Thursday January 11, 2007 FEATURES The sandwich is no humble thing: research says market exceeds $121 billion A love of sandwiches has created a U.S. market worth more than $121 billion in 2005, according to "Sandwiches in the U.S.: Foodservice and Retail Market and Trends," a report by market research firm Packaged Facts. Packaged Facts projects that the market will continue to grow exponentially, riding partly on the major success of sandwich chains. (Full Story) QuikTrip again wins distinction as one of best companies to work for What do academia and QuikTrip have in common? They both offer paid sabbaticals. (Full Story) Sign up for a FREE subscription to NPN, the magazine that has been reporting news and trends in the petroleum and convenience store industry since 1909. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT Get The Data That Drives The Petroleum & Convenience Industry Today! To order your print copy or CD version of the 2006 NPN MarketFacts edition, please click here NEWS ITEMS The Pantry to acquire 66 Petro Express convenience stores Gas station and convenience store chain Pantry Inc. said Jan. 8 that it has reached an agreement to buy 66 Petro Express convenience stores in the Carolinas for $275 million. (Full Story) OPW Fuel Management Systems sets schedules for training OPW Fuel Management Systems, part of OPW Fueling Components, has set its web-based and onsite product training seminar schedule for the first quarter of 2007. Available at no cost to station technicians and qualified distributors, the web-based training seminars are designed to certify or re-certify service technicians on OPW Fuel Management Systems' line of OPW Tank Gauges and Petro Vend Fuel Control systems and software. (Full Story) Imperial Oil reverses course, keeping French name for stores in Quebec Imperial Oil has backed down from plans to change the name of its Quebec convenience stores from "Marche Express" to "On The Run," The Ottawa Sun reported Jan. 9. (Full Story) Sheetz.com is redesigned; new features include nutritional information Sheetz, Inc. Altoona, Pa., operator of 330 convenience stores, on-line with its website since 1997, said Jan. 9 that the site has been redesigned. (Full Story) Dresser Wayne and Microsoft get musical at Consumer Electronics Show Fuel dispenser manufacturer Dresser Wayne is joining the Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to demonstrate how consumers can wirelessly transfer music to their car while pumping gas. (Full Story) Spartan Stores to accept MasterCard PayPass 'Tap & Go' payments MasterCard Worldwide and Spartan Stores announced Jan. 8 that all retail banners operated by Spartan Stores in Michigan and northwest Ohio under the Family Fare, D&W, Glen's, Pharm and Quick Stop banners will accept MasterCard PayPass, a contactless, rapid payment option. (Full Story) ACE praises introduction of Biofuels Security Act of 2007 The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Sioux Falls, S.D., a national trade association, praised U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) for introducing the Biofuels Security Act of 2007. (Full Story) Hot Stuff Foods introduces 'mini' unit for self-service Hot Stuff Foods, Sioux Falls, S.D., announced Jan. 8 that Mac's Market, the fully contained self-service food solutions and merchandising unit with on-site heating, has a little clone: Mini Mac's. (Full Story) NPRA opposes Biofuels Security Act of 2007 NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, said Jan. 5 that it does not support the Biofuels Security Act of 2007, which would increase the renewable fuels standard to 30 billion gallons in 2020 and 60 billion gallons in 2030. The bill would also require that the major oil companies carry E-85 at half of their service stations by 2017. (Full Story) Beverage behemoths thirst for more of ready-to-drink coffee market Coca-Cola Co. plans to push further into the ready-to-drink coffee market this summer, introducing a new iced drink under the banner of the country's No. 2 coffeehouse chain, Caribou Coffee Co. (Full Story) Oil prices rise amid reports that OPEC mulls production cut Oil prices rose Jan. 8 on reports that OPEC oil ministers have begun talks on another potential cut, along with concerns about energy shortages in parts of Europe as the fallout of a dispute between Russia and Belarus, according to The Associated Press. (Full Story) McDonald's makeover said to rejuvenate tired locations, boosting profits Thousands McDonald's stores have undergone renovations the last four years, helping the burger chain crack the $20 billion threshold in total revenues in 2005 for the first time, The Arizona Republic reported Jan. 6. (Full Story) Houston task force aims to curb robberies of convenience stores Houston Mayor Bill White has announced an effort to combat convenience store holdups, WHOU-TV reported Jan. 5. (Full Story) PaySpot signs multi-year cooperative agreement with TSC Group PaySpot, Inc., Leawood, Kan., a subsidiary of Euronet Worldwide and a prepaid provider in the U.S., announced Jan. 5 the signing of an exclusive multi-year agreement with TSC Group, a full-service sales, marketing and distribution enterprise. (Full Story) Fleet One adds Sunoco to fuel card network Fleet One has signed a deal with Sunoco Inc. that means its fuel cards will be accepted at an additional 4,600-plus gas stations and convenience stores, Nashville Business Journal reported Jan. 4. (Full Story) Sheetz opens a 4,700-square-foot store in Twinsburg, Ohio Sheetz on Jan. 4 opened 4,700-square-foot store in Twinsburg, Ohio, its 23rd location in the state. (Full Story) Gas station operator to pay $250,000 to settle harassment lawsuit The owner of a southern Illinois gas station has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle sexual harassment claims against the husband of a former employee, federal officials said Jan. 4, according to The Associated Press. (Full Story) Uni-Mart store owners accuse company of misleading them Convenience store owners are suing Uni-Marts LLC, State College, Pa., alleging fraud and breach of contract, The Citizens Voice reported Jan. 3. The store owners claim that the company and its real estate and financial firms misled them about operating costs and profitability, according to the newspaper. (Full Story) In Arizona: Tesco buys sites for possible stores Tesco, the U.K. retailer, has begun acquiring property throughout Arizona's East Valley with the intention of opening stores in 2007, development officials said, according to The East Valley Tribune. (Full Story) PRODUCT OF THE WEEK New product saves breath, time, space Attach/Mints has created quite a buzz in the smoker/mint industry. The attach/Mint is designed specially to clip perfectly onto the top or bottom of any standard cigarette pack. attach/Mints potency is strong enough to eliminate the odor of one's breath after a cigarette. attach/Mints not only attach to cigarette packs, but also to car visors, pockets, belts, wallets, purses, backpacks and notebooks The attach/Mint is available for resale with a display box holding 24 attach/Mints, prepackaged and ready for retailers. Attach/Mints, LLC www.attachmints.com CALENDAR OF EVENTS NACS Introduction to Category Management Seminar: Turning Plans into Action The Westin Indianapolis Indianapolis January 16-17 (703) 684-3600 www.nacsonline.com SIGMA 2007 Executive Leadership Conference Silvertree Hotel Aspen/Snowmass, Colo. February 11 - 14 (703 )709-7000 www.sigma.org   PACE - Petroleum and Convenience-Store Exposition of Mid-America Overland Park Convention Center Overland Park, Ks. February 16-17 (573) 635-7117 www.mpca.org WPMA Convention & Convenience Store Expo The Mirage Convention Center Las Vegas February 20-22 (801) 263-9762 www.wpma.com   AWMA REAL DEAL EXPO Las Vegas Hilton Las Vegas February 21-23 (703) 208-3358 www.realdealexpo.com PetrolWorld Africa Middle East Business Forum 2007 February 24-27 Malelane Resort, Kruger Park, South Africa www.petrolworld.com   For a complete list of industry events, go to NPN's calendar web page.  Published By NPN Group |  © 2007 NPN Group | All Rights Reserved For more information on NPN MarketPulse, contact: Gary Bevers, group publisher M2MEDIA360 Retail Distribution Group Ph: 832-444-7675 Fax: 800-430-3446 Chris Traczek, editor-in-chief M2MEDIA360 NPN Group Ph: 630-739-0280 Fax: 630-739-0321 This newsletter is protected by United States copyright and other intellectual property laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, re-disseminated, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission of M2MEDIA360.

Unsubscribe or update your email address.
M2MEDIA360 | 760 Market Street, Suite 432 | San Francisco, CA 94102