Thursday March 8, 2007 FEATURES Foodservice is no fad in c-stores; operators see it as a path to profit Aiming to fatten up profit margins, some major convenience-store operators are investing in ambitious foodservice programs. NPN MarketPulse reported in its Feb. 22 issue that QuikTrip Corp. plans to build a $21 million "kitchen" in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo., as it pursues growth through an emphasis on fresh foods (See, "Experts: QuikTrip pay is above average and so are stores"). (Full Story) Lawsuit filed in Utah; Gilbarco drops plan to sell device in California News that motorists may not always be getting all the energy from each gallon of gasoline that they pay for has ignited a controversy, and this week it resulted in the filing of a proposed class action lawsuit against Big Oil in the U.S. District Court for Utah. The lawsuit is an attempt to hold companies such as Flying J, Sinclair Oil, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Shell and ConocoPhillips responsible for selling "hot gasoline" to motorists in Utah, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. (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 buy 11 Fast Phil's stores from Willard Oil The Pantry said March 6 that it plans to acquire 11 convenience stores in Spartanburg, S.C. (Full Story) Dunkin' Donuts does lunch - and it isn't doughnuts Dunkin' Donuts is expanding its menu and revamping stores to attract customers later in the day. (Full Story) Suspects charged in 'splash-and-grab' robberies at convenience stores Two more Camden County men have been charged with a Feb. 12 splash-and-grab convenience store robbery in Voorhees, N.J., The Courier-Post reported. (Full Story) BP selling sites on the West Coast and in metro Chicago BP has put 37 of its West Coast Arco gas stations up for sale, while simultaneously offering 43 sites in metro Chicago to be sold to franchisees for conversion or redevelopment into ampm convenience stores with BP gasoline stations, Commercial Property News reported March 6. Both sales will be conducted later this spring in sealed-bids overseen by NRC Realty Advisors L.L.C. of Chicago. (Full Story) SiteSentinel iSite system gets Beta test at a county highway department The first beta test location of the SiteSentinel iSite automatic tank gauge system is being conducted at a facility operated by the Cook County, Illinois, Highway Department, OPW Fuel Management Systems, Hodgkins, Ill., announced March 6. (Full Story) Car Care World Expo 2007: March 25-28 in Las Vegas Car Care World Expo 2007 is scheduled for March 25-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. The show includes new product displays and education and networking sessions. (Full Story) In Hawaii: Lawmakers debate requiring stations to offer ethanol-free gas Some lawmakers in Hawaii are seeking to make ethanol-free gasoline available in the islands. (Full Story) Philip Morris USA announces dismissal of antitrust lawsuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld a lower court's ruling dismissing an antitrust lawsuit brought by Smith Wholesale Co., Inc. and 29 other wholesalers against Philip Morris USA, according to the cigarette manufacturer. (Full Story) In North Dakota: a fuel business is sold to Farmer's Union Oil Goulding's Inc., a bulk petroleum business in Devils Lake, N.D., has been sold, ending a 90-year tradition of family ownership, reported the Bismarck Tribune. (Full Story) Alon USA buys 102 Texas gas stations for $70 million Alon Group subsidiary Alon USA Energy Inc. has bought 102 FINA-branded stores in central and west Texas from Skinny's Inc. for $70 million plus certain post-closing adjustments, according to Globes, a business publication based in Israel. Alon USA operates 206 gas stations and convenience stores. (Full Story) City of De Pere, Wis., calls for halt to outdoor brat frys at gas stations Service station owners aren't relishing the city of De Pere, Wis., Health Department's order to jettison outdoor grills and install indoor cook-stations if they want to serve hungry customers, reported The Green Bay Press Gazette. (Full Story) News report: California's temperature compensation fix on hold California's effort to end the sale of "hot fuel" may be thwarted by pressure from the oil industry to keep retail pumps that would fix the problem off the market, according to a March 4 article in The Kansas City Star. (Full Story) Report: Wal-Mart prepares to do battle with Tesco in the United States Wal-Mart has hired a former Tesco executive to come up with plans to scuttle the British retailer's debut in the United States, The Sunday Times, a U.K. newspaper, reported in a March 4 article in its online edition. (Full Story) Tax-evasion charges leveled against distributors of tobacco Four tobacco distributors and nine retailers were indicted in connection with a tax-evasion scam that avoided at least $200,000 in tobacco taxes, Oregon Department of Justice officials said, according to The Statesman Journal. (Full Story) Oil companies among 16 recognized by Women's Business Council The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) on March 1 announced its annual listing of America's Top Corporations for Women's Business Enterprises, the only national award honoring corporations for world-class supplier diversity programs. (Full Story) In Canada: Oil refiners hit by 'perfect storm' A confluence of events disrupted the crude oil industry in Canada in what might be described as "a perfect storm," The Globe and Mail reported March 3. (Full Story) Berkshire takes 2.9 pct stake in Tesco Berkshire Hathaway Inc., the insurance and investment company controlled by Warren Buffett, has taken a 2.9 percent stake in Tesco, according to Buffett's annual letter to shareholders, Reuters reported March 2. (Full Story) Herbst Corp. to acquire 33 Winner's Corner petro-convenience locations The Herbst Corporation's latest acquisition, expected to close in March, is for 33 Winner's Corner convenience store/gas stations in Nevada, The Reno Gazette Journal reported Feb. 28. (Full Story) United Fuel & Energy acquires Arizona distributor's assets United Fuel & Energy Corp., a gasoline and petroleum products distributor, said March 1 that it has entered into an agreement to buy the assets of Reamax Oil Company Inc., The Business Journal of Phoenix reported. (Full Story) Sheetz opens a second store in Greenville, N.C. Sheetz, Inc., Altoona, Pa., on March 1 opened a 5,000-square-foot store on Charles Blvd. in Greenville, N.C. (Full Story) OPW names president of OPW Fueling Containment Systems OPW Fueling Components, Cincinnati, Ohio, a manufacturer of commercial and retail fueling equipment, announced March 1 that it named Michael McCann president of its OPW Fueling Containment Systems, Inc. business unit. (Full Story) 7-Eleven to implement Visa ReadyLink in U.S. stores Visa USA announced Feb. 28 an agreement with convenience store retailer 7-Eleven, Inc. to introduce Visa ReadyLink, Visa's prepaid load network, to its U.S. convenience stores. (Full Story) PRODUCT OF THE WEEK Lettieri's® introduces new line of Ciabatta Squares Breakfast Sandwiches Shakopee, Minn.-based Lettieri's Inc., recently announced its launch of a new line of Ciabatta Squares breakfast sandwiches. The Egg, Veggie and Double Cheese sandwich includes a veggie egg patty, American and mozzarella cheese, strips of roasted bell pepper and a special spice blend. The Ham, Egg and Double Cheese sandwich features a slice of ham, fluffy egg patty with green pepper, onion and two slices of real Swiss cheese. The Sausage, Egg and Double Cheese sandwich combines a spicy country sausage patty with an egg patty, and mozzarella and provolone cheeses. And this sandwich is flavored with an onion and pepper spice blend. Lettieri's® www.lettieris.com CALENDAR OF EVENTS M-PACT Midwest Petroleum & Convenience Tradeshow Indiana Convention Center Indianapolis March 13-15 (614) 792-5212 www.m-pact.org NACS Human Resources Forum Sheraton Hotel New Orleans March 13-15 (703) 684-3600 www.nacsonline.com   Winning Fuel Buying Strategies Hotel Monaco Seattle March 14-16 (866) 620-5940 opisnet.com/fuelbuying Liberty U.S.A./PPMCSA C-Store Trade Show Pittsburgh ExpoMart Monroeville, Pa. March 15 (412) 461-2700 www.libertyusa.com   Car Care World Expo 2007 Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas March 25-28 (888) ICA-8422 www.carcarecentral.com NACS Leadership Challenge Paradise, Texas April 1-6 (703) 684-3600 www.nacsonline.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.

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