouri at $2.11.

GasBuddy expects gasoline prices to rise in most regions in the coming week, led by the Great Lakes states, where an increase may raise the national retail average by 2 to 3 CPG.