convenience retailer sept/oct 2011

NEXT ISSUE:NACS post-show coverageBUYERS GUIDE:

New products from the NACS show

www.convenienceretailer.net

PRODUCT FEATURES SEE PAGE 102

� Ex Chillout, America’s First Relaxer Beverage� Deli Staff Deserve NXT 10-302Cut-Resistant Gloves

�Tease Your Taste Buds WithAll-Natural TEAse Iced Teas

SURE BETS SEE PAGE 4

� Thirst For Winning, Taste For VictoryDrives Cintron Racing, Beverage Group

� How Did Those Little Trees Car ScentsBecome So Ubiquitous?

FEATURES SEE PAGE 20

� Dietz & Watson Deli Meats, ArtisanCheeses Cut Sodium, Not Taste

TOP TECH SEE PAGE 92

� XRUN Powered By ADP Smartphone PayrollPlatform Available For Small Businesses� Understanding EMV Vital AsVisa Implements System

INDUSTRYCALENDAR

NACS PRESHOWCOVERAGE

OPERATIONS:Proper Product TrackingIncreases Customer SatisfactionSEE PAGE 68SEE PAGE 40SEE PAGE 106

ConvenienceRETAILERVolume 4, Number 5 September/October 2011

BY KARRIE WELBORNSocial media, the platform that revolu-tionized communication during Japan’sMarch tsunami and earthquake andmore recently during Hurricane Irene onthe East Coast, has also spawned the lat-est incarnation of a crime spree: TheFlash Rob. Instead of using Facebookand Twitter to coordinate innocuous,entertainment-based “flash mobs,” theconcept has segued into a mechanism

for groups of people to converge on astore, take what they want, and walk outwithout paying.

These flash robberies often occur inbroad daylight and the people in the“mob rob” rarely bother with disguise orsubterfuge. The gathered group movesin like a wave, denudes the shelves, andthen moves out in just a matter ofmoments, leaving store personnel

Walmart Enters TheConvenience-RetailBusiness SpaceBY DIRK DEPPEYOn June 8, two small towns in Arkansasheld ribbon-cutting ceremonies for theopening of the first of Walmart’s new“Walmart Express” outlets. In both Gentryand Prairie Grove, the mayors of theirrespective towns cut the ceremonial rib-bons and, in the process, officiated in theretail giant’s opening salvos of its attemptto grow into communities too small to sup-port a full, big-box Walmart retail outfit.With the cutting of those two ribbons,Walmart formally entered into competitionin the convenience-retail marketplace.

For Mitch Bartholomew, longtimeowner of Frederick’s One Stop in PrairieGrove, it was a worrying sign. Speaking toa reporter for a local television station,Bartholomew said, “We’re always con-cerned because everybody trades with

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Surveillance & Social MediaThe Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Industry Told To Recommit To MarketingStandards Away From Vulnerable 12-20Age Group

The alcohol industry’s voluntary standard todiscourage underage drinking has failed in 75markets across the country, according to anew study from the non-profit Center on

Youths InfluencedBy Alcohol Ads OnRadio, Johns HopkinsStudy Finds

NEW FEATURE:GRAB AND GO PRODUCTS

BUYERS GUIDESEE PAGE 88

Nicotek® is the latest electronic ciga-rette company to emerge that seems tobe doing everything right. Both retailersand distributors are finding that Nicotekis satisfying their customers’ needsmore than any other e-cig on the markettoday. Nicotek LLC’s trademarkedmotto is, “Electronic Cigarettes DoneRight.” The e-cigs definitely live up totheir claim!

With nearly four years of retailexperience in the e-cig industry, Nicotekhas evolved the electronic cigarette intothe superior product that you see on themarket today. METRO® by Nicotek

Nicotek E-CigsSatisfy Customers’Needs

�COLD COW ICE CREAM INTRODUCES NEW MILKSHAKE LINE

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4 ConvenienceRETAILER September/October 2011

In the world of offshore powerboat racing,moments matter. Winning and losing ismeasured by fractions of a second. RichWyatt goes full-throttle to taste that victory.

Twelve years ago, Wyatt, CEO ofThe Cintron Beverage Group, splashedonto the offshore scene. His emergenceinto the sport’s upper echelons has beenas fast as the boats themselves. Crowdshave witnessed Cintron’s boat, the 50-foot Mystic captained by Wyatt, crush thecompetition at speeds of over 170 mph.

Wyatt, winner of the 2010 Key WestWorld Championships and recently 2011Great Lakes Super Boat Grand Prix,describes the thrill of the chase: “There isso much pressure. Staying ahead of thecompetition means making split-seconddecisions. It’s hard to describe the rush.It’s like sticking your hand in a fire. Yourfirst reaction is, ‘No, don’t do it!’ but youjust can’t stop.”

A sport of such intensity demandsdedication and fearlessness. Prepping theboat for competition can take weeks,while extreme temperatures and waterconditions call for peak endurance. It’s

high-energy and high-risk, but Wyatt andthe Cintron racing team wouldn’t have itany other way.

Wyatt’s success has transferredonshore as well. Over the last three years,he has led Cintron to the forefront of thebeverage industry. He and his team havestayed on top of the competition with thecompany’s growing line of premiumLatin-inspired energy drinks, fruit adesand natural teas. Cintron’s HFCS-freedrinks are combined with a natural ener-gy-ingredient formula to eliminate that“crash” feeling―paramount when focusis necessary.

It takes a thirst for the winner’s circleto lead a winning team. With several boatracing victories and an ever-growing bev-erage company, Rich Wyatt is a champi-on. He knows the formula. You can seedrive and determination in every race andtaste it in each drink.

Make each moment of your life mat-ter. Taste the difference.

For more information, visit www.cin-tronbeveragegroup.com or stop by booth5543 at the NACS show. �

You see them everywhere,and you probably have themin your store―they’re prob-ably one of your best sellers.But chances are, you neverthought much about theLittle Trees air fresheners.We visited CarFreshner, thecompany behind these fresh-makers, attheir Watertown, N.Y., headquarters, andwere surprised by what we learned.

The company has been based inWatertown (on the Canadian border) eversince Julius Sämann, a chemist, inventedthe hanging Tree air fresheners to help outa milk-truck-driving friend. One ofSämann’s first fragrances was Royal Pine,which Director of Sales Nate Lazarchucktells us is still a top seller. “It’s amazingenough that this company has remainedfresh for almost 60 years,” saidLazarchuck, “but that one of the originalfragrances is still doing so well surprisesmany people.”

The original fragrance king was top-pled in the 1980s, with the arrival of thebright yellow Vanillaroma. Then, in the1990s, New Car Scent took over top spot,before the arrival of Black Ice in 2005.“This fragrance has done phenomenallywell for us and for our customers,”explained Lazarchuck. “The fragrance hasbecome so famous; an NBA basketballplayer named his line of shoes ‘Black Ice’after our product.”

Today, there are 65 fragrances tochoose from, with new ones launched sev-eral times a year. Just this month, the com-pany launched White Water (a cool fra-grance on a splashy blue and white Tree)

and Grape (a delicious rendi-tion of a traditional favorite).Maybe one of these two new-comers will take over BlackIce’s title?

The company grew overthe years, and built factories inDeWitt, Iowa, and Berlin,

N.H. Every Little Trees air freshener is stillmade in one of its three U.S. facilities.After 60 years, the company is still goingstrong. “We’ve succeeded because we’venever lost focus of our customers. Weknow they want great, long-lasting fra-grances at a fair price. We give them thatbetter than anyone else can.” This mightexplain why the Little Trees logo hasbecome so iconic. You’ve seen it in count-less movies and TV shows (one of ourfavorites is Letterman, who seems to havea particular love for the products). As forthat iconic scene in the movie Seven, “wesent them unfragranced product, becausethat many Trees would have been quitepowerful,” explained Lazarchuck.

“Americans seem to love LittleTrees,” concludes Lazarchuck. And theirbuying patterns reflect this. The LittleTrees air fresheners are―far andaway―the best-selling automotive airfresheners on the market.

For more information on the compa-ny and its products, visit its booth at 1553North Hall at the NACS show or www.little-trees.com. �

year panel and five-year hardware war-ranty.

W.A. Brown & Son, celebrating its100th year in business this year, is theoriginator of all-foam metal covered pan-els. The panels, insulated withpolyurethane, are friendly to the environ-ment and add flexibility to the product.They are flame-retardant and a smokeinhibitor, meeting strict safety standards.

W.A. Brown & Son sells its coolersand freezers for use by bakeries, bever-age storage, blood banks, caterers,chemical storage and processing,chemical houses, computer disks, com-puter rooms, convenience stores,florists, frozen dough, frozen products,hospitals, ice cream distributors,microfilm storage and processing, bulkpurchasing of meat, pharmacies, photo-graphic supplies, restaurants, schoolsand wine storage.

More information is available atwww.wabrown.com. �

W.A. Brown Walk-In CoolersCustomized For Any NeedW. A. Brown & Son’s SpecificationCooler is a walk-in unit that is customizedto meet your needs. You may choose fromsix finishes or customize. This line can bebuilt into any location and offers unlimit-ed sizes, shapes and accessories. You pro-vide a sketch and fill out the worksheet,and the W.A. Brown Design ServicesTeam will do the rest.

Specification walk-ins have a 15-

Top Athletes LeBron James, A'mare StoudemireRely On Sheets Energy Strips For Tasty BoostSheets Energy Strips, co-founded andendorsed by such athletes as LeBronJames and A’mare Stoudemire, werelaunched in the summer of 2011. Afterbeing placed on your tongue, Sheetspaper-thin strips quickly dissolve. SheetsEnergy Strips are individually wrapped,require no water and come in two greatflavors: Berry Burst and Cinnamon Rush.

Distributed by Convenience Valet®,Sheets are are already on the shelves atGNC stores, Walgreens, Walmart and 7-Eleven. They're small enough to keep inyour wallet, won't spoil or melt and haveno calories, carbohydrates or sugar. Eachstrip contains vitamins B5, B6, B12, E,biotin and 50 milligrams of caffeine.

Please stop by and see Convenience

Valet in booth 5235 at the NACS show toenter to WIN an autographed jersey fromLeBron James, A’mare Stoudemire, ChrisPaul, Ray Rice or Brian Urlacher! In addi-tion, free planograms and category manage-ment tools are available to help you opti-mize your Health & Beauty Care business.

For more information, call800.351.2000 or visit www.cvalet.com. �

How Did Those Little Trees CarScents Become So Ubiquitous?

Thirst ForWinning, Taste ForVictory Drives Cintron Racing,Beverage Group

ConvenienceRETAILERLee M. Oser

CEO and Editor-in-Chief

Steve CoxLyle Sapp

Kate SeymourSenior Associate Publishers

Kim ForresterAssociate Publisher

Rhonda BakerPaul HarrisJames MartinBill Morris

Deborah YarbroughAccount Managers

Lorrie BaumannEditorial Director

A.J. FlickEditor

Rocelle AragonDirk DeppeyJennifer MillerKarrie Welborn

Associate Editors

Valerie WilsonArt Director

Yasmine BrownGraphic Designer

Selene PinuelasTraffic Manager

Enrico CecchiEuropean Sales

Convenience Retailer is published byOser Communications Group ©2011.

BPA Worldwide Member since June 22, 2009.All rights reserved. Executive and editorial offices at:

1877 N. Kolb Road, Tucson, AZ 85715520-721-1300/Fax: 520-721-6300

www.oser.comwww.convenienceretailer.net

European offices located atLungarno Benvenuto

Cellini, 11, 50125 Florence, Italy.

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Tony Freytag, Senior Vice President,Sales and Marketing, introduces newCrunch Pak’s Disney co-branded prod-ucts.

CR: Tell us more about Crunch Pak®.

TF: Crunch Pak, exhibiting at NACS inbooth 4786, is the leading supplier ofcleaned, ready-to-eat fresh apple slices.Located in Cashmere, Wash., the heart ofWashington state apple country, CrunchPak was founded by apple growers whobelieved that people would eat moreapples if they were easier to eat.

CR: How does Crunch Pak make appleseasier to eat?

TF: Crunch Pak utilizes the perfect recipeof vitamin C and calcium to preventspoilage and maintain the crispness of anapple after it’s sliced. Crunch Pak’sbreathable bags allow the sliced apples toreceive the right mixture of oxygen whileemitting carbon dioxide; that combinationensures the apples maintain optimumquality during transportation to marketand ensures a 21-day shelf life.

CR: Tell us about the new products you’reintroducing at this year’s NACS show.

TF: At NACS, Crunch Pak is introducing

about other products also. Tell us aboutthose.

TF: Crunch Pak is continuing to produceits FOODLESTM line. Packaged in theshape of Mickey Mouse and featuringMickey and friends characters, FOO-DLES feature an assortment of healthysnack food options including apples,grapes, cheese and pretzels. In addition tothe new Disney co-branded products,Crunch Pak will also be exhibiting all theother items in its family of productsincluding Snackers, Just Grapes andCrunch Pak carrots, all items introducedover the past year and gaining distributionnationwide.

CR: Your association with Disney is a lit-tle unexpected. Tell us more about that.

TF: No one else is packaging fresh-cutapple snacks in partnership with a cultur-al icon such as Disney. The co-brandallows Crunch Pak to engage with kidsthrough a beloved reference point andmake the snack experience fun and invit-ing. Crunch Pak creates all of these itemsin accordance with strict nutritionalguidelines created by Disney just for kids,which assure they are nutritionally bal-anced.

For more information, visit Crunch Pakin booth 4786 at the NACS show. �

Crunch Pak Partners With CulturalIcon To Promote Nutrition

C-Stores Get SliceOf Profitable FoodCategory WithGiorgio Foods’ PizzaAmericans eat about 100 acres of pizzaeach day, making pizza a bigger businessthan the hamburger and hot-dog indus-tries combined. That’s $35 billion in rev-enue that convenience stores deserve aslice of.

Giorgio Foods has a pizza programthat can help convenience stores competeand win in the pizza market. Giorgio’sprogram is designed using premium“pizza parlor” style ingredients to providethe best-quality pizza with the leastamount of time and effort spent by storeemployees. With two styles to choosefrom, Prebaked or Take & Bake Pizza,retailers can select a pizza that best suitstheir operation.

As part of the program, Giorgio’spizzas are delivered to the stores frozen.They may be prepared frozen or thawedfor speed of service. From frozen,Giorgio pizzas will cook in five to 10minutes and from thawed in four to sevenminutes, depending on the oven.

The Giorgio Pizza Program also pro-vides convenience stores with a versatileoven that handles pizzas up to 16 inches indiameter. Everything from thin to thick


a line of fresh sliced apple products cre-ated in conjunction with DisneyConsumer Products that feature popularDisney characters such as Phineas andFerb and Cars 2. Previously brandedDisney Garden and featuringDisney·Pixar Toy Story characters, thenew line is co-branded by Crunch Pakand Disney for the first time.

CR: And of course, you’ll be talking

ConvenienceRETAILER 9September/October 2011


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In an independent study this spring of 132smokers, nearly all were intensely curiousabout electronic cigarettes, yet only 6 per-cent had tried them. “It makes sense,”Russell Stone, President of the FinitiBranding Group, explains. “With a prod-uct so groundbreaking, most smokers areskeptical of e-cig technology and whetherit can truly replicate regular smoking.” Toease potential customer concerns and gaintheir longtime loyalty and trust, Stone andhis team decided the best route was goodold-fashioned product quality of the high-est standard.

Finiti e-cigarettes are an alternativeto traditional cigarettes, providing the sat-isfaction of nicotine without smoke,according to the company. Instead ofburning tobacco, Finiti uses liquid nico-tine naturally derived from tobacco andwater vapor to transform the normal

smoking experience in a smoke-free, ash-free, odor-free way.

“We spent many months, many longhours with the research and developing ofFiniti e-cigs,” says Stone. “As smokersourselves, we wanted the Finiti experienceto be all about the pleasures of smoking,without all the worries. Most of all, wewanted an e-cig of peerless quality!”

The Finiti team started with develop-ing liquid nicotine that would providerich tobacco taste. Rather than manufac-turing synthetic nicotine, Finiti uses a liq-uid derived from natural tobacco leaf. Thecompany created a sturdy, unibody dis-posable to closely replicate the feel andlook of a traditional cigarette.

“We wanted smokers to realizefrom their very first taste of Finiti that it

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Mars Chocolate North Americaannounced that its SNICKERS Brand, aproud sponsor of the NFL, has teamedwith NFL Films to release a new docu-mentary chronicling former DallasCowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett’sepic blunder that occurred onThanksgiving Day in 1993.

The film, “The Man Who PlayedLiterally Hungry: Leon Lett and the TrueStory Behind His Infamous ThanksgivingBlunder,” sheds new light on the potentialcause of Lett’s uncharacteristic play thatfateful night, which still haunts him 18years later. The film is available atwww.nfl.com/snickers.

The blunder occurred during a raresnow and sleet storm in Dallas. Leadingthe Miami Dolphins 14-13 with 15 sec-onds remaining in the game, theDolphins lined up for a 41-yard field goalattempt. The Cowboys blocked the fieldgoal, but while his teammates began tocelebrate, Lett attempted to recover theball, slipped on the ice and allowedMiami to recover the muff on the Dallas

one-yard-line. By touching the ball andthen failing to hold onto it, Lett enabledthe Dolphins to take possession and tryanother field goal with three seconds lefton the clock, which they subsequentlymade to win the game.

“I have three rings, but I still wakeup in the middle of the night because ofthat play,” said Lett, who was a two-timePro Bowler for the Cowboys. “Miamiwas 8-2, so Coach kept riding me allweek about the need to play hungry. Ithought he meant literally!”

After watching the film, viewers willhave the opportunity to “forgive Leon”for playing literally hungry atwww.nfl.com/snickers. If Leon can reacha total of 25,000 “forgives,” SNICKERSwill honor him on the day of this year’srematch between the Cowboys andDolphins on Thanksgiving Day.

For more information about “TheManWho Played Literally Hungry: LeonLett and the True Story Behind HisInfamous Thanksgiving Blunder,” visitwww.nfl.com/snickers. �

their company at the event.Consider the following on how a com-

pany could participate: Imagine your com-pany was headquartered in Texas, nearAustin. Every year, the Austin City LimitsMusic Festival draws massive crowds.Consider the opportunity to sponsor, orpurchase the ClearStream recyclers forsuch an event. The ClearStream recyclingsystem offers branding on either the “bill-board” or directly on the lid. ClearStreamRecyclers are branded and ready to go,allowing you to be actively participating ina recycling program that will make a dif-ference while at the same time promotingyour brand.

Prior to ordering the recyclers, yourmarketing department would need to workwith various city and municipal depart-ments to assess needs. Fortunately, mostevent planners and municipalities arealready involved with recycling, so thecoordination of material removal is typi-cally not an issue. The issue they face isfinding a reliable, affordable containmentsystem. They need assistance, which isexactly where your company can step in.You can make a difference and build yourbrand within your community andthroughout the country.

To learn more about Franklin DisplayGroup/Resourceful Bag & Tag, please visitthem at booth 417 at the NACS show.Resourceful ClearStream owns theClearStream trademark and is the exclusivesales agent for the product line. Direct allsales inquiries to [email protected] or call 800-872-8241x110. Please visit their website atwww.resourcefulclearstream.com. �

Franklin Display Group ClearsPath to SustainabilityAre “sustainability” and “green initiatives”on your corporate agenda? This topic is rel-evant, demanding, and for most of us, it’scomplicated. The green industry initiative isgaining momentum. It is important enoughto have made it all the way to PresidentObama’s and the U.S. Congress’ agenda.

Consequently, many companies aresearching for answers to the question,“Where do we turn for honest, proven assis-tance?” How canmy company embrace thisnew initiative and make a difference?

Franklin Display Group has partneredwith Resourceful ClearStream to develop arecycling product line that has alreadyassisted many companies, communitiesand event planners in creating solutions foraffordable, clean recycling programs. Anexample of this partnership was a collabo-ration with NASCAR® in the Winston CupSeriesTM at Homestead-Miami Speedway.The ClearstreamTM Recyclers used in threedifferent sections of the speedway were:outside the gates, on the concourse areasand in the suites. Not only did theClearStream Recyclers hold up to the mas-sive crowd of 150,000 race fans, more than150 cubic yards of material were depositedin them. The ClearStream Recycler keepsrecyclables separate from the trash, so nofurther sorting is needed.

That’s an interesting success story, butyou’re probably asking yourself, “Howdoes that relate to my business?” In eventslike the NASCAR weekend, the benefitswere two-fold. The first was the fact thatthey were doing their part in recycling.They made a commitment and a differencein an incredibly important cause. Secondly,they branded the recyclers and promoted

NFL Star Seeks RedemptionFrom Fans For Football Blunder

Finiti E-Cigarettes Ease Smokers'ConcernsWith Product Quality


SCHNEIDER CHEESE:WHAT’S IN ITFOR YOU?

are second to none. Schneider’s started itall, and now the snack cheese category isa multi-million dollar category in theC-Store market.

But that is not all.Back in the mid-2000s, Schneider’s

was purchased by one of the largestcheese-producing companies in theworld, Saputo Cheese. The goal has beento grow the category and the Schneidername in the C-Store market. Now wehave the combined experience and talentof those who built this into a multi-mil-lion dollar category and the financialbacking of an aggressive, trendsettingcompany. The result is a deliciouslyattractive high-margined healthy snackalternative. We have a strong presence inthe marketplace and an aggressive pric-ing program that is second to none.

With our stand-up boxes our pro-gram takes very little shelf space, but thatsmall shelf space makes for huge profits.

So … what’s in it for you? Hugeprofits, experience in marketing and con-fidence that your stores are selling apremium snack cheese for a great price.

For more information, call 218-562-4651. �

The answer is really quite simple: apremium, healthy snack at a great price.We have been making Schneider Cheesefor decades and we do it well.

Schneider Cheese Company was theoriginal snack cheese company in theMidwest. Our modest beginning was asmall cheese plant in Waldo, Wis. We’vebeen making snack cheese products sincethe late 1970s, back when snack cheesewasn’t even a category. Schneider CheeseCompany was the first to get cheese outof the grocery store and into the conven-ience store as a healthy snack alternativeto candy bars and potato chips.

Originally, we produced stringcheese in 5-pound bulk bags and the cus-tomers would help themselves to a pieceor two out of an open bag in the cooler. Ofcourse things have changed since then;we now have the packaging and displayboxes that attract attention to this healthycategory. But our history and experience

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pizza can be prepared with ease. Long life,compact space-saving design and multi-capabilities make this the ideal oven fordemanding commercial foodservice envi-ronments. If you are starting a pizza pro-gram, consider Giorgio’s program, whichhelps offset the cost of the oven with some

Giorgio FoodsContinued from Page 9

of Giorgio’s fine products.Giorgio has been a trusted name for

generations in the food industry, andthat’s why it is building a stellar reputa-tion in the convenience store market withdiscerning customers and consumers.

To find out more, stop by Giorgiobooth 6085 at NACS show, visitwww.giorgiofoods.com or call 800-330-5705. �

was not just another techy gimmick, buta revolutionary advance in the lives ofsmokers.”

Quality is engrained in the day-to-day operations at Finiti, which employsan on-site quality control team monitor-ing every step of the manufacturingprocess. As well, Finiti e-cigs and theirfacilities are tested regularly by an FDA-accredited third party.

“Plus,” Stone adds, “we take all feed-back from our customers very seriously,as we see our quality as a continuouscommitment to improve. The way welook at it, we are in this together with our

FinitiContinued from Page 11

smokers. They’re taking a chance byswitching over to the new technology ofFiniti, and if Finiti doesn’t deliver realsmoking pleasure, then we won’t hesitateto return their money.”

Available in a range of SKUs,including two rechargeable kits and dis-posable e-cigarettes, Finiti e-cigarettesare available in regular and menthol.Finiti products are priced to suit everylifestyle, beginning at $9.99 for a dispos-able e-cigarette that lasts as long as twopacks of traditional cigarettes.

For more information, please visitbooth 928 in the NACS show, go onlineto www.myfiniti.com, [email protected] or call 855-693-4648. �

With nearly 100 years of experience and his-tory, absolute dedication to quality can stillbe seen and tasted in every bar of RitterSport chocolate.

What started as a small, local businesshas grown with each generation and is nowa successful international business; RitterSport chocolate bars are available in morethan 90 countries around the world.

Headquartered in Waldenbuch,Germany, just south ofStuttgart, the company is man-aged by the third generation ofthe Ritter family, whose inter-ests lie well beyond makingoutstanding chocolate. RitterSport is also active in environ-mental protection, fosteringfair-trade practices, encourag-ing employee development andsupporting the arts.

The company’s passionis, of course, chocolate! All productiontakes place in Waldenbuch, whichenables Ritter to continuously ensurethe highest standards of quality.

What makes Ritter Sport chocolate sounique, besides its square shape, is that thecompany uses 11 different chocolate massesin the production of the bars.

Ritter matches these to the finest wholehazelnuts and almonds, raisins, biscuits,wafers and other inclusions to develop thevery best combinations of flavor and texture.

With more than 18 varieties available inthe United States (including Alpine Milk,Marzipan, Espresso and Strawberry Crème),Ritter has something for just about every-one! In addition to the standard 100-

gram/3.5-ounce bars, Ritter also offers aseasonal 250-gram/8.8-ounce bar, 16.7-gram/0.59-ounce mini bars, and, mostrecently, a line of 65-gram/2.3-ounce bars.

These new bars are available in fivevarieties including White Chocolate withAlmonds, Milk Chocolate with Almonds,Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut Praline, MilkChocolate with Hazelnuts and Extra FineMilk Chocolate with 35-percent cocoa.

Though a bit smaller thanthe standard 100-gram/3.5-ounce bars, the 65-gram/2.3-ounce. bar is equal to its biggersibling in terms of quality, fla-vor and overall chocolate eat-ing experience.

The unique square shapeof the bars allows for a big, ful-filling bite of chocolate.

With the introduction ofthe 65-gram/2.3-ounce line of

chocolate bars, Ritter Sport can continue todevelop its distribution nationally―espe-cially in the convenience channel as wellas other specialty channels―with thiscompetitively priced item. Furthermore,the smaller size of the 65-gram/2.3-ouncebar makes for easier immediate consump-tion and portion control.

All Ritter Sport chocolate bars are rec-ognized by the colorful and sophisticatedfoil wrappers―each corresponding to aparticular variety―so it’s always easy tospot one’s favorite on the store shelf.

For more information about RitterSport, please visit Euro-AmericanBrands’ booth 5244 at the NACS show orgo online to www.ritter-sport.com. �

As health-related concerns gainmomentum, companies must focus onkey manufacturing trends including por-tion control, low sugar, whole grains andnatural/organic.

“If you want to gain a competitiveadvantage in the healthy snack category,you need to innovate. This has been a keyinitiative and company mission sinceBNRG was created in 1993,” Lawrencecommented.

Consumers want guilt-free snacks.They want assurance that their snacks arenutritious without sacrificing that snack-food taste appeal. This trend doesn’t stopat the grocery store; it is perhaps evenmore important for the C-store customer.Finding a healthy, on-the-go snack in aconvenience store wasn’t an easy task justa few years ago.

“Times are definitely changing,” saidLawrence. “It definitely shows, as ourbusiness with 7-11 has doubled within thelast 18 months.”

For more information on BNRG andPower Crunch, please visit booth 235 atthe NACS show, go online towww.bnrg.com or call 714-427-6990. �

C-Stores See Opportunity inHealthy Snacks, Guilt-Free FoodsU.S. retail sales of snack products in 2008reached an all-time high at $68 billion.Sales are projected to near $82 billion by2013, a total market increase of 20 per-cent despite the stifling effects of eco-nomic recession.

“With public health concerns of obesi-ty driving an overwhelming desire by mostconsumers to eat healthier, it is our respon-sibility as manufacturers to create healthierconsumer choices,” said Kevin Lawrence,CEO of BioNutritional Research Group,manufacturer of the top-selling PowerCrunchTM Protein Energy Cookie.

“We have gained a large consumerfollowing for Power Crunch mainlybecause it is a healthy snack product thattastes like a dessert,” Lawrence said.“There are literally hundreds of consumerreviews on the Internet that rave about theflavor texture and nutritional profile ofPower Crunch. It’s very flattering to seeso much consumer support for our prod-ucts, but more importantly, it tells us weare on the correct path. Power Crunch hasthe type of taste advantage that compa-nies need to find if they want to competein the healthy snack category.”

Ritter Sport Bars BlendChocolate With Taste Of History

Crunchies Food Co.,LLC was established inresponse to the obviousdearth of good-tastingand truly healthy naturalsnacks on the market.The company sought todevelop a line of purefoods that would blendthe taste and crunch of apotato chip but be com-pletely free of thepreservatives, addedsugar, trans-fat, andexcessive sodium soprevalent among manysnack food products.

The result was an innovative break-through in blending great taste withimportant nutrition: Crunchies freeze-dried fruits and vegetables have provenhugely appealing to everyone from schoolchildren to seniors and from health-con-scious parents to busy executives.

Available today in a wide array ofdeliciously nutritious flavors, Crunchiesare produced by placing individuallyfrozen fruits and veggies in a refrigeratedvacuum chamber that removes up to 97percent of the moisture. This assures con-sumers of a unique crunchy treat thatretains virtually all of its nutrients andenzymes (unlike conventional heat dryingmethods), while still maintaining itsshape and intensifying its flavor.

To fully realize the growth of the nat-ural snack trend, Crunchies Food Co. isled by 28-year packaged goods industryveteran James Lacey, who serves as thecompany’s President and CEO. Formerlyan executive with Weider Nutrition,Power Bar, Nestle Food and Smith Klein-

Beechman, Lacey is apply-ing his considerable cross-functional management,international distributionand marketing expertise tohelp lead the companythrough its most significantperiod of expansion to date.This included the early2007 launch of several dis-tinct new items all reflect-ing the trademark blend ofinnovation and productexcellence of CrunchiesFood Co.

Crunchies is addingnew additions to its fruit and veggie linesfor a total of 12 veggie flavors, 10 fruitflavors, five organic flavors, and its brandnew Munch Pak size available in six pop-ular fruit flavors.

Already favorably covered in some40 national magazines and hundreds ofregional newspapers, Crunchies Food Co.is poised to continue growing over theyears without losing its core emphasis onconsumer satisfaction, quality ingredi-ents, superior packaging, and supportingworthy environmental causes.

As James Lacey puts it, “You can’timprove on nature, but you can freshlypackage what nature has given us andmake it readily accessible to peoplewherever they may be. We’re heartenedto see how enthusiastically our productshave been embraced around the countryand look forward to staying true to ourmission of creating great-tasting, inno-vative, healthy snacks for many years tocome.”

Come visit the Crunchies Booth orcheck out www.crunchiesfood.com. �

Crunchies Saw HealthySnack Food Trend Coming


f e a t u r e s

Alcohol Marketing and Youth at theJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School ofPublic Health. The study’s conclusioncame after CAMY found nearly 1 in 11radio ads in 2009 targeted the most vul-nerable age group.

In 2003, trade groups for beer anddistilled spirits committed to placingalcohol ads in media venues only whenunderage youth comprise less than orequal to 30 percent of the audience,since 30 percent of the audience is 20years old or younger.

The CAMY analysis found that 9percent of the ads in 75 markets thataccount for almost half of radio listenersage 12 and older failed to meet theindustry standards. Three brands alone –Miller Lite, Bud Light and Coors Light– placed more than half of these violat-ing ads.

The National Research Council, theInstitute of Medicine and 24 state attor-neys general have called on the alcoholindustry to beef up its standard and meeta “proportional” 15 percent placementstandard, given the fact that the groupmost at risk for underage drinking – 12-to 20-year-olds – is approximately 15percent of the U.S. population.

Alcohol AdsContinued from Page 1

“A 9 percent failure rate for analready weak standard means that a sig-nificant number of young people arebeing overexposed to alcohol advertis-ing on the radio,” said Dr. DavidJernigan, CAMY Director. “Reducingthe voluntary standard to 15 percentwould go a long way to keeping ouryoung people safe and away from theundue influence of alcohol marketing.”

The influence of radio as a localmedia venue continues even in thisdynamic digital age, as 93 percent ofAmericans ages 12 and older reportedthat they owned and/or used an AM-FMradio in 2011.

For this report, CAMY analyzedalcohol advertisements placed on theradio in the 75 local markets in theUnited States in 2009 for which full-year data from a consistent surveymethodology were available. These mar-kets represent 46.5 percent of the U.S.population age 12 and above. Other keyfindings include:• In 2009, youths aged 12 to 20 weremore likely per capita than adults to hear32 percent of alcohol advertising place-ments.• Distilled spirits were the most com-mon type of alcohol advertisement tooverexpose youth audiences in PortablePeople Meter markets. The PPM is a

new method of measuring listening, inwhich survey participants agree to weara small device that receives a specialsignal from each radio station. PPMsallow for more precise measurement ofactual listening because they do notdepend on survey participants’ activerecall and do not require them to recordtheir listening behavior in a paper diary.• In diary markets, where the PPM isnot yet in use and where people kept apaper diary of radio listening in 15-minute increments throughout the day,beer and alcopops advertising was mostlikely to overexpose youth.• Fifteen brands garnered 25 percentor more of their exposure to youth in atleast 10 percent of markets from adver-tising not in compliance with the indus-try’s 30 percent standard.• In the majority of the 11 marketswhere Arbitron’s Portable People Meterswere deployed for all of 2009, girls aged12 to 20 were more likely than boys ofthe same age to be exposed to advertisingfor alcopops, distilled spirits, and wine.

“The perception that young people areonly listening to music on their iPods,cell phones and the Internet is naive,”said Jernigan. “Radio is still a source ofentertainment for youth and alcohol adsare still finding their way to too many

young ears.”Alcohol use is the leading drug

problem among youth in the UnitedStates. It is responsible for 4,600 deathsper year among young people under theage of 21. Every day, nearly 5,000young people under the age of 16 taketheir first drink, and binge drinking(defined as consuming five or moredrinks within two hours) accounts formore than 90 percent of the alcohol con-sumed by young people.

At least 13 longitudinal researchstudies have found that the more youngpeople are exposed to alcohol marketing,the more likely they are to start drinkingor, if already drinking, to drink more.

The Center on Alcohol Marketingand Youth monitors the marketingpractices of the alcohol industry tofocus attention and action on industrypractices that jeopardize the health andsafety of America’s youth. The Centerwas founded in 2002 at GeorgetownUniversity with funding from The PewCharitable Trusts and the Robert WoodJohnson Foundation. The Centermoved to the Johns HopkinsBloomberg School of Public Health in2008 and is currently funded by thefederal Centers for Disease Controland Prevention. For more information,visit www.camy.org. �

Dietz &Watson, a leading producer of pre-mium deli meats and cheeses, prides itselfon the fact its deli meat and artisan cheeseproducts already meet the New York CityDepartment of Health’s National SaltReduction Initiative (NSRI) 2012 and2014 standards in the deli meat and firmand semi-firm cheese categories. Dietz &Watson’s famous franks and cream cheesemeet the 2012 NSRI standards and thecompany has pledged to achieve the 2014standards for both.

“The National Salt Reduction Initiative

marks a great turning point for the foodindustry and consumers concerned withhealth,” said Louis Eni, CEO of Dietz &Watson. “We are proud that we’ve met the2014 standards three years ahead of sched-ule, and have met them since the lateSeventies, but we plan to work hard todecrease the sodium content of more of ourproducts without compromising the highquality and flavor we’re known for.”

The N.Y. Health Department began theNSRI last year to prevent heart attacks andstrokes by reducing the amount of salt in

packaged and restaurant foods. The initiativeformed a coalition of cities, states and healthorganizations working to help food manu-facturers and restaurants voluntarily reducethe amount of sodium in their products.

While it has alreadymet the 2012NSRIstandards for hot dogs, Dietz & Watson ispledging to achieve the 2014 standards forits line of premium frankfurters, includingits gourmet All Beef Franks, Black AngusFranks and Deli Franks.

“Since we opened in 1939, we haveonly ever used the best natural ingredients

Dietz & Watson Deli Meats, ArtisanCheeses Cut Sodium, Not Taste

and never compromise taste. You’ll neverfind fillers, artificial flavors or MSG inany of our 450 products,” said Eni.“Through our extensive HealthierLifestyle line launched in 1979, we havebeen offering lower sodium, healthychoices for three decades, and the NSRIis just another example of our commit-ment to our customers and quality.” �

XLERATOR® high-speed, energy-effi-cient hand dryers are now available withADA compliant stainless-steel papertowel dispenser retrofit kits. The new kitsprovide a simple, cost-effective solutionfor replacing built-in paper towel dis-pensers with XLERATOR hand dryers.

A stainless-steel panel allows thedryers to mount neatly where dispensersexisted, leaving restrooms clean andgreen. XLERATOR completely drieshands in 10 to 15 seconds – three timesfaster than conventional dryers. It uses 80percent less energy and delivers a 95 per-

cent cost savings versus paper towels,while creating a more hygienic restroom.

“XLERATOR hand dryers and retro-fit kits are being specified by facilitymanagers who are looking for ways tohelp trim the cost, maintenance andwaste associated with paper towels andwhile taking significant step towardsgreening their facilities,” said WilliamGagnon, Vice president of Marketing andKey Accounts for Excel Dryer.

The newest technologies in high-

XLERATOR Retrofit Kit ProvidesCost-Effective Solution ToRestroom Paper TowelDispensers

Despite its success and even though it hasbeen named a “Top 100 Minority OwnedCompany” by Minority Business News,Roses Southwest Papers Inc. has not let“La Familia” go out of its business.What Roberto and Rose Marie Espatbegan as a small family business inBelize, Central America, expanded to theUnited States in 1984.

A 20,000-square-foot facility wasbuilt in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1985 toproduce toilet tissues and kitchen rolltowels using recycled fiber.

By 1989, the bag division was addedto the product line and the facility grew to40,000 square feet.

In 1993, additional warehouse, dockfacilities and converting equipment wereadded, which resulted in the addition of

another 40,000 square feet. With the addi-tion of the napkin division in 1995 to theproduct line and further warehouse andoffice expansion throughout the years,Roses has expanded to 250,000 squarefeet and now employs 250 people.

Even before the major fuel priceincreases, Roses recognized the costsinvolved in shipping paper products andhow that, as much as anything affectedthe company’s bottom line. In 2005,Roses purchased a mill in Sanford, nearOrlando, Fla., and has expanded the facil-ity to more than 100,000 square feet. TheFlorida operation allows Roses to makeits shipping more cost effective and ener-gy efficient.

Through all of this expansion, the

Family Paper Business SpansContinents, Cultures

Continued on Page 24Continued on Page 24


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offers distributors and retailers the bestprofit margins in the market—with thehighest quality of product available.Nicotek’s extraordinary marketingefforts provide creative and visuallyappealing point of purchase displays,from easels to countertop displays, withcustom options available. Nicotek pro-vides ease of ordering by phone, emailor on the web.

Retailers and distributors rave aboutNicotek:

“METRO e-cig from Nicotek is thebest e-cig on the market today - bar none!”

NicotekContinued from Page 1

efficiency plumbing products and fixturesfor sustainable restroom design are fea-tured in Excel Dryer’s latest CEU course,Next Generation Green Restroom Design,a featured education unit in the U.S. GreenBuilding Council’s virtual tour program.

“By collaborating with the USGBC,we hope to provide architects, specifiersand building professionals with a blueprintof best practices to help design sustainablerestrooms of the future,” added Gagnon.

XLERATOR is the only hand dryer tobe MADE IN USA certified, the first handdryer to be GreenSpec® Listed and helpsfacilities qualify for multiple LEED®(Leadership in Energy and EnvironmentalDesign) credits by the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil. A peer-reviewed ISO 14040 LifeCycle Assessment of XLERATOR con-firmed it reduces the carbon footprint ofhand drying by 50 percent to 70 percentwhen compared to traditional hand dryersand paper towels.

For more information, please call800-255-9235 or email [email protected]. �

Excel DryerContinued from Page 20

family has remained the guiding forcewith younger generations learning thebusiness and then plugging into the ever-growing and evolving operation.

But how does this sense of familytranslate in the competitive paper manu-facturing business? First, it is a decidedlydifferent modality of business than that ofthe “Big Guys” in paper. This translatesinto a more customer friendly approach tobusiness with an emphasis on service,quality and integrity.

The family-like work environmentallows Roses to be more nimble than the“Big Guys” in the industry. Employeesare stakeholders. Management decisionscan be made quickly, allowing the com-pany to rapidly react to the ever-changingcompetitive environment. There is a stay-ing power that comes along with themultigenerational management, alongwith the patience necessary to makeschanges and watch the business grow.

For more information, call 505-842-0134 or visit www.rosessouthwest.com. �

Roses SouthwestPapersContinued from Page 20

“I am selling more METROs thanany other leading e-cig out there—including those who have been aroundfor years.”

“Nicotek has taken all of the posi-tive attributes of what the consumerwants in an electronic cigarette andcombined it into one product line.Quality is excellent, and when com-bined with the price points of the starterkit and the cartridges, it gives the con-sumer an excellent entry point for themto come back and buy the platinum kitwith all of its bells and whistles. Thequality, quantity and price point of thecartridges make this an ongoing annuityfor the business owner who has a very

satisfied customer.”“My product returns are virtually nil.

My customer satisfaction is through theroof. It’s companies and products likethis that help me earn more loyalty frommy customers. This product has made itvery easy for me to transition existing e-cig customers to Metro. I haven’t lost onebusiness customer, and they, in turn, havenot only not lost any old customers, buthave gained new ones.”

Nicotek invites distributors andretailers attending the NACS show tostop by and visit booth 631 to learnmore about this product.

Find out why you need METRO inyour retail location today!

For more information, please visitbooth 631 at the NACS show or goonline to www.nicoteckecigs.com. �

My product returnsare virtually nil. My

customer satisfactionis through the roof.It’s companies andproducts like thisthat help me earnmore loyalty from

my customers.


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Kraft Foods, the world’s second-largest foodcompany, and Meebo, an online sharingsolution for websites, announced the inte-gration of theMeeboBar on kraftfoods.com,one of the top food and cooking sites.

Kraft Foods is one of the premierconsumer packaged goods companies toincorporate Meebo in order to provideusers social functionality on its websites.The Meebo Bar will enablekraftfoods.com visitors to engage directlyin real-time chat, to drag and drop contentand instantly share it with their friendsthrough their favorite social networks.

“To drive new and repeat visitors, it’sa must for brands to leverage existingsocial connectivity in order to drive moremeaningful experiences and allow for thesharing of content,” said Seth Sternberg,Meebo’s CEO. “The Meebo Bar providesKraft Foods with a simple solution for itswebsite users to connect and share across

its enormous house of brands.”“We’re always looking to connect

with our consumers in ways that are rele-vant and meaningful for them.Facilitating sharing and engaging con-sumers via social media is a key aspect ofthat,” said Sarah Rogovin, Director ofConsumer Relationship Marketing, KraftFoods. “With the integration of theMeebo Bar on Kraftfoods.com, we’reoffering a new and easy way for our con-sumers to share our delicious content,recipes and videos directly with theirfriends and family.”

Kraft Foods will put its own touch onthe Meebo Bar with a rotating promotion-al window, featuring various Kraft Foodsiconic brands, and programmed contentsuch as favorite recipes and YouTubevideos.Additionally, Kraftfoods.com plansto feature Meebo’s web check-in systemonce it launches to Meebo Bar partners.

Meebo has been helping peopleinstantly share and communicate acrossthe web for more than five years. TheMeebo Bar is featured on more than 8,000websites and reaches 40 percent of U.SInternet users (comScore) and almost 165million people worldwide (comScoreJanuary 2010).

Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft FoodsInc. (NYSE: KFT) is a global snackspowerhouse with an unrivaled portfolioof brands people love. Proudly marketingdelicious biscuits, confectionery, bever-ages, cheese, grocery products and con-venient meals in approximately 170 coun-tries, Kraft Foods had 2010 revenue of$49.2 billion, more than half of whichwas earned outside North America.

Eleven of the company’s iconicbrands – including Cadbury, Jacobs,Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka,Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia

Kraftfoods.com Gets SocialWith Meebo Launch

and Trident – generate revenue of morethan $1 billion annually and 40 have beenloved for more than a century.

A leader in innovation, marketing,health and wellness and sustainability,Kraft Foods is a member of the DowJones Industrial Average, Standard &Poor’s 500, Dow Jones SustainabilityIndex and Ethibel Sustainability Index.For more information, visitwww.kraft-foodscompany.com and www.face-book.com/kraftfoodscorporate.

Meebo provides the easiest, mostopen and most “right there where youwant it” way to share on the web.Integrating all social networks and com-munications channels into a single, sim-ple-to-use solution, Meebo enables usersto easily share content and communicatein real time with the people who matter tothem, and connects people to theirfriends on the numerous websites thathave installed the Meebo Bar, throughmobile devices and via MeeboMessenger. The privately held companywas founded in 2005. For more informa-tion, visit meebo.com. �

When you think of UL, electrical productsafety may first come to mind. That is,after all, the UL heritage and why it wasfounded. UL has been a leader in estab-lishing safety infrastructure, product safe-ty standards and the requirements to helpensure electricity could be used safely formore than a century.

However, as the world evolves, sodoes the company. UL continue toadvance its mission, working for a saferworld, in new and important ways. Inaddition to a rich history in product safetycertification, UL provides expertise andthought leadership in energy efficiency,

sustainability, water system certification,food safety as well as training and educa-tion programs, including:

Sanitation – For more than 20 years,UL has evaluated the sanitary design, con-struction and performance of commercialfoodservice equipment to more than adozen different NSF/ANSI standards. TheEPH Mark is ANSI-accredited in the U.S.and SCC-accredited in Canada, serving todifferentiate to health inspectors and spec-ifiers those products that are built to with-stand the rigors of foodservice, retail andinstitutional use. Whether your productsprepare or clean, cook or cool, UL can

provide the sanitation certificationrequired to help you get to market, effi-ciently and easily.

Energy Efficiency – UL can providecommercial foodservice equipment manu-facturers with energy efficiency compli-ance solutions for U.S. Department ofEnergy, California Energy Commission,National Resources Canada, as well asother global regulatory requirements. Ifyour company chooses to participate inthe enhanced ENERGY STAR® program,UL is an EPA-recognized CertificationBody and EPA-recognized laboratory forall commercial foodservice equipmentcategories. Manufacturers with their ownlaboratories can also take advantage ofUL’s EPA-approved Data AcceptanceProgram to further streamline their energyefficiency certification programs.

Product Safety – UL continues to keep

pace with the technological developmentsthat affect the commercial foodserviceequipment industry. UL has the engineeringexpertise to help manufacturers navigatethe safety requirements for emerging tech-nologies such as electronically commutatedand electronically protected motors, flam-mable refrigerants and protective controls.UL can also help manufacturers penetrateEuropean markets with their UL-EU prod-uct safety mark and ElectromagneticCompatibility testing services.

Knowledge – Another way UL canassist manufacturers is through the consult-ing and training services offered by theexperienced instructors at UL University. Awide variety of public workshops andonline training are available throughout theyear. In addition, clients can book privateworkshops or even customize an education-al program based on their specific needs. �

UL Keeps Eye On EvolvingTechnology For Safety’s Sake

Jim May, President and CEO of WisdomNatural Brands, talks about what SweetLeafStevia® Sweetener offers consumers.

CR: What makes your product distinctfrom the competition?

JM: Simply put, SweetLeaf SteviaSweetener tastes great and is the only 100percent natural stevia sweetener with zerocalories, zero carbohydrates and zeroglycemic index. We use a proprietary waterextraction methodology where the entireextraction process is accomplished withnothing but cool, purified water and a revo-lutionary new filtration technique.We are theonly company in the world that does this.

CR: Could you elaborate on the process?

JM: We start with the highest quality andsweetest variety of stevia in the world.Nothing is added to our leaves in anystage of the process except cool, purifiedwater. Our competitors produce their ste-via extracts with various solvents, chemi-cals, enzymes and alcohols, includingethanol and methanol, leaving a residue offoreign compounds in their final product,which appears to be what results in a badtaste profile. Since there is no chemical-or alcohol-produced bitterness to result inan unpleasant aftertaste, SweetLeaf SteviaSweetener needs no masking or flavoringagents to hide anything. It simply has aclean, sweet taste profile that is ideal forvirtually all food and beverages.

CR: How do you evaluate the marketplace

in relation to your products?

JM: Today, many people are becomingmore aware of what they include in theirdiets and, consequently, they’re makingleaner, healthier choices. Given the dramat-ic increase in childhood obesity, more par-ents are concerned with their children’shealth and are looking to avoid sugar andartificial ingredients. Natural, whole foodsare a growing consumer trend which hasbeen fostered by such disparate organiza-tions as the conventional U.S. Centers forDisease Control to popular televisionshows like "Jamie Oliver’s FoodRevolution," which has been a hit forABC.SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener is the idealsweetener for the 21st century since it is100 percent natural and doesn’t contributeto weight gain or impact blood sugar at all.The world is ready for a change to a great-tasting, natural, healthy sweetener.

CR: Where is your current productemphasis?

JM: Maintaining the quality of

SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener is our pri-ority. Keeping our product unadulterat-ed not only delivers superior taste, italso impacts consumer safety. As pio-neers in the natural food movement, weare cognizant of the long-term benefitsoffered by adhering to high standards.History has shown that artificial ingre-dients usually prove problematic for anumber of reasons, including producingan odd aftertaste and potential adversehealth effects. We are dedicated to pro-viding the consumer with a delicious,healthy product.

CR: Are there any other consumer trendsrelevant to your product?

JM: Supporters of fair trade and environ-mentally sound practices will be pleasedto know the SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetenerproduction method is a completely sus-tainable, totally green process from startto finish.

For more information, call 480-921-1373,or visit www.sweetleaf.com. �

SweetLeaf Stevia’s UniqueExtraction Process CreatesNatural Sweetener


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Health-Conscious ConsumersCrave ATK FoodsWhat is ATK Foods? On the one hand,an innovative, youthful company offive brands that develops deliciousand on-trend foods for the high-endgourmet and health-conscious con-sumer. On the other, a company withdeep roots and well-earned respect inthe industry for bringing customersthe very best traditional and ethnic

sausage products than can be pro-duced.

Established in 1924 as Leon’sSausage Co. when Leon Tiahnybikemigrated from Austria, ATK Foods isa third-generation, family-owned andoperated diversified food productscompany. For more than 80 years, itsquality and integrity has not varied and

neither has its ability to help cus-tomers succeed.

To stay on top of the food trends,the country’s most successful chefs andbuyers routinely come to ATK Foods todevelop flavor profiles, portion sizesand new products to help them competesuccessfully by exceeding customer’sexpectations. From specialty ethnicsausages to gourmet high-end poultrysausages, burgers and meatballs, to fill-ings for great-tasting appetizers, ATKworks with clients to create signatureflavors, products and dishes that helps

them stand apart.To consumers, ATK products are

exciting and delicious. To the trade,ATK’s products represent the best in pre-mium quality, from trend-setting to tradi-tional. To customers, ATK products canlead to a partnership in success.

For three generations, ATK hasupheld an unwavering commitment toquality in the products it creates andintegrity in relationships with all of itscustomers.

For more information, visitwww.atkfoods.com. �

Atlantic Mills Disposable TowelsBetter on Cost, Sanitation, FunctionalityAndre LeBlanc of Atlantic Mills, an ITWCo., talks about the advantages of usingnon-woven disposable towels as a moresanitary method of cleaning.

CR: Why use disposable towels?

AB: There are several advantages tousing disposables:

CostOn average, disposables cost between 15to 45 cents each, but will last a minimumof three days, which comes down to 5 to

15 cents per day, compared to linen tow-els lasting four hours on average, costing15 cents per towel.

SanitationDisposable towels rinse out easier, mak-ing them more sanitary and user-friendly.Some towels are treated to prevent bacte-ria growth, and are not sitting aroundgrowing bacteria while waiting to belaundered. With disposables, you pull afresh towel every time.Color coding also adds to your sanitizingprogram. Designate colors to specific

areas within your establishment to pre-vent the risk of cross contamination,while using a clean, fresh and more sani-tary wiping system for your operation. Inaddition to color-coding, colors maskstains, giving the towel and the establish-ment a cleaner appearance.

FunctionalityAlong with being absorbent wet or dry, dis-posable towels come in small cases and canfit on a shelf in an office and can be trackedthrough inventory— a great way to controlusage. The towels can be machine-washedand hung dry or soaked in sanitizer solutionfor an economical use, while still holdingup and remaining absorbent.

CR: What sets Atlantic Mills above the

rest?

AB: Through innovation and great cus-tomer service, Atlantic Mills is able tooffer the broadest line of foodservice tow-els in the industry. Our reusable, durableand disposable towels exhibit clothlikequalities with the convenience of a long-lasting disposable that rinses cleaner andstays fresh longer. We will work with youto create a wiping program suited to yourspecific needs, which will provide youwith cost savings, a higher level of sanita-tion and justifiable functionality. Why notpartner with the wiping experts?

For more information, e-mail [email protected] or visitwww.atlanticmills.com. �

Maxforce Fly Baits Prevent Pest ProblemsWhile flies are undoubtedly a nuisance,certain species have the ability to trans-mit disease-causing organisms, makingthe pests even more undesirable for youand your customers.

Houseflies, also known as filthflies, tend to be the most common. Thisspecies is particularly problematicbecause it thrives both indoors and out-doors; it also has the ability to transmitillnesses due to its tendency to feed ondecaying organic matter and garbage.For this reason, it’s important to imple-ment an integrated pest managementprogram using both pesticide treatments

and non-pesticide control options toensure that your business remains fly-free.

One way to conquer fly problemsbefore they start is to ask your pestmanagement professional (PMP) aboutMaxforce® fly baits from BayerEnvironmental Science. Both MaxforceGranular Fly Bait and Maxforce FlySpot Bait are highly effective and canrid your establishment of house fliesquickly; the pests start to die in 60 sec-onds or less when they come into con-tact with the baits.

Maxforce Granular Fly Bait is a

ready-to-use formulation for outdoorapplication by pest management profes-sionals that controls flies before theyenter inside an establishment. Thisproduct also works well when appliedaround outside dining areas, dumpsters,trash compactors and other areas thatattract flies.

Maxforce Fly Spot Bait is a con-centrated powder that’s mixed withwater and sprayed on surfaces bothindoors and outdoors. Flies are attractedto treated areas that control flies for upto six weeks indoors and 14 days out-side.

Non-pesticide control is also animportant part of fly management forbusinesses, beginning with sanitation.

Ensure garbage is disposed of regularly,trash containers have tight-fitting lidsand trash cans are cleaned on a regularbasis. Keep doors and windows closedand confirm that screens are in goodcondition and fit tightly; also be sure toseal cracks, crevices and entry pointsaround your business’s perimeter.

Above all, business owners shouldcontract with a PMP who has access tothe latest tools and technologies for flycontrol. While non-pesticide procedureshelp to manage flies, a PMP is bestequipped to take care of infestations aswell as to help you manage problemsbefore they start.

For more information, go tohttp://www.backedbybayer.com. �

Blount Fine Foods, a leading manufacturerof handcrafted artisan soups and gourmetdips, spreads and salads, has been investingin the expansion and upgrade of virtuallyevery aspect of its business. Almost everyinvestment made in the last two years hasbeen undertaken with an eye toward serv-ing large chain customers the way it hasserved regional chains for years.

“We have been building to thismoment, when we can declare with cer-tainty that Blount can meet the needs ofany and all foodservice customers look-ing to upgrade their offering in not onlysoups, chowders and bisques, but also indips, sauces, salads and spreads,” said

Bob Sewall, Executive Vice President atBlount Fine Foods. “Our team is com-plete; our offering attractive, diverse andflexible; and our production capacityready to meet demand.”

Blount has been steadily putting thepieces in place to serve a larger, moredemanding customer base. Over the lasttwo years, Blount has made severalannouncements about its growth andexpansion, including:• The upgrade of its culinary and foodsafety team• Executive level promotions and man-agement team realignment designed toadvance growth plans

• Creation of a retail specialty unit to bet-ter serve customers across the country atthe point of sale• Breaking ground on a headquartersplant expansion that has doubled produc-tion capacity (Blount has six times theproduction capacity it did in 2004)• Safe Quality Food (SQF) 2000 Level 3Certified• Introduction of an initial line of dips,salads and spreads that has since expand-ed to dozens of SKUs

Along the way, Blount has been recog-nized for business, culinary and opera-tional excellence by various business and

New Products, Key AdditionsPropel Blount Fine Foods

industry publications.Blount Fine Foods is a family-

owned company that has been processingfood since 1946. It is the largest manu-facturer of lobster bisque in America andproduces more than 350 proprietary souprecipes, including 75 varieties of clamchowder alone. Its product lines includefresh and frozen gourmet soups for food-service and retail as well as premium dipsand gourmet salads, such as lobster saladand chicken salad. Blount’s gourmetsoups and specialty foods are made withthe finest and freshest ingredients, hand-crafted by a dedicated team throughunparalleled customer collaboration.

Blount operates production facilitiesat its Fall River, Mass., headquarters andin Warren, R.I. Blount generates over 60million servings of handcrafted gourmetsoups each year. �


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Choffy Brews Like Coffee,Tastes of ChocolateChoffy is a delicious drink that hasbridged the gap between coffee and hotchocolate. Choffy is richer and morerobust than hot chocolate and brews justlike coffee.

Choffy is made from 100 percentorganic cacao (cocoa) beans roasted andground to create a rich drink that pro-vides long-lasting energy and whole-body wellness. Not only does Choffytaste good, it’s really good for you. Itcontains no sugar, dairy, or chemicals.

Choffy lets you enjoy rich, boldchocolate notes without heavy calories orcaffeine! With all of the health benefits

and only 20 calories per serving, Choffywill quickly become part of your routine.

Choffy Presents Two Kinds ofBlissful Drinking:• Ivory Coast Choffy – This is the signa-ture Choffy origin as it was the originalChoffy launched. These fair trade, organ-ic cacao beans from the Ivory Coast havea deep chocolate flavor with hints of nat-ural grains and slight earthy notes.

• La Española Choffy – This new originhighlights single estate organic cacaobeans from the Dominican Republic.They impart deep, rich yet smooth

chocolate flavors with delicious nuttyovertones.

Choffy has a strong, intense taste on itsown; some people prefer to drink it thatway. Others love the deep chocolate fla-vor that’s revealed when you add a littlecreamer.

Choffy contains absolutely no sugar,dairy or chemicals, yet maintains theincredible health benefits of cacao:antioxidants, theobromine, improved cir-culation and feel great (natural occur-ring) properties!

Fun Fact: There are more antioxi-dants in an 8-ounce cup of Choffy than ina serving of blueberries! Want to knowmore about the health benefits? Visitw ww. d r i n k c h o f f y . c o m / a b o u t -choffy/what-is-choffy.

Jason Vanderhoven, Co-Founder ofChoffy, had a simple but brilliant dreamto harness the health benefits of thecacao bean. After three years ofresearching and testing, Vanderhoven’sdream had come true. He had success-fully created Choffy, a brewed drinkthat retained the health benefits of themagnificent cacao bean.

The second half of this brilliant busi-ness is the creative mind of Co-FounderJason Sherwood, who brings more than15 years of design, branding and market-ing experience to the company. Together,Vanderhoven and Sherwood have madeChoffy an unforgettable experience andflavor.

Choffy is available atwww.DrinkChoffy.com in 12-ounce($15) and 5-pound ($85) bags. �

CleanRiver Recycling Bin MeetsChanging Waste RequirementsGood recycling management will boostfinancial performance by reducing wastedisposal costs, enhancing the physicalappearance of facilities by reducing litterand improving the environment. Thereturn on investment in recycling is veryreal, but achieving this ROI requires pro-grams that are planned, implemented andmanaged within the reality of a facility’sspecific waste stream.

Modular, interchangeable and config-urable solutions easily adapt to changes instreaming efficiently and economically

extending the life cycle and contributing tothe ROI of the recycling program.

CleanRiver™ Recycling Solutions,a Division of Midpoint International, hasintroduced a public-space waste andrecycling bin that is easily configured –and reconfigured – to meet current andfuture waste stream requirements.

CleanSort™ Transition™ SeriesRecycling and Waste SortationContainers use stream-specific openingsand internal dividers to accept multipletypes of recyclables in a single unit.

Transition recycling containers repre-sent a breakthrough in container design. Theunit may first go into service as a single-stream trash receptacle. As recycling pro-grams are implemented, the trash openingcan be replaced with one, two, three or evenfour modular and interchangeable restric-tive opening plates that are color coded andsupported by full color graphics featuringlocation specific image cues to indicatewhat is being collected in each stream.

“This added flexibility lets you cus-tomize your recycling station based on cur-rent needs and reconfigure it in the futureas your needs change,” said CleanRiverPresident Dave Jarrett. “Transition Seriescontainers provides greater assurance thatyou won’t outgrow your waste manage-

ment equipment and assures a higher ROIon your purchase.”

CleanRiver (www.cleanriver.com)manufactures recycling containers, binsand cabinets made from rawmaterials withthe highest recycled content available,including long-lasting plastic lumber madefrom recycled high-density polyethylene(HDPE). The company combines innova-tive recycling containers, creative graphicsand effective programs into complete recy-cling solutions that are tailored to eachclient’s specific waste stream managementand recycling requirements. These modu-lar, interchangeable and configurable solu-tions easily adapt to changes in the wastestream and help to ensure the success ofeach recycling program. �

Coolerado Air ConditionersChill Cooling BillsThe multiple award-winning air-condi-tioning technology of Coolerado hasshown customers up to a 90 percent sav-ings on their energy bills. Using a patent-ed process, Coolerado air-conditioningsystems use no CFCs as refrigerantswhile delivering 100 percent fresh air.

Independently tested by the DOE,NREL and large utilities includingPG&E and Xcel Energy, Coolerado airconditioners are the most significantbreakthrough in cooling technology inmore than 100 years. Coolerado technol-

ogy uses the thermodynamic cycle dis-covered by Chief Scientist Dr. ValeriyMaisotsenko. The Maisotsenko Cyclehas shown there’s a more efficient way touse atmospheric air and convert the ener-gy into many beneficial purposes.

Part of this discovery has made theCoolerado air conditioner able to cool3,000 square feet of building space usingone-third the power of a standard hand-held hair dryer. This is a savings of up to90 percent in energy costs compared totraditional air-conditioning systems, with

a similar reduction in greenhouse gasesfrom generating that power.

Coolerado air-conditioning systemswere recognized by R&D Magazine asone of “the top 100 most technologicallysignificant products” introduced into theinternational marketplace, and in 2006were selected as one of the Top-10 GreenBuilding Products by the editors ofEnvironmental Building News andGreenSpec®. Most recently, Cooleradowon an efficiency challenge issued by theUniversity of California-Davis, beating2010 Department of Energy standards by80 percent. This efficiency mark prompt-ed Coolerado to win the Best New GreenTechnology from Popular Science inJanuary 2010.

Coolerado products work in commer-cial applications as stand-alone air condi-tioners to provide energy efficient, 100percent fresh air or as a pre-cooling sys-tem to extend the life of a conventionalair-conditioning system. Coolerado prod-ucts have been installed in 21 differentcountries, providing customers immediateenergy-cost savings and green benefits.

Coolerado was founded and operatesin Colorado, a state known for technolo-gy innovation and environmental vision.Having installed its first system in 2004,Coolerado is rapidly expanding its pro-duction capacity to meet the growingdemand for its cooling systems.

For more information, please visitwww.coolerado.com. �

Offering customers an unforgettable cupof coffee has always been the holy grail.So it’s only fitting that, one day, a coffeeequipment company would design amachine smart enough to virtually ensureit by “remembering” freshness settingsthroughout the dispensing cycle.

Operators will be delighted to seethat day is here when they see Curtis

Gemini® brewers in action with newIntelliFresh™ Technology.

Putting brains behind the brew, theWilbur Curtis Co. developed newIntelliFresh Technology as part of its questto simplify serving a totally fresh, perfect-ly heated cup of coffee to the masses. Partof the company’s tradition of innovation,IntelliFresh maintains coffee’s ideal fresh-

ness and temperature throughout the dis-pensing cycle by enveloping the satellitewith pulses of gentle heat.

IntelliFresh settings are locked in justby touching the brew button and are keptuntil the next brewing cycle – even if thevessel is moved to a remote serving stand.

Insulated satellite servers feature aunique server connection that literally“remembers” settings both at the brewerand on their remote serving stand as well.

Integrated into the famed Geminibrewing system, IntelliFresh nearly elimi-nates the possibility of serving cold or“cooked” coffee – the sort of thing thatcreates waste, cuts profits, repels cus-tomers and keeps them from coming back.

“Innovation in commercial brewingequipment isn’t about knobs and leversanymore,” says Brant Curtis, the compa-ny’s marketing manager. “IntelliFreshcombines digital technology with ourdeep industry expertise, giving customersthe ability to serve a killer cup of coffee– every time.”

Simplifying the science behind agreat cup of coffee, Curtis’s newIntelliFresh Technology is proof positivethat brains, not brawn, are what will con-tinue propelling the commercial brewingequipment business to new heights ofcustomer satisfaction.

For more information, log on towilburcurtis.com or call 800-421-6150. �

Curtis Raises Coffee IQWith New BrewingTechnology

N A C S c o v e r a g e


1839 BRAND FAMILYROLLING RIGHT ALONGThe 1839 brand has expanded distribu-tion in more than 30 states.

FDA regulations, stiff competitionand a declining smoking population aresome of the many challenges that U.S.Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers, Inc.(USFCTG) faces, but it is adapting and

moving forward with its plans to gainmarket share.

The farmer-owned co-op out ofTimberlake, N.C., continues to build on itsaward-winning service to the industry,offering quality tobacco products to con-sumers around the country. It manufactures

some of the best products available today.With 11 styles of box FSC 1839 ciga-

rettes, six styles of filtered 1839 cigars,box and soft, 1839 RYO and pipe tobaccosand 1839 cigarette tubes, USFCTG is thequality leader in the value-priced category.

USFCTG is a subsidiary of U.S.Tobacco Cooperative, headquartered inRaleigh, N.C. The co-op, which wasestablished in 1946, has farmer memberslocated in the tobacco-growing states ofFlorida, Georgia, South Carolina, North

Carolina and Virginia. With all of thatexperience and years of hard work, it is nowonder that the 1839 products are the bestquality products for your money today.

Distributors around the country con-tinue to have success with the 1839 prod-uct line.

To learn more about the U.S. Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers, Inc. and the1839 product line, please visit booth 1249,go online to www.go1839.com, [email protected] or call 877-289-1839. �

POWER SERVICE PRODUCTS ASKS:DO YOU SELL DIESEL FUEL ADDITIVES?Better Question: Do you sell PowerService, the brand of diesel fuel additiveswith 74.9-percent brand share accordingto NPD Group?

Power Service Products manufacturesthe number-one selling brand of dieselfuel additives in the United States. Youmay currently be carrying a brand of

diesel fuel additives, but if you’re notselling Power Service diesel additives,you aren’t carrying the industry leader,and you aren’t selling nearly as much asyou could. Of the top 10 selling partnumbers in the diesel additives category,eight are from Power Service.

Power Service 16-ounce contain-ers are single-use containers perfect

for light-duty diesel vehicles (diesel-powered pickups and passenger cars)fueling at your store. The easy-pourbottles convert diesel drivers into loyalcustomers.

Diesel Fuel Supplement® +CetaneBoost® (Part No. 1016): The product ofchoice for optimal winter operation.Diesel Fuel Supplement Benefits:• Prevents Fuel Gelling• Boosts Cetane for Faster Starts• Protects Against Fuel-Filter Icing• Effective in Biodiesel Blends

Diesel Kleen® +Cetane Boost® (Part No.3016): A performance-enhancing productthat is used year-around except duringthe cold winter months.Diesel Kleen Benefits:• Cleans Dirty Injectors• Boosts Power• Improves Fuel Economy up to

8 percent• Prevents Injector Sticking

Please visit Power Service at booth5410 or call 800-643-9089 for moreinformation. �

For more than 4,000 years, coconut waterhas been revered as a natural source ofnutrition, wellness, beauty and hydration.In times of famine and war, coconutwater has been used as an intravenousfluid and saved lives. Now, modernresearch has validated its effectiveness,especially for all-natural replenishment.

ZICO’s Founder, Mark Rampolla,fell in love with coconut water as a PeaceCorps volunteer in Central America. Anavid athlete, Rampolla loved drinkingfresh coconut water after running, hikingor hanging out at the beach. In 2004, heleft a fast-track corporate career to pursue

his dream of bringing the healthy, naturalbenefits of coconut water to consumersacross the world.

Fast-forward to 2011, as coconutwater continues to be the hottest segmentwithin the beverage category. Leadingthat category growth, the ZICO brandcontinues its explosive expansion, upover 300 percent year to date. Some ofthe key drivers for ZICO’s growthinclude:

• Ultimate hydration: ZICO is allnatural, loaded with electrolytes and con-tains more potassium than a banana,making it an effective yet all-natural

hydration alternative to artificial sportsdrinks and flavored waters

• Packaging innovation: ZICO is theonly national brand available in a reseal-able, recyclable on-the-go bottle

• Product innovation: ZICO contin-ues to lead category innovation and bring

new users into the category, most recent-ly with the launch of ZICO Chocolate,the only chocolate coconut water on themarket

• Nutrition benefits: ZICO’s flavoredproducts, such as Mango and Pineapple,naturally have 40 percent fewer caloriesper ounce and 50 percent less sugar perounce than other leading flavoredcoconut water brands, making ZICO thecoconut water brand of choice for activelifestyle consumers.

As a company, ZICO is on a mission totell the world that Mother Nature made abetter sports drink: ZICO Pure PremiumCoconut Water. They’re athletes. Theydrink ZICO daily (lots of it!), know itworks and want to help others make theswitch to ZICO, too. Stop by NACSbooth 3632 to see for yourself what theZICO brand is all about.

For more information, please visitbooth 3632, go online to www.zico.comor call 617-938-9737. �

ZICO PURE PREMIUMCOCONUT WATER—THEHOTTEST BRAND IN ANEXPLODING CATEGORY

R.J. REYNOLDS WORKS TO PREVENTUNDERAGE TOBACCO USEAs a manufacturer and marketer of age-restricted products that carry significanthealth risks, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco haslong been active in working to preventyouth tobacco use. The company developsand supports programs that limit youths’access to and their use of tobacco productsand partners effectively with external stake-holders to expand the adoption of youthtobacco prevention programs. R.J.Reynolds is committed to accelerating thedecline in youth tobacco use.

One of the company’s many initiativesis Right Decisions Right Now: Be TobaccoFree―an evidence-based youth tobaccoprevention program.

This program was tested nationally and

was found to be successful in loweringtobacco use among middle school-aged stu-dents. Additionally, students’ susceptibilityto peer pressure showed significant declinesversus that of control groups. This programhas consistently received positive feedbackfrom educators and administrators. The freematerials may be viewed and ordered atwww.RightDecisionsRightNow.com.

R.J. Reynolds, along with other like-minded organizations, helped to establishthe Coalition for Responsible TobaccoRetailing and its We Card program, wide-ly accepted as the nation’s premiertobacco training and education programto prevent the sale of tobacco products tothe underage.

Since its inception in 1995, We Cardhas held thousands of classroom trainingsessions in all 50 states and distributed morethan 1 million We Card kits, which provideretailers with training materials to assist inpreventing tobacco sales to minors.

We Card has a new online training pro-gram, allowing retailers to learn more aboutthe Food and Drug Administration require-ments on the sale of cigarettes and smoke-less tobacco products. For more informa-tion, go to www.WeCard.org.

The most recent report from theSubstance Abuse and Mental HealthServices Administration (SAMHSA) isgood news for youth tobacco prevention.SAMHSA statistics show a downwardtrend on tobacco sales to minors (retailerviolation rate), with the national averagedeclining from 40 percent in 1997 to 9.3percent in 2010, the lowest rate everachieved in the history of this program.

Convenience store owners and opera-tors nationwide deserve much of the creditfor these dramatic declines.

The Family Smoking Prevention andTobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act)became law on June 22, 2009, giving theFDA the authority to regulate the manufac-ture, distribution and marketing of tobaccoproducts in order to protect public health.This federal statute requires the FDA toissue a variety of regulations designed toprevent underage access to tobacco prod-ucts, including prohibiting “self-service”displays of cigarettes and smokeless tobac-co products (except in age-restricted facili-ties), establishing a federal minimum age of18 for the sale of tobacco and requiringretailers to obtain identification from anyconsumer under 27 years of age.

For more information, please visitbooth 1613, go online to www.rjrt.com orcall 336-741-7437. �

N A C S c o v e r a g e


RIPKEN POWER SHRED OFFERSA HIGH-QUALITY, ALL-AMERICANJERKY SNACK WHILE BENEFITINGTHE CAL RIPKEN, SR. FOUNDATIONSourced and made in the United States,the high-quality, protein rich, RipkenPower ShredTM has quickly become oneof the hottest new jerky brands in themeat snack category. Launched by FlorioSports, LLC, at last year’s NationalAssociation of Convenience Stores(NACS) trade show in Atlanta, Ga., thecompany recently inked deals withKroger, making the product available in100 stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic

region, and with the Defense CommissaryAgency (DeCA), offering the snack at adiscounted rate to military personnel in251 commissaries on military basesthroughout the United States, Europe, FarEast, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Cuba.

In addition to retail partners,Ripken Power Shred became the offi-cial beef jerky for the TrentonThunder―the double-A affiliate of theNew York Yankees―and Babe Ruth

League, Inc., which serves over onemillion youth baseball and softballplayers ages four to 18 in the UnitedStates and Canada. Through these part-nerships, Ripken Power Shred has beenexposed to thousands of athletes andsports fans as a healthy and uniquesnacking alternative.

The brand is also committing itself tophilanthropy by supporting the CalRipken, Sr. Foundation. As a supporter ofthe nonprofit, a portion of Ripken PowerShred sales will help fund programmingdesigned by the organization to serve at-risk youth in underserved communitiesnationwide.

“Our mission is to develop high-endproducts which stand out and that con-sumers will enjoy,” said Frank Florio,

President and Founder of Long Valley,N.J.-based Florio Sports, LLC. “Alongwith that, we decided from day one thatit’s important for us to give back to thecommunity. Involving Ripken PowerShred with a wonderful organization likethe Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation was a nat-ural fit for us.”

Ripken Power Shred can be pur-chased online at www.ripkenpowershred.com and available in three flavors:original, sweet ‘n’ spicy and teriyaki.Buyers can choose to purchase the prod-uct in 3-ounce pouches or .75-ounce cans.Team and club packs are also availablefor team sales, fundraising and boosterclubs.

For more information, stop by booth5316. �

BLEND YOUR OWN ETHANOL CAMPAIGNREPONDS TO RETAILER CONCERNSThe Blend Your Own Ethanol cam-paign (BYO Ethanol) is taking part inits third NACS Show, and while thecampaign’s goals remain the same,retailers reasons for consideringblender pumps seems to have changedover that short time span.

BYO Ethanol was created by theAmerican Coalition for Ethanol (ACE),the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA)and several corn grower groups, with agoal of at least 5,000 stations offering

E85 and higher ethanol blends tomotorists. The campaign providesinformation to petroleum marketers toshow how adding E85 and other ethanolblends to their station’s product slatecan improve a station’s bottom line.

Ron Lamberty, Senior VicePresident of ACE, says initial interest inblender pumps was similar to his intro-duction to ethanol as a marketer in the1980s. “We bought ethanol straightfrom the plant and improved margins by

splash-blending our own E10,” saidLamberty, “and some marketers see asimilar opportunity today, buying E85and using blender pumps to add it tounleaded, resulting in savings over pre-blended E10.”

Robert White, Director of MarketDevelopment for RFA, said a couple ofyears ago that, “We expected PCI com-pliance to drive interest in usingblender pumps, and the incentives tohelp pay for them, as a way to reducethe cost of those regulations. Instead,we spent most of our time explainingwhat a blender pump is, and how theconcept works with ethanol or E85.”

This year, some marketers are con-

sidering adding E85 due to U.S.automakers’ commitments to make halfof their vehicles “flex fuel” vehicles,but the pending introduction of E15appears to be driving most marketerinterest in blender pumps. “BYO haspromoted flexibility for future ethanolblends as a benefit of blender pumps,and E15 drives that point home,”Lamberty said.

White added, “Expiration of taxcredits for new blender pumps that cansell E15, and E85 may add a sense ofurgency, too.”

For more information, visitbyoethanol.com, or stop by booth 7637 atthe NACS Show. �

For those times when reaching for a car-rot stick just doesn’t cut it, SensiblePortions is ready to provide a healthierway to satisfy your snack cravings.Veggie Straws, available in savory vari-eties such as Lightly Salted andRosemary Olive Oil, offer the same tex-ture and taste of a typical potato chip.However, Veggie Straws eliminate theguilt and greasy fingers that potato chipsoften leave behind. Sensible Portions’unique ingredient list leaves out the highlevel of rice substitute that other snacks

use, which creates a better-for-you prod-uct that is far from bland, packing deli-cious flavor into every straw!

Available in grab-and-go one-ouncebags, Veggie Straws are single-serve alter-natives to the full fat snacks usually offeredin the convenience channel. This pre-pack-aged portion size allows responsible con-sumers to watch their fat and calorie intake,without sacrificing the taste or texture thatthey crave. Boasting 30-percent less fat thanthe leading potato chip makes SensiblePortions a popular choice for the health-

conscious, on-the-go adult.Veggie Straws’ fun strawshape also makes them afavorite among kids too! Atreat for the whole family,these light and airy straws area satisfying snack that havealready reached millions ofmouths!

Sensible Portions’ philos-ophy can be summed up bycompany president JasonCohen, who states, “Our prod-ucts offer the same great tasteof potato chips with fewercalories and less fat. Portioncontrol and the consumptionof the right ingredients are keyto developing sustainable, better-for-you

products.” As the healthier-eating trend continues to gainmomentum, Sensible Portionsis ready to tackle thosedemands with fun, healthieralternatives such as VeggieStraws, Apple Straws andmore! The convenience of thesingle-serve bag makes it eas-ier for consumers to grab abag while on-the-go, so whenchoosing a snack, chooseSensibly―choose SensiblePortions!

For more information,visit booth 1258 or likeSensible Portions onFacebook at www

.facebook.com/SensiblePortions. �

ON THE GO? BRING A BAGOF VEGGIE STRAWS!

Snyder’s of Hanover® is pleased tointroduce a new addition to the season-al line of convenience store chocolate-covered pretzels: 3.5-ounce YorkPeppermint Pretzel Sandwich Dips.This latest Pretzel Sandwich Dips cre-ation is filled with cool, minty pepper-mint cream and coated in smooth, darkchocolate.

As the newest flavor for the PretzelSandwich Dips line, imagine the refresh-ing taste of a York Peppermint Pattie withthe crunch of a Snyder’s of Hanover

Pretzel, then enrobed in dark chocolate –perfection! Also available in the 3.5-ounce size are Peanut Butter PretzelSandwich Dips ― a Peanut ButterPretzel Sandwich, dipped in Hershey’sMilk Chocolate.

As a seasonal offering, the new YorkPeppermint Pretzel Sandwich Dips willbe available nationwide for a limited timefrom October through December. Be sureto get them before time runs out!

Snyder’s of Hanover’s conveniencestore line offers a variety of traditional

pretzels, flavored pretzel pieces and pret-zel sandwiches. Select products are alsoavailable in larger multi-serving sizebags.

Snyder’s of Hanover has beenAmerica’s Pretzel Bakery since 1909.The company has been recognized for itscreative new products and its assortmentof delicious pretzels. Snyder’s ofHanover is the healthy, great tastingbrand of snacks Americans choose.

For more information, visit theSnyder’s-Lance booth 1900. For recipesand amusing facts on pretzels, visitwww.snyderofhanover.com. Find themon Facebook at www.facebook.com/sny-dersofhanover and follow them on twitterat www.twitter.com/Snyders_Hanover. �

SNYDER’S OF HANOVER, YORKPEPPERMINT AND DARK CHOCOLATE


o p e r a t i o n s

SURVEILLANCETECHNOLOGYBY KARRIE WELBORNThe first use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)as a crime deterrent in the U.S. is generally ascribedto the city of Olean, N.Y., in 1968. Cameras wereplaced on the main business route specifically as anattempt to cut crime on that stretch of road. Asyears passed, CCTV systems became more preva-lent, and a preferred surveillance method for C-Stores and other retail businesses.

Although surveillance (then and now) doesnot appear to substantially curtail crime, record-ings of suspects are helpful in convicting perpe-trators. Despite the error factors attributed to tapeoveruse in VCR-type CCTVs, it was the tech-nology for surveillance for years. A cameraseemed more effective than an on-going stakeoutor hours of security personnel on payroll. Evenwith 24/7 security guards, it is not impossible fora window allowing criminal activity to occur.

As computer technology improved, so didsurveillance cameras. In fact, today’s surveillancecameras are essentially mini-computers, com-plete with networking abilities. These new cam-era-computers, called Internet Protocol cameras(IP cameras), connect via wireless or Ethernetand are able to transmit video to the Internet forremote viewing: real time, remote viewing.

IP cameras are capable of capturing andsending digital images to a hard drive in realtime. The cameras come in two main platforms:centralized and decentralized. Centralized sys-tems have a central Network Video Recorder(NVR). For this format, each camera requires aninstallation of NVR software in order to connectto the network. A decentralized system can be oneor many IP cameras, each with a self-containedNVR and each with the requisite software. IPcameras require no rewind, no overdub and thecalamity of broken tape will never occur. Thismakes the process more reliable, but does it makethe reduction of crime any more successful?

The ControversyThere have been a number of studies in the U.S.and the U.K. regarding the effectiveness of thepresence of cameras and crime deterrence. Oneof these studies on the effectiveness of a SanFrancisco camera system was undertaken by theUniversity of California’s Center for InformationTechnology Research in the Interest of Society(CITRIS) at the request of the city’s Board ofSupervisors. The results were mixed. On onehand, the report indicated that property crimeswithin 100 feet of a camera decreased by 22 per-cent. On the other hand, the number of violentcrimes such as rape and other types of assaulthad little to no change in spite of the installationof a camera system. Interestingly, homicides inparticular decreased in number within a 250-footradius of the cameras, yet increased in numberoutside the 250-foot radius.

Pushing a crime outside the radius of a cam-era certainly indicates that criminals prefer non-camera locations, but cameras cannot stop crime.What has been more successful than deterrence,and is directly connected to the presence of acamera system, is the increased ability of policeto determine suspects and of prosecutors to con-vict, based on the camera recordings. The bestcase scenario is a balance of security people andIP cameras. �

stunned. In a Washington D.C. neigh-borhood (Georgetown) T-shirt store,the owner will only allow two or threepeople in at a time now, after havingbeen flash robbed more than once. InSt. Paul, Minn., 35 young peopleswarmed a clothing store and took$20,000 worth of clothes. In most ofthe incident,s the young people can beidentified and arrested. In one casepeople outside took down licensenumbers as the flash rob was occur-ring and this proved to be important infinding and arresting the robbers.What was instrumental in apprehend-ing the criminals, though, were theInternet Protocol (IP) cameras. Manyof the perpetrators have been charged.

On the world stage, it is nowknown that much of the London riotsof August 2011 were coordinated viasocial media.

There have always been gangsand groups and mobs that are fright-ening and intimidate by numberswhile committing crimes. The differ-ence with these current “flash robs”is that the addition of social mediaand a real-time, visible, fast methodof coordinating “rob runs” increases

dangers for the public, for lawenforcement, and amazingly, evenfor the criminals. The best weaponfor fighting the flash robs, now thatthe surprise is over, is through thesame platforms that make it possiblein the first place: Facebook andTwitter. New York City and Dallashave both created “social mediacrime” departments to offset theflash rob scenarios. The new depart-ments will be checking Facebook,Twitter and other social media postsand additional apps in order todetermine criminal connections.Additionally, in September 2011, theSMILE Conference (Social Mediathe Internet and Law Enforcement)Conference was hosted by the DallasPolice Department.

In the past eight years, socialmedia has become a marketing tool, aforum for finding old friends, and astage from which individuals are ableto feel important and popular in wayspreviously unavailable. Having 1,246Facebook friends or 30,000 Twitterfollowers means popularity andacceptance, even though the majorityof those friends, realistically, remain

strangers. Unlike celebrities, whocount fans not friends, this extensive“friending” becomes a behavior inand of itself―how many, not who,appears to be the goal.

On the positive side, in the wakeof major disasters, social media hasbeen instrumental in helping familieslocate survivors.

Social media is here to stay. Thecrimes instigated by these onlinecommunities do not have to reignover a frightened public, C-Stores orother retail environments. The realityis that the same technology that canbe used to organize crime can also beused to fight crime―and it is. Thereis little in this world that is whollypositive or wholly negative. Socialmedia in and of itself is neutral; it’sjust a computer program. How thatprogram is used, however, makes itgood or bad.

Flash robs took business by sur-prise, but the ambush is now over.IP cameras and social media-savvypolice may not be able to preventthe crime, but these new communi-cation methods are instrumental inachieving convictions. �

THIS ISSUE’S FOCUS: Social mediaSURVEILLANCE & SOCIAL MEDIA / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Walmart. They’re competitive.”Bartholomew isn't alone in his con-

cerns. Walmart's attempts to enter newcommunities have sometimes been metwith opposition, even protests, by localretailers and community activists. TakeChicago, for example: Plans to build aWalmart Neighborhood Market — thecompany's equivalent of a traditionalgrocery store, as opposed to the larger"supercenters" for which Walmart isbest known — in the East Lakeviewneighborhood were announced inDecember 2009 as part of a larger strat-egy involving a string of stores in theChicago area. Local residents immedi-ately began organizing formal opposi-tion to the plan, both in communitymeetings and on Facebook. Despite a

pledge by Walmart to limit the newstore's size to 33,395 square feet, theSouth East Lake View NeighborsAssociation voted overwhelmingly tocondemn the new location — a symbol-ic vote, as the association had no author-ity over commercial development in the

WalmartContinued from Page 1

neighborhood.In Chicago's West Chatham

neighborhood, meanwhile, the com-pany opened the first of its plannedExpress stores in the city on July 27.Built at a tenth the size of its tradi-tional Supercenter outlets, the newWalmart location stocked a morepared-down selection of groceriesand essentials, as well as a pharma-cy and financial-services desk locat-ed on-premises.

The recession and generalfinancial downturn in recent yearshas almost certainly played a signif-icant role in Walmart's decision toexpand into smaller markets.According to the Wall StreetJournal, "Walmart's U.S. business,which accounts for 62 percent of its$419 billion in annual revenue, hasreported declining sales at stores

open at least a year, fortwo consecutive years."In its 2010 annualreport, Walmart outlinedits strategies for dealingwith the more challeng-ing economic environ-ment: "Growth throughnew stores remains a pri-ority, with supercentersthe primary driverbecause they continue tooffer the greatest returnsand allow customers a

one-stop shopping experience. Weare growing also through smallerformats, including both grocerystores and even smaller, conven-ience formats. We will open our firstconvenience format stores, WalmartExpress, in the second quarter.

These stores will be less than 30,000square feet and will sell grocery,pharmacy and limited general mer-chandise."

Walmart executive Bill Simonhas stated that the three varieties ofstores would be used to "driveexpansion to urban markets andsmall towns, as well as fill in gapsin existing markets." The companyhas also stated that by 2016, itwould attempt to build as many as300 stores in what the U.S.Department of Agriculture hascalled "food deserts": low-incomeneighborhoods where the closestgrocery store is at least a mile away(10 miles in rural areas), and wherethere is no immediate and readyaccess to fresh meat and vegetables.

And despite the occasionalpushback, there does seem to be noshortage of communities eager forWalmart's brand of store, whetherSupercenter or Walmart Express. InGladewater, Texas, a local newspa-per quoted City Manager Sean Pateas stating that he'd entered intonegotiations with the company tobring a convenience-store-sizedWalmart to his city in 2012. InNebraska, Omaha Planning DirectorRick Cunningham stated that he sawthe arrival of Walmart Express as ahopeful sign that food deserts in hiscity would be better served.

In Gentry, Ark., meanwhile,Marvin's grocery store closed itsdoors just two months after after thearrival of that town's WalmartExpress. The store's owners refusedto comment on the matter whenpressed by local reporters. �


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BRANDEDFOODSERVICEPROGRAMS DISH UPSUCCESS FORC-STORES

Consumers are spending on specialtyfood again after a period of holding back.Sales of specialty food and beveragesrose 7.7 percent in 2010, topping $70 bil-lion, according to research released by theNational Association for the SpecialtyFood Trade.

“The rebound is impressive,” saysRon Tanner, Vice President ofCommunications and Education forNASFT. “As consumers feel more confi-dent about the economy, they are comingback to specialty foods.”

In 2009, sales rose by a more tepid4.5 percent.

Cheese continues to dominate spend-ing for this segment of the food industry,with $3.23 billion in sales in 2010.Rounding out the top five categories aremeats, chips and snacks, bread and bakedgoods and condiments. Functional bever-ages are the fastest growing specialtyfood category, followed by yogurt andkefir.

Last year, specialty food makersfocused on their existing items, with newproduct introductions about even with2009. Launches of premium private-labelproducts, such as store-brand cookies andsauces, declined to 455 in 2010 from 518in 2009, demonstrating a return to brand-ed products.

These findings are presented in The

State of the Specialty Food Industry 2011,an annual report from the NASFT pre-pared in conjunction with marketresearchers Mintel International andSPINS. The report tracks sales of special-ty food through supermarkets, naturalfood stores and specialty food retailers,and includes research from interviewswith food retailers, distributors, brokersand others involved in the supply chain.

The report predicts product claimsthat will drive sales in the future. Eco-friendly, Fair Trade and sustainable areexpected to edge out the current buzz-words all-natural, organic and local.Here are some highlights from the report:• Total U.S. sales of specialty foods in2010 were $70.32 billion, with $14.4 bil-lion represented by sales to the foodser-vice industry.• Specialty foods represent 13.1 percentof all food sales at retail.• Natural food stores are the fastestgrowing retail channel; sales rose 14.7percent between 2008 and 2010.• Mediterranean and Indian are the mostinfluential emerging cuisines, importerssay.• Seventy-six percent of specialty foodmanufacturers reported a sales increase in2010, with 36 percent up more than 20percent.• Gluten-free introductions showed sharp

gains, with 119 new products in 2010 ver-sus 67 in 2009.• Supermarkets remain the largest sellerof specialty foods, with 72.3 percent ofsales, but their share is dipping as special-ty and natural food stores attract moreconsumers.• The average specialty food manufactur-er produces 51 different items and bringsin $2.3 million in annual sales.• The Fancy Food Shows, customer rec-ommendations and trade magazines arethe most important sources for discover-ing new products, retailers reported.

A summary of The State of the SpecialtyFood Industry 2011 research was pub-lished in the April 2011 issue of SpecialtyFood Magazine.

NASFT is a not-for-profit trade asso-ciation established in 1952 to foster trade,commerce and interest in the specialtyfood industry. Today, there are more than2,900 members in the United States andabroad. NASFT’s website for consumers,foodspring.com, provides an insider’slook at specialty foods and the compa-nies, entrepreneurs and artisans behindthem. For information on NASFT, go tohttp://www.foodspring.com/about/nasft.For information on the NASFT’s FancyFood Shows, go to http://www.food-spring.com/about/fancy-food. �

Specialty Food IndustryShows Renewed Strength

Building on their inherent strength in con-venience, efficiency and 24/7 availability,convenience stores are rolling out theirown, branded foodservice programs thatreturn higher margins while also improv-ing food quality and healthfulness,according to “Convenience StoreFoodservice Trends in the U.S.” by mar-ket research publisher Packaged Facts.

Packaged Facts projects that conven-ience store foodservice sales grew 6 per-cent in 2010 and will rise an additional 6percent in 2011 and 5 percent in 2012.

In the process, convenience stores aregoing head-to-head with established restau-rant players, seeking to take a slice out ofthe limited-service restaurant pie while alsokeeping in mind their customers’ broaderon-the-go purchasing needs.

“By enhancing foodservice qualityand variety, we believe convenience storesare poised to benefit from increased salesof gasoline and other merchandise, as con-sumers seek to consolidate their purchasesin the interest of efficiency,” says DavidSprinkle, publisher of Packaged Facts.“Because it is so well positioned, we antic-ipate that convenience store industry food-service sales growth will outperform theretail and restaurant foodservice industryaverage through 2013.”

Several factors are driving c-store com-panies’ efforts to aggressively build sophis-ticated foodservice platforms. These includethe need to create a buffer against gasolinesales volatility; to deepen customer relation-ships; and to protect and leverage a store’scoffee/beverage turf. Moreover, the reportcontinues, c-store operators recognize theirfoodservice shortcomings – fewer healthychoices, and a perceived quality gapbetween their offerings and those of tradi-tional restaurant competitors – and they areworking to overcome these obstacles.

“Convenience Store FoodserviceTrends in the U.S.” helps industry partic-ipants understand and leverage key trendsshaping category growth by including:• Analysis of convenience store usersintended and actual merchandise andfoodservice purchases (by type), to helpparticipants develop trip consolidationstrategies that increase guest traffic anddrive sales.• “Quick Bite” food health attributeanalysis, to develop on-the-go meal solu-tions and snacks in accordance with con-sumer health preferences.• Convenience store foodservice pur-chase considerations, to develop andposition menu items and craft marketingmessages in accordance with consumerpurchase rationales.

For further information, please visitwww.packagedfacts.com/Convenience-Store-Foodservice-6498044/. �

While there is little that can be done aboutthe crude oil market, there is a change thatmay be implemented by the more than106,000 petroleum retailers and conven-ience stores to lower energy and mainte-nance costs.

Typically, the industry consensus hasbeen “the brighter, the better.” Over the pastdecade or so, increasingly bright light forgas stations/C-stores has caused drivers,residents of surrounding areas and localofficials to complain about excessive glare,light pollution and light trespass.

Gas stations/C-stores provide a perfectopportunity for BetaLED® technology toshine. Owners and operators are realizingthat customers are drawn to their propertiesbecause of perceptions of cleanliness, safe-ty and a friendly atmosphere.

The use of BetaLED luminaires, withits patented NanoOpticTM technology,puts light precisely where it’s needed. Theresult is a sustainable illumination designthat creates a safe and inviting environ-ment while saving significant energy andmaintenance dollars.

With crude prices being so volatile,retailers’ profit margins aren’t about tosuddenly increase. Utility deregulationand the high costs of natural gas also dra-matically impact retailers’ energy costs.

Additionally, profits are further squeezedby the ongoing maintenance expense ofchanging traditional fixtures.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas,Landmark Industries owns and operates170 convenience stores under variousmajor fuel brands. The retail divisionbegan operation under the Timewise FoodStore brand in 1982 with one location inHempstead, Texas. It now markets in 240stores located in and around the Houston,San Antonio, Austin and Laredo market-places with several new units presentlybeing developed.

The Timewise Shell in Laredo is aconvenient and friendly one-stop shop-ping outlet. It’s the place to fill up withgas, grab a quick snack, get a hot cup ofcoffee, pick up groceries, eat lunch, buydinner and get the car washed.

As a locally owned business,Timewise/Landmark Industries is inter-ested in doing its part to help the environ-ment. For example, the store recentlyretrofit the canopy with new, energy-effi-cient BetaLED luminaires, dramaticallyreducing energy costs and virtually elimi-nating maintenance expenses.

Previously, the 10 fuel dispensercanopy was illuminated with 320-wattmetal halide fixtures. These 56 fixtures

were retrofit with 30 BetaLED 304Series® 141-watt 60 LED luminaires,which have reduced energy consumptionby an astounding 80 percent.

“Retrofitting the canopy with energy-efficient BetaLED luminaires is not justgood business for Timewise Shell, but it’sgood for our community,” said SteveDujka, Landmark Industries comptroller.“This is another example of howLandmark Industries and Timewise Shellare cornerstones of the community,whether in our charitable giving, deliver-ing the products and services that con-sumers need or taking the lead in creatinga sustainable future.”

In addition to retrofitting the fuelisland canopy, Timewise Shell retrofit thecar wash metal halide fixtures with 18BetaLED luminaires in a one-for-onereplacement, providing a remarkable 61percent energy savings.

While energy savings was importantto Timewise Shell and LandmarkIndustries, maintenance-related factorsalso played an important role in choosingBetaLED. Even though LandmarkIndustries has on-staff maintenance peo-ple and a bucket truck, the company oftencalled an outside electrician to serviceTimewise Shell’s metal halide prod-ucts―at a cost of more than $200 per call.

For more information, please visitbooth 6456 in the NACS show, go onlineto www.beta-lighting.com or call 262-884-3110. �

BetaLED Luminaires EnlightenC-Stores, Save On Energy Costs

PROPER PRODUCTTRACKINGINCREASESCUSTOMERSATISFACTION

Call it what you want: a “downturn,”“correction,” “recession” or even “dou-ble-dip recession.” Anxious economictimes may call for tightening expenses,but one place where you shouldn’t cutback is your fire protection. Having ahigh quality fire protection system,keeping it maintained and having a “fireplan” will protect your property andoperations from damage and businessinterruption, should a fire occur.

Most businesses can’t recover froma fire incident during a booming econ-omy, let alone during lean times. Firecan strike anywhere at any time.Thinking it “will never happen to us” is

not much assurance, and never looksgood in hindsight. Now, more thanever, it is important to protect yourassets, your operations and your marketpresence from any possible loss–espe-cially fire.

The Amerex KP system is fully listedto ANSI/UL 300 and meets all coderequirements. The KP system is designedto reduce installation costs in new con-struction or retrofit situations where youare upgrading and–when using the “ZoneDefense” option–can allow you flexibili-ty for changes.

Regardless of what fire suppressionsystem you choose or are currently using,

make sure you are protected. Confirm thatyour system is ANSI/UL 300 compliant,that its maintenance is kept up to date andit matches your current cooking line. Youshould also confirm that Class K extin-guishers are in place, maintained andready for use.

Train your employees on properaction should a fire take place: 1 - Call theFire Department; 2 - Evacuate the area; 3- Pull the system pull station; 4 -Stand bywith a hand portable extinguisher if it issafe to do so. Protect yourself–protectyour business.

For more information, visitwww.amerex-fire.com. �

Fire Protection SystemsNo Place To Skimp

Every brand has a story, but is yours beingheard? If your product needs to be refrig-erated in a grocery store cooler unit, thenthe chances of it making enough noise tostop consumers are slim.

The fact is, consumers do notnotice 90 percent of new, fresh prod-ucts launched in grocery stores. Add tothis limited fridge/freezer space andyou have countless products squashedtogether whispering at consumers toget their attention. Products simplycannot be heard in this frosty sellingenvironment.

That’s where Coolio comes in.Coolio International, a Belgium-basedcompany now expanded into NorthAmerica, manufactures portable, plug-incooling displays that are lightweight andeasy to assemble.

These freestanding refrigeration unitscan be placed away from overcrowdedcooler sections, in virtually any part of astore that has access to an electrical outlet.Imagine rescuing your product from frost-ed-over grocery store fridges and gettingit into high-traffic areas such as Point ofSale (POS) and aisles.

The placement of your product in aCoolio will definitely get it seen andheard, but the creative company goes onestep farther to help you scream your brandstory, even in the most boisterous ofstores. All Coolios come with aFreshboard that is completely customiz-able and versatile. Freshboards can fea-ture any graphic or logo, including pro-mos and contests.

Freshboards are designed to fit ontoany standard style of Coolio and are

designed to wrap around the entire dis-play, giving your product 360 degrees ofleverage. No matter which direction yourcustomers come from, they’ll see yourbrand and know its story.

Freshboards also help with your sus-tainability initiative, as they are madefrom 100 percent recycled corrugate andcan be recycled after you’ve told yourstory. It’s just one more benefit Cooliooffers its clients.

“Shelf space doesn’t increase,” saysMegan Jones, Marketing and CustomerService Manager. “If you want to addsomething, you need to take somethingaway. With the Coolio, you can add asmany products as you want and justswitch out the promotion.”

Coolio is a one-of-a-kind gamechanger in the North American retailenvironment.

For more information, please visitbooth 1218 at the NACS show, go onlineto www.coolionorthamerica.com or call905-331-9497 or 866-864-5273. �

Coolio Freshboards Get YourProduct, Story Seen By Customers

In today’s highly competitive market-place, it is critical for all companies―par-ticularly retailers and service compa-nies―to consistently over-deliver onservice. Since shopper satisfaction drivesloyalty, retailers must create a positiveshopping experience for their customers.This often simply includes basics such asmaking it easy to find products and ensur-ing no out-of-stocks.

Given that the typical conveniencestore transaction is 120 seconds from carto register and back to car, ease of locat-ing a product is mission-critical.TNT/CROSSMARK certainly recognizesthis, and is committed to delivering solu-tions that address needs and drive growthfor clients. To facilitate better solutionsand ensure that clients have a competitiveedge, the company continues to build onits culture of service excellence.

“By providing exceptional serviceto our clients we are able to help thembetter service their customers,” saysKen Gomez, Vice President – BusinessDevelopment at TNT Marketing/CROSSMARK. “As part of our com-mitment to service excellence, we havedeveloped a total category -solutionsapproach that we’ve built into our cen-tralized sales process for our clients inthe C-store industry. Our categoryresources and expertise provide a cleardirection for achieving optimum prod-uct selection, effective merchandising,appropriate pricing and volume-drivingpromotions. “Our centralized salesprocess creates a single point of con-tact for each client, and that point ofcontact manages all clients in that spe-cific category―and this creates bettersolutions for our clients. In addition,this process allows our clients to spendless time managing multiple contactsand more time focusing on other waysto grow their business while workingwith our C-store sales teams. Thisresults in greater sales growth for ourclients and a better experience for theshopper, as well as efficiencies andsolutions for retailers and distributors.This, in conjunction with our excep-tional in-store execution capabilities,helps manufacturers and retailers moreeffectively focus on ensuring shoppersatisfaction to drive revenue growth,”adds Gomez.

Service excellence is the cornerstoneof CROSSMARK and is pervasive inevery aspect of their business.Consistently providing exceptional serv-ice to clients in the C-store channel is noexception.

For more information, visit TNT/CROSSMARK at NACS 2011 booth4813, or contact Ken Gomez at 469-814-1139 or [email protected]. �

American Express Business Insights is ananalytics and consulting organization that har-nesses its wealth of global spend informationto reveal powerful intelligence about yourcustomers, competitors and marketplace.

Customer surveys and focus groupsmight tell you what your customers think,but Business Insights data tells you what

they actually do. This is because BusinessInsights draws from the aggregate spend-ing patterns of approximately 90 millioncards in force, that make over 5 billionannual transactions, in nearly 130 coun-tries. Due to Business Insights’ direct rela-tionships with both card members andmerchants, Business Insights can give you

a more complete picture of consumerbehavior and industry dynamics.

Business Insights solutions can helpyou understand and maximize businessperformance by analyzing overall indus-try trends and customers and competitorsfor specific industries.

Business Insights data provides valu-able information to understand the evolv-ing marketplace.

For more information, visitwww.americanexpress.com/businessin-sights. �

Business Insights Group RevealsWhat Customers Are Doing

With rising gas prices, consumers arebecoming more conscious of both how andwhere they spend their money. Whenchoosing a C-store, one of the most impor-tant factors is how clean it is. This not onlyinfluences their decision to stop, butwhether they come inside for those sec-ondary sales as well. Most operators keeptheir stores clean with one or a combina-tion of cleaning methods ranging from

contracted services to a garden hose andelbow grease. These can be effective, butthey require a big investment in money,time and effort, and the results often lastonly until the next leaking car or spilledsoda leaves its mark on the parking lot.

Spray Master Technologies can helpkeep your stores looking clean and invit-ing for customers at all times by makingcleaning easy, effective, and available

24/7. Spray Master Technologies hasbeen producing commercial-quality pres-sure cleaning systems since 1985, servingmultiple industries with custom solutionsto their unique cleaning needs.

SMT makes a central cleaning sys-tem that is built into an existing store ornew construction project. The system pro-vides a main pressure system which sendsa conservative 3.2 gallons per minute ofpressurized water out to remote stationboxes in strategic cleaning locationsaround the facility. The system is con-trolled at the remote stations where the

Spray Master TechnologiesKeeps C-Stores Gleaming


September/October 2011ConvenienceRETAILER68

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CONSOLIDATEDSALES NETWORKMEETS NEEDS OFMANUFACTURERS,CUSTOMERS

D.R. Mozeley, Inc. is a general contract-ing firm specializing in design build, con-struction management, and turnkey proj-ects. Established in 1958 by David R.Mozeley Sr., the firm continues today as ageneral contractor based in the Charlotte,N.C., area.

The firm’s completed project listincludes offices and warehouses, cityparks, city fire departments, schools, free-standing restaurants and commercialbuildings, as well as conventional, modu-lar and high-end convenience stores.

The company also has a site divisionwith more than 100 pieces of heavyequipment. This division does utilities for

DRM, Inc.’s petroleum customers as wellas the city and state. The company is alicensed general contractor in Virginia,West Virginia, North Carolina, SouthCarolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky,Florida and Georgia.

Mozeley’s specialty and expertisewithin the general contracting industry isbuilding convenience stores. Within thelast 55 years, DRM, Inc. has built over1700 C-stores. Among these are many C-stores that co-op with restaurants such asMcDonalds, Bojangles’ Famous Chicken‘Biscuits, Subway, Backyard Burgers,Arby’s, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen andseveral more. Without question, DRM,

Inc. is a true turnkey building contractor.Its in-house staff of more than 90 includesits Pump and Tank Division, ConcreteDivision, Excavating and GradingOperators, Project Managers, Estimators,Sales and Business Development,Superintendents, Crew Leaders andOffice Personnel. These services are thecontributing factor to DRM Inc.’s suc-cess. Along with excellent quality, DRM,Inc. delivers projects that are completedon time and within budget.

For more information, visit D.R.Mozeley, Inc., online at www.drmozeley.com, call 704-394-0133 or stop by booth506 at the NACS show. �

D.R. Mozeley BuildsC-Stores In 9 States

Many retailers are vulnerable to fines andnegative publicity associated with servingalcohol to minors. Often, a lack of train-ing and a lack of consistent processes areresponsible.

Straight Up LLC, an alcohol educa-tion training and consulting firm based inKnoxville, Tenn., shows retailers how toteach their staff to achieve a higher stan-dard of alcohol service. Straight Up offersa variety of training programs sold underthe brand name of TopShelf ResponsibleBeverage Service.

“Our ideal client is any businessthat serves alcohol – restaurants, bars,

and retailers,” said Kim Pouncey,President of Straight Up.

Straight Up was founded by Pounceyand Melinda Wolfe, two longtime restau-rateurs and alcohol awareness trainerswho saw an opportunity to improve thealcohol service training that bartendersand alcohol servers received.

“Our newest product, ‘Minors:Reducing a Major Liability,’ as well as allof our other programs are constantlyevolving so they are up to date and inclu-sive of current trends,” said Pouncey. “Weknow the latest tricks that minors tend touse in terms of fake IDs, and the ways

they try to get around the drinking agelimit. We work closely with law enforce-ment to find out what they’re looking foron compliance checks. We try to combinea law enforcement perspective and arestaurant perspective.”

Straight Up is based in Tennessee,but is able to customize its training pro-grams to coincide with the laws and regu-lations of various U.S. states and munici-palities. It can also create custom-trainingprograms to reinforce and complementexisting company policies.

“We work with a lot of big restaurantchains, and companies have different poli-cies,” said Pouncey. “For instance, somecompanies say, ‘Card everybody,’ somecompanies say, ‘If you don’t look at least30 years old, you get carded.’We can workwith companies to make sure that the train-ing we deliver reflects alcohol serving andselling policies that they have in place.” �

Straight Up Alcohol ServerTraining Products EmpowerStaff, Protect Retailers

David Tucci, Executive Director ofConsolidated Sales Network, discusseshow his company operates.

CR: Tell us about Consolidated SalesNetwork.

DT: The Consolidated Sales Network is analliance of independent food brokers thathave partnered with each other to helpfacilitate the manufacturer/broker/cus-tomer relationship in today’s marketplace.

CR:What challenges does CSN attempt tosolve?

DT: CSN exists for one simple reason: tooffer manufacturers an efficient brokerpartnership that delivers on effective cus-tomer penetration. Manufacturers arefaced with several choices in solving theirgo-to-market challenges. By workingtogether, our broker partners provide theefficiencies of a national broker organiza-tion offering single point of pay and theeffectiveness of a local broker organiza-tion empowered with entrepreneurialownership involvement.

CR: Why is CSN a better choice for theconvenience segment?

DT: The convenience channel has manychallenges, not the least of which is man-aging the vertical communications struc-ture needed to be effective at the largenational wholesalers and the chains theyserve. Oftentimes, manufacturers aregiven limited choices in solving thisdilemma. The large national brokers havegreat communication systems, but may belimited in their depth of chain coverageand must overcome the blurring of salesmanagement responsibilities. Local inde-pendent brokers may be a good option atlocal indirect chain customers, but do nothave the relationship or frequency of cov-erage needed in customers several statesaway. In the areas of technology, we havebuilt a strategic alliance withSymphony/IRI to have access to sales datafor the convenience segment. Severalmembers have JDA and/or Apollo spacemanagement software. We are in theprocess of moving to a standardized retailreporting system. All of these things arecritical as clients look for sources ofexcellence.

CR:What has CSN done to solve this cov-erage challenge?

DT: The partners of CSN have built a ver-tical coverage model for the conveniencesegment that is seamless. Our modelensures that client can have confidence

Bally Refrigerated Boxes has recentlyintroduced several new product enhance-ments to its line of refrigeration systems.

All low-profile evaporators are nowfurnished with patent-pending smart-speed fan motors. This innovativeapproach utilizes a two-speed fan motorwhich allows the evaporator fans to oper-ate at a reduced speed when the condens-ing unit is off-cycle. The typical electro-

commutated (ec) fan motor uses 60 wattsper motor at full speed, the smart-speedreduces this to 13 watts per motor whenoff cycle.

Another product addition is the BallyBQ quiet condensing units. This is anoffering of compact design scroll and her-metic condensing units for both mediumand low temperature units ranging from 1HP medium to 3.5 HP low temp units.

Tests have shown a reduction in soundlevels of 15 dba over conventional stylecondensing units. These units are alsoequipped with EC variable speedmotors–further enhancing the energy-sav-ing potential.

Bally continues to see increased spec-ifications calling for their Smart-Vap IIelectronic controller. This defrost controleliminates the time clock and heater con-tacts usually mounted on the condensingunit. This allows for the elimination of thecontrol wiring required from the evapora-tor to the condensing unit–oftentimes apoint of contention during installation. �

Bally Refrigerated BoxesEnhances Systems

With the introduction of the Ultraflex®system from LustraTM Car Care Products,convenience stores have realized benefitsbeyond the safety and convenience that thesystem provides. The advanced chemistrydeveloped to produce these ultra-concen-trated car wash chemicals has resulted inthe elimination of large drums, which havebeen replaced with products that are pack-aged in one-gallon containers and corru-gated cartons that are fully community-recyclable. This translates into a hugespace savings of over 50 percent in the

equipment room, allowing for more stor-age space for other convenience storeitems and easier access to the system.Because products are transferred intoreservoirs utilizing a no-spill method,chemical messes are no longer an issue,keeping the equipment room cleaner.

Since drums require special equip-ment and large vehicles to transport them,logistics are simpler with the Ultraflexproducts. Lustra’s Ultraflex products areeasier to handle with cases of four-gallonbottles that weigh no more than 40 pounds.

Ultraflex can now be sent to store locationsalong with general merchandise, allowingfor more efficient deliveries. The Ultraflexsystem eliminates transporting watereddown products in bulky drums, decreasingfuel consumption by 75 percent. Smallervehicles cost less to operate and are betterfor the environment.

All in all, Ultraflex helps to simplifyoperations for convenience store opera-tors and provides a chemical program thatoffers all car wash cleaning and protec-tion needs.

Lustra Car Care Products, www.lus-trabear.com, is showing at NACS booth7264. �

Lustra Car Wash Products Save Space



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CLEAN ENERGYFUELS TOUTSBENEFITS OFNATURAL GASFUELING

American Petroleum Institute’seMaintenance is a low-cost facilities/mainte-nance management system that can help youdramatically reduce repair times and costswhile ensuring Service Level Agreements(SLAs) and customer satisfaction.

Scalable and modular, this web-basedsystem automates the process of capturingand completing real-time maintenancerequests, allowing you to follow up on allmaintenance jobs and manage contractorand asset performance while ensuring theprocess is both efficient and accurate.

Speed is of the essence when it comesto asset breakdowns. With APIeMaintenance, a site manager can place amaintenance request on the web or automat-ed phone service in less than five minutesand the contractor will instantly receive thework order by email, SMS or fax.

So, the next time the power goes outon a site, as long as you haveeMaintenance, you won’t be losing morerevenue while being left on hold.

Take better care of your assets byimplementing a preventative maintenanceschedule and know when it’s the righttime to replace an asset by reporting ondowntime and breakdown frequencies.When an asset has reached the end of itsuseful life, don’t keep wasting money onrepairs and lost revenue; replace it andkeep your customers happy, too.

Make your contractors accountablefor meeting their SLAs. APIeMaintenance has a built-in reportingsuite so you can track equipment down-time to compare directly with the contrac-tor’s SLA to see exactly how muchmoney was lost because of delayedresponse time. Compare scorecards ofyour best- and worst-performing contrac-tors and use this information to improveservice levels.

Save time and money with automat-ed contractor invoicing. Instead of manu-ally approving stacks of invoices everymonth, you can start managing the excep-

tions; eMaintenance lets you know whichinvoices are within the standard costrange for parts, labor and travel, so youcan concentrate on those that aren’t. Gopaperless by automating the process andreducing the amount of invoices youapprove every month.

Ensure your contractors work safe-ly by using the Safety Audit Moduleand American Petroleum Institute’sWorksafe Program. With the GeoMapper module, it is possible to see alive map of every site within your net-work and see where contractors are car-rying out work, so you can carry outunannounced safety audits. Make sureyour contractors are trained to worksafely by requiring them to have an APIWorksafe safety key before they canwork on your sites.

For more information on APIeMaintenance, please visit both 1315 atthe NACS show, go online towww.api.org or call 202-682-8516. �

API’s eMaintenance SystemReduces Repair Times, Costs

WellCard Health™ has announced aninnovative health care savings program atno charge to employers or employees.Employees save money on a wide rangeof health care services. Through theWellCard Health Discount Card Program,members and their families will beginsaving up to 80 percent on prescriptiondrugs, dental care, lab and imaging servic-es, and more.

The WellCard Health Discount Cardprogram allows everyone to access deeplydiscounted rates from hundreds of thou-sands of participating providers.

“With healthcare costs on the rise, thesavings offered by the WellCard HealthDiscount Card will help ease some of thefinancial burden that employers, employ-

ees and their families are facing. Duringthis tough economic time, we are excitedto offer a no-cost solution that can helppeople when they need it most,” saidDoug Taylor, Executive Vice President ofSales and Marketing for WellCard LLC.

Competitive Health is providing themedical networks for WellCardHealth

“WellDyne is changing the landscapeof healthcare value-added programs. Todate, these programs typically chargedenrollment and monthly fees to employersand employees. Zero cost to enroll andparticipate with The WellCardHealth pro-gram is an industry game changer. For thefirst time, incentives are aligned with themember’s best interest. The emphasis ison what truly matters – the quality of the

program and the discounts provided tocustomer,” said Kimberly Darling,President of Competitive Health.

The WellCard Health Discount Cardis available for everyone. It is especiallybeneficial to families who are uninsuredor underinsured. The card provides sav-ings and access for services not coveredby other plans. The no-cost WellCardHealth Discount Card provides unlimiteduse and never expires.

“We are very pleased to be able towork with the marketplace to provide asolution to the rising cost of healthcare.We are excited to be changing the face ofhealthcare in our country with an easy-to-use and easy-to-administer program,”said Doug Taylor, Executive VicePresident of Sales and Marketing forWellCard.

To find out more information about theWellCard Health Discount Card program,please visit www.wellcardhealth.com. �

WellCard Health Helps EmployeesSave Money at No Charge to Employer

Greg Roche, Vice President, NationalAccounts and Infrastructure at CleanEnergy Fuels, explains the benefits ofadding natural gas fueling services tofacilities.

CR: Tells us about Clean Energy Fuels.

GR: Clean Energy is the largest providerof natural gas fuel for transportation inNorth America and a global leader in theexpanding natural gas vehicle market. Wehave operations in compressed naturalgas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas(LNG) vehicle fueling, including the con-struction and operation of CNG and LNGfueling stations. Currently, Clean Energyfuels over 22,700 vehicles at over 240strategic locations across the UnitedStates and Canada.

CR: What are the benefits of natural gasfuel to fleets and consumers?

GR: In a few words, natural gas is clean-er, cheaper, abundant and American. As aclean domestically sourced fuel, naturalgas lowers emissions, reduces fuel costsand reduces dependence on imported oil.Natural gas produces up to 30-percentlower greenhouse gas emissions thangasoline in light-duty and medium-dutyvehicles, and costs significantly less pergasoline-gallon-equivalent.

CR: What kind of presence does CleanEnergy have at convenience store/fuelingfacilities?

GR: We routinely add CNG and LNGfueling to partner locations. Our presencecan range from a single dispenser to mul-tiple dispensers. As experts in natural gasfueling, we are able to provide a turnkeysolution to our partners. Just last year wesigned a major agreement with the largestretail operator of truck travel centers inNorth America to build, own and operatepublic-access CNG/LNG fueling facili-ties at truck travel centers nationwide.

CR: For convenience store/fueling facili-ty owners and operators, what are thebenefits of expanding their services toinclude on-site natural gas fueling dis-pensers?

GR: CNG and LNG are additional salesthat generate revenue for our partner. Theinfrastructure for CNG and LNG is quitelimited. This means that our partners cancreate a captive market for natural gasvehicle (NGV) customers. These cus-tomers represent fuel sales and C-storesales. Natural gas is also the greenest fuelavailable and our partners can benefit

D&P Custom Lights & Wiring SystemsInc. is pleased to introduce its completeline of proprietary modular wiring com-ponents, ACLinxTM.

ACLinx components include every-thing needed to provide power throughouta store, including power poles. Powerpoles are available in various lengths andcolors and feature modular, snap-togetherextrusions with multiple channels for sep-arate routing of both power and data lines.In addition, all power poles can be cus-tomized to exactly meet a retailer’sneeds―with just the right configurationof switches, sockets and receptacles.

In addition to power poles, theACLinx Modular Wiring System allows

retailers to configure multiple layoutoptions for their stores, reducing labor andinstallation costs for future remodels. TheD&P in-house electrical design teamworks together with retailers, builders andcontractors to assemble a custom-tailoredpower distribution network.

The ACLinx system works through-out the store, powering gondolas, coolersand other in-store stations such as coffeeand convenience foods quickly and easily.

All the connectors in the ACLinx lineof products have been specially designedfor ease of installation and safety. Notonly are connectors color-coded by appli-cation to make installation a snap (brownto brown, green to green), but the unique

key-locking patterns mean no miscon-nects or rotations.

The ACLinx Modular Wiring Systemincludes components such as splittermodules, inbound and outbound powerconnectors, inbound and outbound powerwhips, and extender cables; all compo-nents are easily integrated with otherindustry-standard components.

D&P Custom Lights & WiringSystems Inc., founded in 1981 in Nashville,Tenn., is a world leader in custom design forthe commercial lighting and fixtures indus-try, specializing in the custom engineeringand fabrication of checkout lights, prewiredpower poles, modular gondola electricaldistribution systems and electrical signs.

For more information, please visitbooth 1118 in the NACS show, go onlineto www.dandpcustomlights.com, [email protected] or call615-350-7800. �

ACLinx Components DeliverPower Throughout Stores



o p e r a t i o n s

ANTEA GROUPTRAINING COMPLIESWITH STATEENVIRONMENTALREGULATIONS

By Bob Carr, Chairman and ChiefExecutive Officer, Heartland PaymentSystems®

Consumers have long been drawn to theconvenience credit and debit cards pro-vide. Today, most retailers accept “plas-tic” to not only satisfy demand, but also toboost their sales by offering diverse pay-ment options. However, the fees associat-ed with accepting credit and debit cardscan cut into those profits.

In recent months, one of the mosthotly debated fees has been interchange“swipe” fees. These fees are imposed bythe card brands (Visa®, MasterCard® andDiscover® Network; American Expressfollows a different pricing model), andcollected by the issuing banks from busi-nesses, every time a customer uses his/hercredit or debit card. According to theNational Restaurant Association (NRA),swipe fees on debit and credit card trans-actions amount to $48 billion annually.

With the passing of the Dodd-FrankWall Street Reform Act of 2010, inter-change is regulated by the Federal

Reserve, resulting in “reasonable and pro-portional” swipe fees for debit cards thatare proportional to the cost of processingthose transactions. Prior to this Act, inter-change fees ranged anywhere from 1.5 to2.5 percent.

To ensure your store reaps the poten-tial benefits and cost savings of the legis-lation, verify that you’re on an inter-change-plus pricing model with your cardprocessor. This is a transparent, simpli-fied model that passes interchange feesdirectly to the merchant with no markup,while also divulging the separate fee theprocessor charges for its services. Then,specifically ask your processor how youcan benefit from the new debit inter-change bill and reduced fee structure.

As a business owner, it is critical tounderstand all of the fees and surchargesin your processing statement to begincontrolling them and saving money.Aside from interchange, there are onlytwo other processing fees every card-accepting restaurateur must pay eachmonth: dues/assessments (imposed bythe card brands to cover operating costs)

and processing fees (imposed by cardprocessors and/or their third parties forauthorizing and/or settling credit/debit/prepaid cards, as well as for rout-ing money and data to complete transac-tions). Other charges may be “junk fees”that don’t add extra value.

Consider contacting your paymentsprocessor to help you navigate throughyour statement to make sure the feesyou’re being charged are legitimate.Youcan also visit KnowYourCardRates.com, an educational website created bythe NRA, for a free online rate calcula-tor. This free tool has already helpedseveral businesses save up to thousandsof dollars.

By learning the facts about paymentprocessing practices and the right ques-tions to ask, you can help reduce yourout-of-pocket expenses on every transac-tion and put the savings toward moreimportant things – like your business.

Bob Carr is chairman and chief exec-utive officer at Heartland PaymentSystems (NYSE: HPY), one of thenation’s largest payment processors. �

Interchange Reform CanBoost Your Bottom Line

Anthony Thim, Environmental Managerfrom the Ewing Oil Co., discusses hisexperience with the online storage tankoperator training offered by the AmericanPetroleum Institute (API) and AnteaGroup.

CR: First, tell us about your responsibili-ties at Ewing Oil.

AT: As Environmental Manager for 22years, I am responsible for ensuring thatEwing Oil Company remains in compli-ance with federal, state and local envi-ronmental regulations. During this time,I also have been responsible for provid-ing training to operators at facilitiesowned by Ewing Oil Co. in Marylandand Pennsylvania. As the result of EPA’smandated operator training regulations,Ewing Oil Co.’s training program wasmodified and subsequently approved bythe Maryland Department of theEnvironment (MDE). A similar operatortraining program has been submitted forapproval by the PennsylvaniaDepartment of EnvironmentalProtection (PA DEP).

CR: How does this online operator train-ing make your job easier?

AT: I am frequently asked environmen-tal compliance questions as well as forrequests for recommendations byEwing Oil Co.’s open dealer customers;I am now in a position to recommendthis online training program. As theinstructor for environmental compli-ance, I found this online training pro-gram, with its individual module for-mat, to be well-organized, easy to fol-low and an ideal self-paced learningopportunity for operators who areunable to attend a classroom presenta-tion.”

CR: Describe how the online operatortraining has been used at Ewing Oil?

AT: Pending MDE’s approval of thisonline training program, Ewing Oil Co.was asked for its comments. A newemployee with no prior experience in thepetroleum industry found this onlinetraining program to be quite informativeand very beneficial and was awarded theoperator training certification.

CR: What are the biggest benefits of thisonline training program?

AT: This training program has a wellorganized and easy-to-follow module for-mat, it’s specific to individual state regu-lations, and it’s a self-paced learning

The latest generation of outdoor area light-ing is now here with the NEW GEEvolveTM LED Modular Area Light. GE’snew area light combines the latest in LEDsystem electronics, thermal management,mechanical and optical design to make theadvantages of LED lighting a practicalreality in parking lots and general lightingapplications for C-store owners.

This new LED solution slashes ener-gy consumption when compared to tradi-tional metal-halide lighting. By offering along, reliable, 50,000-hour rated life, theneed for ongoing maintenance is virtuallyeliminated, enabling C-stores to signifi-cantly save in operating costs and achievegreater gains on the bottom line.

Additionally, the Evolve LED

Modular Area light dramatically improveslight-level uniformity with the LEDs moreeffectively throwing light where it isintended, reducing hot spots and darkspots in parking lots. The result is lessreflected light and improved utilization fora positive impact on property appearance,security and pedestrian visibility. It alsooffers significantly reduced glare at allviewing angles compared with HID lamps.Available in multiple color temperatures(4000K and 5700K), this innovative LEDsolution offers a 70-plus color-renderingindex and utilizes high brightness LEDs toimprove visibility and quality of light.

With an exclusive optical ring design,the Evolve LED Modular Area light pro-duces superior vertical illuminance and

efficiently directs the light without waste-ful and unwelcomed light spill into neigh-boring properties. GE accomplishes thiswith lower lumens and greater energysavings because the fixture’s advancedoptical design leverages the LED charac-teristics to deliver light precisely.

“Retailers that operate 24/7 need toprovide adequate light in the parking lotfor customers coming to their stores,which can be disruptive to borderingproperty owners,” says Tim Miller,Global Product Manager, GE LightingSolutions. “Our unique optic design min-imizes light spill and directs the lightexactly where you want it, keeping itfrom intruding into the homes and yardsof nearby neighbors.”

A scalable design, as well as theoption to choose from double or singlemodules, makes this product ideal for

GE Evolve LED System Allows BrightExterior Lighting, Energy Savings

ESCO has been designing and manufac-turing intercom systems for the petroleumindustry for 23 years and is currently dis-playing its newest design, the easilyexpandable TMK-3000 Trademark Seriesof intercoms. The TMK-3000 Trademarkintercom system can be seen at the 2011Chicago NACS/PEI show in booth 7471.

From emergency situations and mar-keting in-store feature items to helpingcustomers operate today’s complicatedfueling equipment and just being friendlywith customers, C-store operators require agood quality, easy-to-use intercom system.

The Trademark TMK-3000 series ofintercoms has been designed to handleevery situation required in communicat-ing with customers in today’s C-store lay-outs. Attention has been given to theamount of area occupied by the DesktopController (8 inches by 5¾ inches) to themaximum number of wired speaker sta-tions it can control (up to 32).

Many of today’s large C-stores oper-ate with two or more POS systems andrequire the ability to communicate to cus-tomers from each of these locations. TheTrademark TMK-3000 can not only con-

trol conversations with customers frommultiple POS locations (up to 16), it cando it from two locations at the same time,making use of its two voice channels.

The Trademark intercom will wire toevery type of 8 ohm speaker found at c-stores including bullhorn PA, internallymounted fuel dispenser and canopy polemounted speakers. The performance char-acteristics of each of these speakers varyand create varying levels of volume at thecustomer’s position. The TrademarkTMK-3000 intercom has a key designfeature that allows each customer speakerlocation to be set individually to a com-fortable volume level.

For more information, please visitbooth 7471 at the NACS show or goonline to www.escoservices.com. �

ESCO Introduces TMK-3000Intercom System




o p e r a t i o n s

GO-2 PRODUCTSSERVE FUNCTIONWITHSUSTAINABILITYCooper-Atkins Corp. recently announced

several promotions as part of a company-wide organizational change in sales andmarketing. As of Jan. 1, Bill Eggers willrelocate to the company’s Connecticutheadquarters and begin in the newly cre-ated position of Vice President ofMarketing and Key Accounts. Bill willmaintain relations with Cooper-Atkins’foodservice marketing groups and helpstrengthen brand development and newproduct development.

Jeff Yeager has been promoted toVice President of Sales East, takingadvantage of his prior experience asDirector of Foodservice NationalAccounts. Jeff’s experience with the

chain community will serve him well ashe accepts responsibility for all marketsegments.

Director of Industrial NationalAccounts Scott D’Aniello has been pro-moted to Vice President of IndustrialSales, taking a stronger role in NewProduct Development and corporate salesstrategies.

Mike Carpenter, Chief MarketingOfficer, stated, “These changes in combi-nation with several other recent initiativesincluding the addition of two newHealthcare Regional Sales Managers,Jonathan Ganak and Alisia Shannon,recently hired in the Western Region, andCarol Sullivan, the new Eastern Regional

Sales Manager for Foodservice, continueto strengthen the organization as it cele-brates its 125th anniversary.”

Cooper-Atkins Corp., headquarteredin Middlefield, Conn., has been a leadingmanufacturer of environmental solutionssince 1885. Cooper-Atkins serves theFoodservice, HVAC and Healthcare mar-kets and has built a reputation as a leadingmanufacturer and provider of qualitytime, temperature and humidity instru-ments. Led by Carol P. Wallace, Presidentand CEO, Cooper-Atkins is a CertifiedWomen Owned Business and proudmember of the WBENC.

For more information, visitwww.cooper-atkins.com. �

Cooper-Atkins Corp. AnnouncesCompany-Wide Changes

Teri Butler, Go-2 Products Vice President,Sales and Marketing, dishes on whatmakes her company unique.

CR: Tell us a little about your company.

TB: Go-2 Products, Inc., is a newgrowth company. We combine world-class competitive manufacturing withproprietary technologies, both overseasand in United States, for foodservicedisposables in plastic and paper. Ourcurrent focus is on straws, stirrers, cut-lery and food containers. We developpremium customer opportunities byconverging our landfill-degradable,thermochromatic and photochromaticcolor change, and high-speed messagingtechnologies with traditional items tomeet the latest market trends.

CR: What’s your current marketing strat-egy?

TB: We are working with specific endusers to supply their current productneeds, while also upgrading their opera-tion to include the latest technology.

CR: What new products are hottest foryou right now?

TB: Among others:

• Spoon straws with color change.• Fountain Straws with new opticaleffects.• Landfill-degradable straws and stirrersthat can handle hot beverages.• Straws for branding and advertising.• Pizza tables with color change―showthem the pizza is hot!• Reusable spoons for ice cream andyogurt with color change―great for kids!• Textured inks for thermal protectionand fun aspect on cups and labels.• Food safety―cost-effective disposablethermometers and labels to make surefood is being held and served at the prop-er temperature.

CR: To what do you attribute your com-pany’s success?

TB: Go-2 scientists and product devel-opers are dedicated, imaginative andtireless in finding new and better waysof bringing new products to fruitionfrom the technology and research laband to the more efficient manufacturingtechniques being designed inBurlingame, Calif. Our sales and redis-tribution partners are active in the fieldand continually bringing new ideas andopportunities to our customers.

For more information, visit www.go-2products.com or stop by booth 5692 atthe NACS show. �

cleaning takes place. If you choose to usesoap, it is properly mixed and automati-cally injected back at the main pump,eliminating excess chemical use and

Spray Master TechContinued from Page 68

ensuring a consistent dilution ratio.Whether spot cleaning a spill or deepcleaning the gas bays, employees simplyroll out a portable hose reel, quick con-nect to the remote, and start cleaning.With a built-in central pressure cleaningsystem from SMT, employees can clean

easily, effectively, and as often as neces-sary, keeping stores clean and inviting forcustomers and providing the clean advan-tage that C-store operators need.

For more information, visit SprayMaster Technologies at www.spraymas-tertech.com or call 800-548-3373. �

that programs built and approved at thewholesaler level will actually get present-ed to the indirect chain retailers needed toensure a successful program. Should themanufacturer prefer, CSN has the abilityto manage all communication andaccountability necessary to properly fol-low the program. All partners have agreedon commission splits, which ensures thatthe client will get the appropriate workfrom the appropriate brokers at the chainsinvolved.

CR: What about retail coverage? Does

CSNContinued from Page 72

CSN provide that?

DT: Retail has become an increasinglyimportant part of the equation in recentyears. Through several related entities,CSN broker partners provide retail cover-age in numerous markets for appropriatework. We have a menu of services for ourclients to shop from which includes conti-nuity coverage and various surge projectefforts.

CR: What do you see as the future of bro-ker alliances?

DT: Great question! As the industry andmarketplace changes, brokers will contin-

ue to change and evolve to meet the needsof the manufacturer and the customer. Toform an alliance, just for the sake of say-ing you have coverage solutions, will notwork. You need to have seamless coverageto make a difference. If not, you offer min-imal benefit to the client. Relationshipswill not be enough. You need to providevalue. If broker alliances provide value tothe supply chain, they will succeed. If not,they won’t.

For more information on ConsolidatedSales Network, visit booth 3105 at theNACS show, go online to www.csnbro-kers.com, email [email protected] call 612-616-4013. �

from the associated marketing benefits.

CR: What assistance can Clean Energygive to owners interested in expandingfueling diversity by adding natural gas?

GR: How does no-cost and no-risksound? Clean Energy will deploy theCNG and LNG systems with our own

Clean Energy FuelsContinued from Page 76

capital. Our national sales team buildsbusiness with commercial fleets anddrives customers to our fueling network.Our national service team maintains theequipment. Our partners enjoy the bene-fits of natural gas fueling with no invest-ment and no risk.

CR: What feedback have you receivedfrom facility owners about their experi-ences with adding Clean Energy fuelingservices?

GR: This gets back to the limited avail-ability of NGV stations. Our partnersenjoy the routine repeat business that theyreceive from NGV customers. After all,the NGV customer cannot simply fuel upanywhere. They will seek out and stickwith our fueling network.

For more information, contact GregRoche or Les Stinson at 562-493-2804,visit www.cleanenergyfuels.com or stopby booth 7774. �

small to big box retailers. The EvolveLED Area Light is also a product ofecomaginationSM, and its energy-effi-cient, environmentally conscientiousdesign is RoHS compliant and containsno mercury or lead.

In addition to the benefits offered bythe Evolve LED Modular Area light, GELighting Solutions offers a comprehen-sive portfolio of LED solutions designedto help C-stores maximize their energyand maintenance savings, as well as

GEContinued from Page 80

enhance visual appearance. At the NACSshow, convenience store owners will finda wide array of reliable GE LED lightingsolutions for many applications, includ-ing refrigerated display cases, signage,architecture, indoor and outdoor lighting.

Don’t miss your chance to see GE’sentire LED solutions portfolio for C-stores, including the new Evolve LEDArea Light.

Stop by booth 1507 or the NACSCool New Products Room and see thisinnovative new product firsthand. Foradditional information, please visitwww.gelightingsolutions.com. �

opportunity. The program is accessible 24/7,and no travel, lodging or meals are required.

CR: What types of companies are a goodfit for this online operator training?

AT: Operators who are unable to attend ordo not need a classroom presentation.

For more information, visit Antea Groupat www.anteagroup.com or stop by booth7990 at the NACS show. �

Antea GroupContinued from Page 80

b u y e r s g u i d e

AMAzon Waters Coco TAMAzon is the only brand that actually has 100-percent naturalenhanced water. The functional beverage contains extractssourced in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest, lightly fla-vored with known fruits, each SKU providing a specific benefit.Amazon is introducing an exciting new product, the “Coco T,”which is a unique blend of pure coconut water and tea. Thisproduct will be a big hit in the market because it keeps thepleasant taste of the coconut water and tea mix, while it doesnot have the strong, heavy after-drink feeling of coconut water.It provides a hydrating and enjoyable taste. Production is grant-ed as the company has a reliable source: its own coconut farm.

AMAzon Waters786-400-1630www.amawaters.com

Amish Pie Company Fry PiesAmish Fry Pies have all of the mouthwatering tastes of an after-dinner pie condensed into a handheld delicacy! These pastriesare deep fried and sealed with a dripping glaze that containsyour preference of tasty filling: Blueberry, Peach, Cherry andApple. Made with only the finest, quality ingredients, the AmishFry Pies are a family favorite that take you back to a simplertime. The sweetness of sugar, the tartness of fruit, the flaky tex-ture of from-scratch pie crust fried to a golden crisp andenclosed in their signature glaze—all mixed and molded by thehands of local Amish ladies made skillful by decades of experi-ence.

Amish Pie Company866-919-5956www.amishpie.com

BioNutritional Research Group Power CrunchTake award-winning taste and a crunchy texture, mix in highprotein and low sugar and you have what industry buyers callthe right recipe for success. With more than 2,000 bar SKUsnow on the market, the category has naturally segmented intosub-categories ranging from bars designed to fuel athletic per-formance to products for nutritious snacking. In 2003, nutritionbar category sales figures skyrocketed to approximately $600million, making nutrition/energy bars the fastest-growing seg-ment of the snack bar industry. Today, sales figures areapproaching the $2 billion mark. If nutrition bar producers con-tinue creating unique, great-tasting products that deliver realnutrition, shoppers are sure to follow.

BioNutritional Research Group714-427-6990www.bnrg.com

CAF Fusion Energy DrinksAn explosion of energy inside a creamy, great-tasting coffee-infused energy drink awaits you. Three out-of-this-world flavorsare ready to ignite your taste buds: Java Jolt with its dominatingcoffee flavor; Mocha Blast releasing its chocolate overtones withevery gulp; and Vanilla Vortex overwhelming you with dynamitevanilla. It’s 12 ounces of protein-packed, cool and delicious incen-tive that will help you activate your energy flow any day and anytime you need the lift. Boost your energy level and taste the drinkthat raised the bar on satisfaction and flavor-fuel your fire and feedthe need with CAF Fusion.

CAF Fusion800-269-4052www.caffusion.com

Crunch Pak's Apple Slices ExpandingCrunch Pak®, the founding and leading supplier of fresh-sliced apples, started as an idea in 2000 with a group ofapple growers in Washington state who believed that peoplewould eat more apples if they were easier to eat. Today,Crunch Pak’s sliced apples are available nationwide andorganic sliced apples represent 30 percent of the business.Crunch Pak apples are also available in thousands of con-venience stores nationwide, serving as an oasis in many ofthe nation’s food deserts. In the past five years, Crunch Pakhas tripled in size. Crunch Pak, which is the largest sliced-apple producer in the United States, recently expanded dis-tribution into Canada and opened a Pennsylvania productionplant in 2010.

Crunch Pak509-782-7753www.crunchpak.com

Fresh Food Solutions IntroducesSano Yogurt ParfaitsThe new Sano line of products at Fresh Food Solutions firstbegan with Sano Yogurt Parfaits, appealing sundae-styleyogurt treats that marched into supermarkets in 2010. SanoYogurt Parfaits combine alternating layers of fruit, creamyyogurt and crunchy granola in a see-through package thatinvites pre-purchase inspection. Consumers have embraceddelicious Sano flavors, including Very Berry blackberries,raspberries, blueberries and strawberries + vanilla yogurtand granola, and Triple Cherry dark cherries, cherry yogurt+ cherry vanilla granola.

Fresh Food Solutions718-301-8022www.flyingfood.com

FRS Healthy Performance Drinks,Chews Prove MettleFRS® Healthy PerformanceTM, the next generation of per-formance drinks and chews, is now rolling out in conven-ience stores to meet the needs of active lifestyle consumersand hard-working Americans looking for natural, sustainedenergy. FRS uses the super-antioxidant Quercetin, foundnaturally in many fruits and vegetables, combined with apatented mix of vitamins and other antioxidants, to providesustained natural energy without the crash or jitters associ-ated with highly caffeinated energy drinks and shots.

FRS502-523-4892 (East), 469-422-7432 (West)www.frs.com

Giorgio Foods Adds Breakfast, Lunch To Its MenuGiorgio Foods brings years of experience keeping conven-ience stores in the best of taste through a popular line-up ofauthentic style pizzas and strombolis. Recently, GiorgioFoods added a new line of breakfast and lunch products tooffer more ways for retailers to satisfy customer’s ever-changing cravings. Giorgio has enhanced its popular Grab’N Go C-store line of strombolis with three new Breakfast’Bolis Sausage, Egg & Cheese, Bacon Egg & Cheese, andHam, Egg & Cheese. Giorgio’s new line of breakfast andlunch sandwiches and products also features diverse andunique products such as Sausage, Egg & Cheese Tortes;Chicken, Mango Chutney Regalinos; and Caprese Cornettos.

Giorgio Foods800-330-5705www.giorgiofoods.com

BUYERS GUIDEThis listing is compiled from a survey of products conducted by Convenience Retailer.

GRAB AND GO PRODUCTS


RUN Powered By ADP Smartphone PayrollPlatform Available For Small BusinessesADP, a leading provider of humanresource outsourcing, payroll services,tax and compliance services, benefitsadministration and integrated computingsolutions for vehicle dealers, announcedthat its popular payroll management plat-form for small businesses, RUN PoweredbyADP, is now also available for the RIMBlackBerry OS smartphone operatingplatform, including the most recentBlackBerry OS 7 release.

ADP clients using RUN Powered byADP can begin to manage and processpayroll for their employees and contrac-tors through their RIM BlackBerrymobile device by accessing the app fromADP.com.

“The addition of a BlackBerry OS-compatible version of ADP’s innovativepayroll solution means that even moresmall business professionals can nowmanage their payroll quickly and secure-ly on a handheld device, at any time fromany location,” said Anish Rajparia,President of ADP’s Small BusinessServices.

RUN Powered by ADP satisfies thedemand of an increasingly mobile work-force. According to a 2010 nationwidesurvey conducted by ADP ResearchInstitute, a specialized group within ADP,small businesses are leading the trendtoward increased mobility. The surveyshowed that 90 percent of small businessexecutives spend at least some time out-side of the office for business, averagingnine hours a week, or 23 percent of a 40-hour work week. Additionally, one third

of that 90 percent indicated that time “onthe go” is increasing.

Furthering its commitment to tech-nology innovation, ADP’s secure andeasy-to-use mobile payroll managementapplication is also available for smart-phones operating on theAndroid platformand for iPhones and can be downloadedfrom the Android Market and the AppStore, respectively.

More than 120,000 of ADP’s smallbusiness clients are now using the RUNPowered by ADP online platform, whichhelps to reduce risk by assisting themwith best practices for human resourcescompliance, including employee policyhandbooks, hiring guidelines andemployment law tips and alerts.

Today, with RUN Powered by ADPpayroll’s secure mobile payroll systemnow available on all three major smart-phone operating platforms, small busi-nesses can conveniently manage real-timepayroll, run reports and preview payrollprocessing to ensure accuracy—all froman intuitive and easy-to-use mobile appli-cation. �

Understanding EMV VitalAs Visa Implements SystemWith Visa’s recent announcement regard-ing the implementation of EMV(Europay, Mastercard and Visa) standardsin the United States, there has been lots oftalk and confusion regarding EMV. Formany, when they think of EMV, theythink of chip and PIN and the need to usea personal identification number toauthorize a credit card transaction.

But the security around an EMVtransaction is far more than that. As amatter of fact, contactless transactionsthat do not require a PIN are also EMVtransactions. To understand this better,this article will cover some of the historyof EMV and its evolution.

Today, EMV is often referred to aschip and PIN and is synonymous with theconnected world and online, card presenttransactions. It is interesting to note thatwhile that is true today, EMV grew out ofthe offline world.

EMV made its debut in France in the1980s to reduce risk of credit card trans-action in an unconnected world. EMVprovided additional authorizationbetween the credit card and point of saleon a local basis.

There is a whole list of authenticationprotocols that are performed when anEMV transaction is processed. As a mat-ter of fact, this is one of the big challengesto processing EMV in a service center.

The communication infrastructure in

many service centers is two-wire commu-nication. While this is adequate for amag-stripe transaction, it is deadly slowfor EMV. The large amount of data thatneeds to be transmitted in an EMV trans-action has pushed many oil and gas mer-chants to move to a TCP Protocol. AnEMV transaction involves several stepsof authentication.

An EMV transaction goes throughfour basic stages.

First, the transaction needs to be ini-tialized and, at this stage, the terminalgathers basic information such as cardnumber and expiry, as well as the cardfeatures and configuration.

The next stage is a data authentica-tion process. There are three data authen-tication methods and the terminal shouldselect the highest.

Next is the cardholder verification,which can be a PIN, signature or nothing.

And lastly, the transaction is per-formed.

During each of these stages, mes-sages are being handing between the ter-minal and the card. This can dramaticallyslow down a transaction if infrastructurehas not been upgraded.

For more information about EMVtransactions, please visit AJB SoftwareDesign Inc.’s booth 7608 at the NACSshow, go online to www.ajbsoftware.comor call 416-621-0296. �

Applicant Management SoftwareMakes Hiring Process CompliantApplicant Management is a hot topic inthe HR arena right now, especially sincethe Office of Federal ContractCompliance Programs (OFCCP) hasbeen focusing on consistency withinrecruiting processes. In July 2000, theOffice of Management and Budgetdirected the OFCCP and other agenciesto clarify the recordkeeping require-ments for applicants, taking into accountthe Internet and other recent technologi-cal advances. In October 2005, theOFCCP published its long-awaited finalrule on the definition of an Internetapplicant. This rule clarifies when acontractor must solicit race and genderand recordkeeping requirements forapplicants sourced through the Internet.

In short, the OFCCP wants toensure companies are effectively com-municating and meeting recruitmentand staffing requirements. Therefore, itis imperative companies meet the regu-lations for compliant applicant man-agement.

Berkshire Associates’ applicantmanagement software, BALANCEtrak,keeps companies compliant whileautomating and standardizing the entirehiring process. This saves time by con-centrating on the most qualifiedapplicants. BALANCEtrak, aSoftware-as-a-Service application, lets

users benefit from anytime, anywhereaccess, unlimited users and superiorcustomer support.

There are numerous methods oftracking applicants depending on theneeds of the company. Some use a methodas simple as a spreadsheet or desktop data-base. Given the level of detail needed,many companies have invested in anapplicant tracking system (ATS). Theideal management tool is an ATS, to han-dle demanding recruitment needs.

One aspect of a good applicant track-ing process, no matter the system, is cleandata. If there are many people involved inthe recruiting process, the data integritycan suffer. Here are some best practices toensure clean applicant data:• The number of new hires on the payrollmust match the number of hired appli-cants in the ATS.• Rejection reasons and stages must betracked.• Disposition code for declined offersmust be created.• Recruiters and managers should betrained on using the system and practicingconsistency.• Detailed disposition codes should beused to make research easier.

To find out more, visit www.balance-trak.com or call 800-882-8904.

Impact printers are improving with speedand accuracy, and OMNIPrint manufac-tures them for retail store and restaurantuse at affordable prices. Impact printersare perfect for businesses that have tooperate within a budget for point-of-saleequipment and offer many of the benefitsthat the more expensive printers have.OMNIPrint also creates OEM (OriginalEquipment Manufacturer) impact printersthat can print bi-directionally and arecompact in design.

The OMNIPrint OPC200 OEMimpact printer has a nine-pin print head, along print head life span, an automaticpaper loader, a paper-out sensor and anautomatic paper cutter. This model has areliability of 150 million characters in theprint head. Paper rolls of up to three inch-es wide can be inserted and used in thismodel for printing receipts.

For a business that wants to use animpact printer with a nine-pin impact dotmatrix, the OMNIPrint OPC311 OEMimpact printer is the one to use. This print-er has product features that include a 12-or 24-VDC power supply, 30 to 42 print-ing columns, automatic paper loading,

paper-low sensor, peripheral driver andcompact design, which is perfect forcheckout counters that have minimalspace for point-of-sale equipment.

OMNIPrint’s OM100 impact printeroffers international certifications for salesreceipts, three-ply printing, automaticpaper loading, a paper out sensor to letyou know when the spool is nearing theend, and user-defined characters that arerelevant to the sales receipts. This printercan also produce graphics on the receipts.This impact printer will fit up to a 3-inchwide roll of paper, can print up to 40columns and has a paper feed speed of 2.8lines per second.

The OMNIPrint OM200 impactprinter also has a nine-pin print head, islogic-seeking, can print graphics if yourbusiness wants to place its logo on everyreceipt, has automatic paper loading andcutting, plus a 1.5 million cutter life span.This impact printer has a splash-proofcase which makes it durable for use inrestaurants and can even be mounted to awall if necessary.

For more information, please visitomniprintinc.com or call 800-878-6880. �

OMNIPrint’s Impact Printers OfferAffordable Options For Point Of Sale


t o p t e c h

GE Immersion LED RefrigeratedSystem Boosts Products,Bottom LineConvenience stores are losing moneyevery day they wait to replace inefficientfluorescent with the energy-saving, long-life ImmersionTM RH20 LEDRefrigerated Display Lighting System.

Utilizing the latest LED technology,this super-efficient, low-wattage solutionis designed to minimize energy consump-tion in horizontal cases, providing retail-ers with GE’s shortest payback periodyet! By reducing costly energy expenses,store owners will love the boost they seeon their bottom line.

GE quality and reliability delivers a50,000-hour lifetime, enabling ImmersionRH20 to perform reliably 24 hours a dayfor up to 5.7 years, lasting up to fourtimes longer than fluorescent. Imaginehow many fluorescent tubes a C-storetypically replaces over that same time –the reduction in maintenance, labor andmaterials are significant. In addition, thisrobust LED solution also eliminates thehassle and disposal costs associated withfluorescent. This superior performanceand reliability is backed by a five-yearlimited warranty.

Designed as a complete system solu-tion, Immersion RH20 includes bothcanopy and undershelf fixtures. Workingtogether, they create a seamless LEDsolution to uniformly maximize the visu-al appearance of the entire case, while aninnovative optical design focuses bright,uniform light precisely where you want it.The adjustable light bar allows selectionof the specific lighting angle that isdesired. As intense bright light focusesdirectly onto food packages, refrigeratedcases are transformed into a vibrant,enticing selling environment.

Immersion RH20 LED lights areavailable in warm and cool color temper-atures (3000K, 3500K, 4000K and5000K) and multiple lengths (24 inches,36 inches and 48 inches) giving you theflexibility to create a unique lighting

environment tailored to your customer.This new horizontal system comple-

ments GE’s Immersion RV40 LED light-ing system for vertical cases. Pairing bothsystems together creates a total solutionthat allows retailers to achieve greaterenergy and maintenance savings, as wellas improved visual appeal.

Additionally, Immersion LEDLighting Solutions empower retailers tostrengthen their commitment to environ-mental responsibility. Decreased energyusage significantly lowers CO2 [subscript2] emissions. These revolutionary LEDsystems are RoHS and NSF compliant, donot emit UV or infrared, nor contain anymercury, lead or glass.

Forty of the top 50 U.S.grocers/supermarkets are using GELighting solutions, as well as 19 of thetop 25 convenience store chains.Globally, GE has sold more than 1 millionLED refrigerated display case lights sincebeing the first to launch an LED productin the category in 2006.

In addition to the benefits offered bythe Immersion RH20 LED LightingSystem, GE Lighting Solutions offers acomprehensive portfolio of LED solutionsdesigned to help C-stores maximize theirenergy and maintenance savings, as well asenhance visual appearance. At the NACSshow, convenience-store owners will find awide array of reliable GE LED lightingsolutions for many applications, includingrefrigerated display cases, signage, archi-tecture, indoor and outdoor lighting.

The new Immersion RH20 Series ismaking its debut at this year’s NACSshow.

Stop by booth 1507 or the NACSCool New Products room and be the firstto see this innovative new product, aswell as the entire GE Lighting Solutionsportfolio for C-stores. For additionalinformation, please visit www.gelighting-solutions.com. �

UST Operators needing to fulfill the man-dates of the Federal Underground StorageTank Compliance Act of 2005 now have aconvenient, online option for training andcertification.

Developed by the American PetroleumInstitute (API) and the environmental con-sulting firm Antea™ Group, the web-basedStorage Tank Operator Training programmeets both federal and state operator train-ing requirements for Class A, B and C stor-age tank operators.

All training content, which is not awebinar or webcast, is tailored to state-spe-cific regulations. Training for each operatorclass can be separate or combined throughthe online tool. Operators may access theonline program whenever it is convenientand may complete the training at their ownpace―stopping and starting as often asneeded for up to 30 days.

The online program uses easy-to-fol-low, narrated video segments.

The training curriculum consists of 18modules: Operator Training, USTSystems―Tanks and Piping, USTSystems―Ancillary Equipment, Spill andOverfill Control Prevention, ReleaseDetection Overview, Groundwater andVapor Monitoring Methods, Manual TankGauging, Inventory Reconciliation &Statistical Inventory Reconciliation,Automatic Tank Gauging, Interstitial

Monitoring, Release Detection for Piping,Corrosion Protection, Emergency Response,Product and Equipment Compatibility,Financial Responsibility, Notification andRegistration Requirements, ReleaseReporting and Closure Requirements.

At the conclusion of the training mod-ules, operators must demonstrate their con-tent comprehension through an examinationof questions that have been approved byeach state agency, where applicable. Uponpassing the exam or training course, opera-tors may print a certificate of course com-pletion directly from the training website.

A training handbook may be down-loaded to supplement the training and servesas a reference manual after certification.

During the training, helpdesk servic-es are also available for supplemental sup-port and/or technical questions.

To promote compliance, some statesare covering or defraying the costs of thetraining through grants or discounts.Eligible state-sponsored programs arenoted on the API website. For operatorsseeking a more customized approach,Antea Group also offers in-person class-room instruction that addresses specificsite needs.

For more information, visit booth 7990at the NACS show, go online to www.api-operatortraining.com, email [email protected] or call 888-951-3456. �

Online Training AvailableFor UST Compliance


t o p t e c h

Comark Instruments’ RF500 wirelessmonitoring system with remote sensorsand probes automatically transmits tem-perature, humidity and door events to aGateway Web server unit, which managesthe system and stores the data.

The Gateway requires no specializedPC software and connects directly to theLAN, permitting 24/7 single- or multi-user access via the Internet at any time.The system meets 21CFR Part 11 require-ments for a full audit trail.

The Gateway can be placed anywhereon the LAN. Readings outside preset lim-its trigger alarm notifications via screens,SMS, email or voice for immediate cor-rective action. All connections to theGateway are via password-protected login

using the Web browser interface.RF500 utilizes a license-free band in

the 2.4GHz region and is IEEE 802.15.4compliant.

Transmitters use mesh networktopology (two-way transmitters that cansend and receive data) to rerouteblocked signals around open doors,shifting stock or other unforeseen barri-ers. A variety of air and penetrationprobes is available to monitor specificmaterials or tightly enclosed contain-ers. All transmitters have easy to viewLCDs with a low battery indicator, arewaterproof and include BioCote® anti-microbial protection.

For more information, call 800-555-6658 or visit www.comarkusa.com.. �

Comark Wireless Monitors TrackCooler Temperatures

Service Stations, C-StoresImpressed With APIeMaintenance TechnologyTo say that Donna M. Salvatore, CEO ofUrgent Technology USA, is excited aboutthe product her company is pushingwould be an understatement. Even thoughAPI eMaintenance is not yet widely inuse across the United States, the reactionshe’s hearing from service station ownersand managers who currently use the serv-ice leads her to believe that it’s only amatter of time before it is in use through-out the country.

API eMaintenance, developed in 2003at the request of BP and widely used inEurope, is a simple way to review, choose,order, track and pay for service station andconvenience store maintenance.

“Most of the people we’ve shown itto are excited about it,” Salvatore said.“They find that it’s a lot better than theold Excel spreadsheets or even othernewer systems they have installed to keeptrack of maintenance. You can see theireyes light up and their wheels spinning,and they immediately start thinking ofdifferent ways they can use it.”

The system is designed to help adealer or owner keep track of mainte-nance work by the various contractorswho do work at his outlet: what equip-ment they work on as well as how oftenand how long it takes them. Using datagathered from other users, eMaintenance

can tell a dealer if the contractor is spend-ing too much time on one particular pieceof equipment.

“The system gives us a better feelingabout what the benchmark should be,”she explained.

In addition, it is tied in with APIWorkSafe, an online training and qualifi-cation service that provides safety train-ing for service station contractors thatperform work for station owners.Salvatore is confident that eMaintenancecan save operators significant time andcost savings.

The software for the system is in the“cloud,” meaning that there’s nothing todownload or install. All a dealer has to dois log on with a password and user ID toenter the portal. And because all the infor-mation is in the cloud, it allows the com-pany to constantly update the historicaldata.

Salvatore is relying on her Chicago-based sales team to sell the product todealers, but the company can also arrangewebinars, which allow potential cus-tomers to watch a demonstration online.

To see a demonstration of APIeMaintenance’s system capabilities,please visit both 1315 at the NACS show.For more information, go online towww.api.org or call 202-682-8516. �

product features


This year, KUDOS® Brand will unveilnew tastes featuring some of America’sfavorite brands—M&M’S® MilkChocolate Candies, DOVE® Chocolateand SNICKERS® Bar—and offer twosizes of variety packs. The 2011 line-upincludes: KUDOS® with SNICKERS®Peanuts, featuring 20 percent morepeanuts; KUDOS® with M&M’S® MilkChocolate Candies, showcasing animproved chocolate taste; New KUDOS®with DOVE® Chocolate Drizzle; NewVariety 10-Pack with KUDOS® withM&M’S® Milk Chocolate Candies (4),KUDOS® with SNICKERS® Peanuts (3)and KUDOS® with DOVE® ChocolateDrizzle (3); and New Kudos® 30-CountVariety Pack with 10 of each: M&M’S®Milk Chocolate Candies, KUDOS® withSNICKERS® Peanuts and KUDOS® withDOVE® Chocolate Drizzle. By highlight-ing the delicious taste of M&M’S MilkChocolate Candies, DOVE Chocolate andSNICKERS Bars, KUDOS will differen-tiate itself in the granola/cereal/snack bar(good for you) segment and maintainnutritional benefits; made with wholegrains, each 100-calorie bar is an excel-lent source of calcium.

KUDOS800-551-6795www.kudosbar.com

Launched last year as an extension to theDNA energy drinks, DNA Brands nowincludes meat snacks. The DNA ShredStix currently come in three exciting fla-vors: Original, Pizza and Spicy Jalapeno.Made with the highest quality ingredientsand no MSG, DNA Shred Stix have boldand contemporary flavors. The pizza stickis made of real tomato paste and realRomano and Parmesan cheeses. A newflavor hitting the streets is the Taco ShredStix. Just like the existing shred stix, thisnew flavor is made with real ingredients,such as chili pepper, red bell pepper,paprika and garlic. When the package isopened, you will feel like you walked intoyour favorite taco-style franchise!

DNA Brandswww.dnabeveragecorp.com

When you want a lighter, more refreshingoption, try this lemony protein-packedtreat. With 20 grams of protein, the newBuilder’s flavor gets those musclesrebuilding better than any lemon could.CLIF Builder’s are packed with soy andnut proteins in a delicious, dipped dou-ble-decker bar. And unlike other proteinbars, a CLIF Builder’s bar has no transfats or hydrogenated oils. They’re crispy,tasty and entirely natural.

Clif Bar & Co.800-254-3227www.clifbar.com

AirTight Secure Wi-Fi provides the firstand only AP solution managed from thecloud offering Wi-Fi access PLUS full-time rogue detection and prevention tosatisfy PCI compliance in a singledevice. If you plan to deploy Wi-Fi nowor in the future, don’t put your data andnetwork security and PCI compliance atrisk. This is an ideal solution for forwardlooking convenience stores which recog-nize that adding Wi-Fi access for theircustomers can generate business whilein-store Wi-Fi applications can increaseemployee productivity.

• Ideal for geographically distributedWi-Fi networks• Easily managed centrally from any-where on the Internet• No additional administrative burden• Zero capital outlay

Deployed in five minutes, AirTight’scombination AP/security sensor works inANY network environment to providesecure Wi-Fi access and satisfy all yourPCI scanning requirements at remotelocations for less than the cost of a singleAP from wireless network vendors.

AirTight Networks, Inc.877-424-7844www.mywificloud.com

Deli Staff Deserve NXT 10-302Cut-Resistant GlovesSpectra-cut gloves are often used inmeat, deli and produce preparation tohandle knives and change cutting bladeson machinery.

While visiting a variety of stores,Daymark Safety found that the employ-ees were unhappy with the spectra-cutgloves for a number of reasons. Spectragloves often seemed bulky and ill-fitting.Loose fingertips on the competition’sgloves often bunch up and cause issueswhen cutting or operating machinery.

Other gloves are difficult to sanitize,and even after washed were found toretain odor and color from the foods theycame into contact with. From a safetystandpoint, the spectra’s fiber offers littleor no protection for knife-tip injuries,where the fibers are simply penetratedthrough their gaps.

The NXT 10-302 cut-resistantgloves were released for food preparationand became accepted immediately as ahigh-performance solution to cuts andknife slips that is actually comfortable towear. On top of overall comfort, theNXT-302 allows a latex or nitrile gloveto fit overtop easily.

Tests saw an increase in compliance,as well as longer product life andenhanced safety due to the protectivenature of NXT 10–302 SuperFabric®guardplates.

Daymark Safety800-847-0101www.daymarksafety.com

Dansko shoes have served to fill a need inthe retail market. Known for their support-ive footbeds, exceptional arch support andsignature rocker bottom, Dansko clogs areone of the few shoes that can withstand therigors of long work shifts.

“I was turned on to the (Dansko)Professional Clogs by a coworker, and theytruly are the most comfortable shoes I own!They are the only shoes I can work a fullshift in (also a double) where my feet/legsdo not hurt afterwards,” says Jamie D. ofMission Viejo, Calif.

Twenty years ago, Dansko began dis-tributing their signature clogs from a horsefarm in Chester County, Pa. Today, it oper-ates out of an 80,000 square-foot LEED-certified headquarters and offer a variety ofstyles including heels, boots, sandals andflats. Over the years, Dansko has amassed aloyal following among professionalsknown to spend long hours on their feet byconsistently delivering a superior product.

“Our approach has always been one ofproper foot health, reliably delivered,” saysDansko CEO and Co-founder MandyCabot. “Our shoes all feature a contouredfoot-bed, built-in arch support and an excep-tional shock absorption and energy returnsystem.Together they help reduce impact onthe body and improve posture. Our classicrocker bottomkeeps the foot and legmovingforward in a natural gate to promote betterbody mechanics when walking.”

Dansko800-326-7564www.dansko.com

Kick back, put your feet up and unwind… Ex Chill, America’s First RelaxerBeverage has been released under anew name: Ex Chillout. Using thesame natural calming ingredients andchamomile, Valerian and lemon balmextracts, Ex Chillout features a deliciousnew taste profile and eye-catching pack-aging with stronger branding to stand outbetter on store shelves. Newly designedEx Chillout trays feature post-consumerrecycled cardboard and eco-friendly soybased ink. Ex Chillout is sweetened withFruit Up, a natural fruit sweetenerextracted entirely from fruits withoutusing chemicals or additives. TheGlycemic Index is a low 34. Ex Chilloutis a high source of Vitamin C and a goodsource of B Vitamins. Ex Chillout islightly carbonated and contains no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners,artificial flavors or preservatives, makingEx Chillout the natural alternative in agrowing relaxation beverage category.

Ex Chillout866-753-4929www.exdrinks.com

Tease Your Taste Buds WithAll-Natural TEAse Iced TeasTEAse-ingly pleasing! The tingling fla-vor of wild berries, smoothed with a silkyblend of freshly-brewed premium blacktea, and ignited with a kiss of sweetness.Freshly brewed green tea, subtly blendedwith honey and graced with enchantingginseng extracts, or tweaked with thesnappy flavors of pomegranate and acaiberries. Sound good? They are—andgood for you with natural antioxidantsand metabolism-boosting qualities. Tiredof carbonated, syrupy drinks? Ours willrefresh and delight you, day or night.

Pick up these 16 ounce single servebottles at your favorite store or food serv-ice facility, and enjoy the healthful,refreshing and fortifying taste of ourexciting TEAse blends in your home,office, school and gym. Look for themtoday and enjoy a TEAse now and again.

TEAse Iced Tea800-269-4052www.teaseicedtea.com

product features


For the convenience store operator, GasBuddy’s OpenStore™ provides a solu-tion to seamlessly connect conveniencestores with their customers through newmedia options. The OpenStore solutionis a turnkey social media marketingplatform for convenience stores, pro-viding much needed two-way commu-nication between store operators andtheir customers.

OpenStore includes individualwebsites for each location. Each of thewebsites contains customized informa-tion and content related to that locationand to promote features that matter tolocal consumers the most. The solutionis designed so that whether you haveone location or 500 locations, it is sim-ple and easy to manage your onlinepresence. OpenStore is divided intovarious modules that lets you customizea solution that provides maximumbenefit for your brand.

Available modules include a cus-tomer feedback module to help collectreviews and feedback on your brand.An electronic couponing moduleincludes dedicated mobile apps for theiPhone, Android and BlackBerry tosend scannable electronic couponsdirectly to consumers. Other modulesinclude social media presence modules,job posting modules, and robust map-based station locators. The entire solu-tion is delivered through cloud-basedcomputing and requires no on-sitehardware.

GasBuddy Retail Systems Inc.www.gasbuddyretail.com

The Hughes Branch Server collapsesmultiple servers into one by runningapplications in individual virtualmachines (VMs), reducing capital, ener-gy and IT support costs. The platformsupports virtual desktop infrastructure(VDI) deployments as well as Hughes-supplied WAN Optimization, digital sig-nage and training solutions enabling thebranch of the future today.

Hughes866-251-2795www.enterprise.Hughes.com/NACStech

Richardson Brands, the world’s largestmanufacturer of rock candy, has intro-duced its Dryden & Palmer brand two-color pure cane sugar crystal sticks.

The new two-color sticks are pro-duced at Richardson’s factory inCanajoharie, N.Y.

“Our new two-color sticks can beenjoyed as a lollipop by the younger set orby kids of any age,” said Don Butte, CEOof Richardson Brands. “Its introduction isour latest new product that’s consistentwith Richardson’s strategy for growth andthe first from our new Research &Development Center in Canajoharie.”

The new Dryden & Palmer two-colorcrystal sticks are individually wrappedand are available in four single flavors:citrus, cherry, green apple and melon.They are shipped in 72 count packages.

Richardson’s 180,000 square footfacility in Canajoharie proudly carries theState of New York’s coveted GoodManufacturing Practices Seal of Approval.

Richardson Brandswww.rockcandy.com

One of two new flavors!Made with real cinna-mon! Unlike otheryogurts on the market,Straus Family Creameryyogurts are “vat set.”Made in small batches instainless steel vats, theyogurts are cooled com-pletely and then poured into the 30-ounceplastic yogurt containers. This is a tradi-tional yogurt-making process common inEurope that results in a smooth, creamy-textured yogurt that practically pours out ofthe container. Simply made with organicmilk and other delicious organic ingredi-ents, consumers will appreciate the fact thatStraus yogurts contain no added pectin,modified food starch, corn starch, thicken-ers or high fructose corn syrup.

Straus Family Creamery707-776-2887www.strausfamilycreamery.com

Sparrer Sausage is proud to announce thelaunch of New Lil Dudes Snack Sticks.Available in 24 count Display Caddies, LilDudes are a 1-ounce high-protein nutrition-al snack for anytime and anywhere. LilDudes includes top performing flavors aswell as hot new flavors—all made withReal Hickory Smoke. The flavors includeHoney Turkey (only 50 calories, 7 grams ofprotein and gluten-free), Pepperoni PopularSpicy Pepperoni flavor (gluten free),Original Beef Lean Beef flavor withHickory Smoke flavor (gluten-free),Teriyaki Rich & Sweet Teriyaki Beef Stick,Hot Pepper Hot Spiked Smoked Beef Stick(gluten free) and Jalapeno Jalapeno Peppersin the All Beef Stick (gluten free). Since1938, Sparrer Sausage is a family-ownedcompany making quality meats for con-sumers across the country. Lil Dudes arepart of a new family of quality meat snacks,and are made at Sparrer’s state-of-the-artfacility in Chicago, Ill. Quality Sparrerproducts include Real Hickory SmokedSummer Sausages, Thuringer, Chorizo,Salami, Pepperoni, snack sticks and giftboxes in branded and private labels. Familybrands include Sparrer, Splendore, LilDudes, Nordic Chalet, Huntington Farms,Sparrer Natural and El Campeon.

Sparrer Sausage Co.773-762-3334www.sparrers.com

NBC Universal Television ConsumerProducts Group and “Late Night withJimmy Fallon” have teamed up withiconic ice cream company Ben & Jerry’sto introduce the new flavor entitled “LateNight Snack.” The unique new flavor fea-tures a rich vanilla bean ice cream with asalty caramel swirl and crunchy fudgecovered potato chip clusters—the perfectmix of salt and sweet for a late nightsnack. Accordingly, Late Night Snack ismade with Fair Trade vanilla in thevanilla ice cream and Fair Trade cocoa inthe potato chip cluster fudge coating.

Ben & Jerry’s802-846-1500www.benjerry.com

CLIF Kid® Launches New Zbar Crispy, Zfruit Punch FlavorCLIF Kid®, maker of great-tasting organic snacks for active kids, has released ZbarCrispyTM, an organic rice crispy snack that is an extension of the original bakedOrganic Zbar line. CLIF Kid also introduces a new Fruit Punch flavor for Zfruit™, thepopular fruit rope twist made with organic fruit puree.

Zbar Crispy is made with 8 grams ofwhole grains and a sprinkling of toasted oatsfor a lightly textured crunch. Like the origi-nal Zbar, it has a balanced blend of carbohy-drates, protein, fiber and healthy fat to helpcurb hunger and stabilize energy levels thatkeep kids feeling full longer. CLIF Kid Zfruit(formerly Organic Twisted Fruit) is a tangy,chewy, organic fruit snack equivalent to oneserving of organic fruit. It also provides anexcellent source of vitamin C.

Zfruit offers delicious convenience thatmakes it easy for kids to get their two to fourrecommended daily servings of fruit. Fruitpunch joins Zfruit’s other flavors in Mixed

Berry, Sour Apple, Strawberry, Tropical Twist and Grape. Zfruit Ropes retail for 89cents each and $4.49 for a six-pack box.

Cliff Bar & Co.800-254-3227www.clifbar.com

BODYARMOR® SuperDrinkTM, the latestinnovation by award-winning beveragebrand architect Lance Collins, is an incred-ibly refreshing, all-natural beverage thatboth protects and restores the activebody―with an unparalleled blend ofcoconut water, electrolytes, antioxidants,vitamins and nutrients. Encouraging con-sumers to be “super,” Collins, the creator ofFUZE® Beverage & NOS® Energy Drink,serves up an aspirational message with ablend of optimism and straightforward dia-logue with the recent southern Californialaunch of BODYARMOR SuperDrink.

For the active lifestyle consumerwith even just a modest interest in nutri-tion, BODYARMOR SuperDrink simpli-fies the choice beverage: Debuting in fourexotic fruit flavors and two tea blends, allsix refreshing flavors have identical nutri-ent blends of electrolytes, antioxidants,vitamins A, C, E and B complex andamino acids, leaving only selection of fla-vor to the thirsty consumer.

To consume the nutritional equiva-lent found in a single 16-ounce bottle ofBODYARMOR SuperDrink, the con-sumer would need to consume all or partsof three-to-five bottles of juice, isotonicand nutrient enhanced beverages—mean-ing a lot more dollars coming out of con-sumer wallets and significantly morecalories and sugar going into their bodies.

Launched in four exotic fruit flavorsand two teas, each 16-ounce bottle ofBODYARMOR SuperDrink contains aproprietary blend of coconut water, elec-trolytes, antioxidants, vitamins and nutri-ents to deliver the nutritional power ofnatural juice and high performance bev-erages with significantly less sugar andcalories. BODYARMOR SuperDrinkswill be sold by select natural foods, con-venience, drug and grocery retailersacross the country for a suggested retailprice of $1.99 to $2.49 per bottle.

BODYARMORwww.drinkbodyarmor.com

new productsproduct features


The Kellogg Convenience Team intro-duces an exciting new snack mix flavorfrom the powerhouse Cheez-It® brand:Cheez-It White Cheddar Snack Mix. Thisnew mix combines Cheez-It WhiteCheddar crackers, crunchy curls, breadslices, wheat squares, pretzel twists andwhite cheddar flavored seasoning.Combining the popularity of white ched-dar flavor with the ability to mix andmatch taste and texture combinations thatsnack mix lovers crave makes this astrong addition to the salty snacks set.

The Kellogg Co.888-289-5554www.kelloggsconvenience.com

By combining the great taste and healthybenefits of popcorn with the satisfyingcrunch of a chip, Popcorn, Indianacreated chip’ins, the world’s first gour-met popcorn chip. One-hundred percentnatural, infused with zesty flavors thatpop, healthier than fried chips and tastierthan baked, chip’ins are air-popped,unleashing all of the healthy goodness ofpopcorn in a chip. The shape itself makesit possible to finally dip your popcorn,yet the enticing flavors readily entertaintaste buds on their own.

Popcorn, Indiana800-707-4444www.popcornindiana.com

Friday’s® Jalapeño Cheddar Potato Skinssnack chips are made from real potatoesand real potato skins to give you thick,crunchy chips that deliver a true jalapeñocheddar taste.

Inventure Foods623-932-6200www.inventurefoods.com

Rotisseries are sizedfor C-Store food-service programs.Watch your bottomline and customertraffic increase withadding this healthyalternative to yourfried chicken program.Fresh roasted wholechickens, brisket, ribs,

pork for BBQ, etc. Cook/hold capabili-ty, 12 chicken capacity, shelf system forhalves, pieces, turkey drumsticks etc.Compact and powerful—12 chick-

ens in 65 minutes. The pleasingvisual and aroma drives sales todouble at lunch and helps capture theelusive dinner customers with offer-ing center of the plate products. Smallfootprint for counter top placement ormobile stand available.Visit us at www.resfab.com for more

information on rotisserie and fryerprograms (breading & landing tables)perfect for the demands of any C-Storeoperation.

Resfab Equipment Inc.866-359-0808; U.S. Office 352-326-2443www.resfab.com

Nestle Drumsticks sprinkle in some funthis summer with new DrumstickSprinkled! sundae cones.Available in threeflavors—Vanilla, Chocolate and VanillaCherry—Drumstick lovers can now savorbiting into creamy chocolate, vanilla orvanilla with a gooey cherry center, all coat-ed in chocolate and crunchy sprinkles.

Topped with sprinkles instead ofnuts, the new cones are safe for childrenwith peanut allergies as well as being anew twist to a favorite treat. DrumstickSprinkled! sundae cones are availablenow nationwide with an SRP of $6.99 fora box of 8 cones.

Nestle Dreyer’s Ice Cream800-441-2525www.drumstick.com

C-stores can now offer consumers ahealthy choice: Beanitos, chips madeof beans in four flavors, and now in asingle-serve 1.25 oz bag. The chips areprojected to hit 500 C-stores in comingmonths.

All four flavors—Black Bean,Pinto Bean & Flax, Chipotle BBQ andCheddar Cheese Pinto Bean—will beavailable in the new bags, with a sug-gested retail price of $1.29. The smallsize and price make it ideal for ahealthy snack or as part of a salad orsandwich meal deal.

Each bag packs six grams each ofcomplete protein and fiber, compared tothe average single-serve bag of potatochips that contains only two grams of pro-tein and one gram of fiber. A chart provid-ed by the company puts Beanitos’ nutri-tion content ahead even of other ‘healthysnacks’ like SunChips. It also has lowercarbohydrate and glycemic index figuresas a result of being made from beans.

Dave Foreman, Beanitos Co-Founder & President commented, “Withour new bags we’re able to deliver ahealthy snack to places like schools,vending machines, delis and sandwichshops, hotels and convenience stores.Snacking should be a healthful bridge ofsatiety between meals, and Beanitos pro-vides a long over-due new healthy optionin the grab-and-go, single-serve category,one that keeps you fuller, longer.”

Beanitos512-609-8017www.beanitos.com.

Drink Me Tags™, the unique gift cardsfor wine bottles that are bridging the gapbetween a greeting card and a wine bag,has some new additions to its ever-grow-ing collection. The latest tags added to therepertoire are fun and witty and house thetaglines: “Bottoms Up,” “A Toast to theHost” and “Drink Up Buttercup.” DrinkMe Tags hang on a loop of ribbon and slipover the neck of any wine bottle.

You stock your wine racks, whichmake grabbing a thank-you bottle a quickand easy gift, so why not stock up onwine tags? Just grab a bottle, throw onone of Drink Me Tags’ wine cards andyou are out the door with a great gift!Whether you are going to a dinner orbirthday party, a BBQ, just need to give athank-you gift, etc., Drink Me Tags are aquick way to add style to your wine bot-tle. Drink Me Tags’ colorful and charm-ing cards cover the range of sentimentsand with over 20 to choose from you’llhave a new tag to give each time!

“People love to give a bottle ofwine for most any occasion – a celebra-tion, a thank you, a holiday, or justbecause,” says Sara Rossi of Drink MeTags. “So we created wine bottle giftcards that are easy, classy, and inspired,making a good bottle of wine the perfectgift with that little something extra.”

Wine is often the best gift to give andDrink Me Tags is making it easy to person-alize it. Just because you don’t own thevineyard doesn’t mean you can’t put yourname on the bottle. Drink Me Tags hasaffordable options for customizing DrinkMe Tags for absolutely any occasion orneed – weddings, stores, vineyards, resorts,trade shows, corporate gifts, etc. Customizeas few as 25 or as many as you want!

So, what are you waiting for? Yourwine bottles are begging to be tagged!

Drink Me Tags are available for$2.25 a tag in a variety of designs.

Drink Me Tags203-226-5665www.DrinkMeTags.com

Hudson’s Famous Brew Iced Tea is anenjoyable drink because it is made frompure tea—no added colors or instant teapowder. It is renowned for its distinctivereddish color, floral aroma and smooth,non-astringent taste.

Hudson Tea Company866-383-2792www.hudsonteacompany.com

America’s No. 1 brand of breakfastsausage paired with egg and cheese on aflaky biscuit. Jimmy Dean® D-lights®Breakfast Sandwiches, with one-thirdfewer calories and half the fat, offer abetter-for-you breakfast option for con-sumers on the go.

Sara Lee Foodservice800-682-SARA (7272)saraleefoodservice.com


c a l e n d a r

UPCOMINGEVENTSWHEN WHAT WHERE WEBSITE

SEPTEMBER

September 11 - 13 Philadelphia National Candy, Gift and Gourmet Show Atlantic City Convention Center www.phillycandyshow.com

September 11 - 13 ASD/AMD Variety Merchandise Show - East Javits Convention Center, NYC www.asdonline.com/september

September 12 - 13 People in Consumer Goods & Services Summit Hotel 71, Chicago http://the-tma.org/retail

OCTOBER

October 1 - 4 National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show McCormick Place, Chicago www.nacsonline.com/NACSShow

October 15 - 16 The National Franchise & Business Opportunites Show Dallas Market Center www.franchiseshowinfo.com

October 17 - 19 Mobile Shopping Summit Bridgewaters, NYC www.wbresearch.com/mobileshopping

October 17 - 19 In-Store Marketing Expo Navy Pier, Chicago www.shoppermarketexpo.com

NOVEMBER

November 6 - 9 Retalix Synergy 2011 Conference & Expo Dallas, TX http://retalix.com/synergy.cfm

November 7 - 9 Retail Law Conference 2011 Chicago http://www.rila.org/events/conferences/retaillaw/Pages/default.aspx

November 8 - 9 Kosherfest Secaucus, NJ www.kosherfest.com

DECEMBER

December 5 - 6 International Council of Shopping Centers New York Conference Hilton New York, NYC www.icsc.org

JANUARY 2012

January 2 - 6 Promotional Products Association International Expo Mandalay Bay Convention Center,Las Vegas

theppaiexpo.com

January 15 - 18 NRF 101st Annual Convention & Expo Javits Convention Center, NYC http://events.nrf.com/annual2012/Public/MainHall.aspx?ID=11628

January 24 - 26 Vision 2010 Consumer Products Conference Hotel Inter-Continental, New Orleans www.inda.org

January 26 - 28 OASIS Gift Show Phoenix Convention Center,Phoenix, AZ

www.oasis.org

convenience retailer sept/oct 2011

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