Thursday April 19, 2007 FEATURES A tobacco man's take on Home Depot Fuel There's no mistaking that Home Depot Fuel stores sell tobacco products, a marketing consultant who visited the stores told NPN MarketPulse in a recent interview. "It just jumps out," said Lou Maiellano, president of TAZ Marketing & Consulting Group, Levittown, Pa. Maiellano, former national tobacco category manager for Sunoco, said that two Home Depot Fuel stores that he visited in the suburbs of Nashville, Tenn., in March "clearly gave tobacco an emphasis. (Full Story) EIA projects average gasoline price for summer: $2.81 per gallon The Energy Information Administration on April 10 issued its "Short-Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook." Excerpts, slightly edited, appear below. The next outlook is scheduled to be issued May 8. (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 Tesco to begin recruiting store employees 'within months' Tesco will begin recruiting employees to work in its United States convenience stores within months, according to an article by Richard Fletcher, deputy city editor of The Telegraph, a U.K. newspaper. (Full Story) 'Greening' of Colorado to include quadrupling of E85 dispensers Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. on April 16 issued a "Greening of State Government" executive order, introducing the state's new climate change adviser, and signing several energy-related bills into law. (Full Story) Passport now available to Chevron retailers Gilbarco Veeder-Root's Passport point-of-sale system is now approved for and available to Chevron branded retailers, the supplier announced April 17. (Full Story) Highest gas prices ever in San Francisco, Oakland In the Bay Area gasoline prices rose 20 cents per gallon since last month, with drivers in San Francisco and Oakland paying the highest prices ever recorded in those cities, according to an April 18 article by Bernadette Tansey in The San Francisco Chronicle. (Full Story) Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Tidel Dropped by Corporate Safe Specialists Tidel Engineering, L.P., the world leader in Cash Management Systems and Robbery Prevention products is pleased to announce that the patent infringement lawsuit in Dallas court against Tidel has been dismissed with Prejudice on April 2, 2007 by Corporate Safe Specialists. (Full Story) Hearing set for proposed merger of Western Refining and Giant Industries Western Refining, Inc. and Giant Industries, Inc. on April 17 announced that the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico has scheduled a preliminary injunction hearing to begin on May 7, 2007, as requested by Western and Giant, with respect to the litigation filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission regarding the companies' proposed merger. (Full Story) Wal-Mart tops Fortune 500 list; ExxonMobil is runner-up Fortune magazine released its Fortune 500 list. (Full Story) Beer Institute marks National Alcohol Awareness Month April is National Alcohol Awareness Month. Brewers, parents, schools, state and local governments and others are continue to fight illegal underage drinking and drunk driving, said the Beer Institute in a statement publicizing National Alcohol Awareness Month. (Full Story) West Texas refinery back in operation after fire Valero Energy Corp. said April 16 that a West Texas refinery that was knocked out by a fire in February is back in operation, reported the Associated Press. The McKee refinery had been off-line since Feb. 16 after an explosion in the propane de-asphalting unit, where fuel is processed at high temperatures, the AP reported. (Full Story) Coca-Cola reports higher first-quarter profit Coca-Cola Co. on April 17 reported higher quarterly profit that beat Wall Street estimates, according to Reuters. Strength in emerging markets overshadowed weakness in North America, the news service reported. (Full Story) ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods to produce renewable diesel fuel ConocoPhillips, Houston, and Tyson Foods, Inc., Springdale, Ark., announced April 16 a strategic alliance to produce and market the next generation of renewable diesel fuel, which will help supplement the traditional petroleum-based diesel fuel supply. (Full Story) Judge temporarily blocks Western Refining's Giant acquisition A federal judge in New Mexico has granted an injunction sought by the Federal Trade Commission to block the proposed acquisition of Giant Industries Inc. by Western Refining Inc., according to an online article published April 16 by the New Mexico Business Weekly. (Full Story) Finard to leave Kraft Foods Kraft Foods Inc., Northfield, Ill., announced April 13 that Jeri Finard, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), has decided to leave the company for personal reasons. (Full Story) Taiwanese government promotes clerk-free convenience stores Private businesses have set up two clerk-free convenience stories in Taipei with the assistance of the government, Radio Taiwan International reported April 16. (Full Story) In Ohio: indoor smoking ban nears review Ohio's indoor smoking ban is to be reviewed April 16 by a committee of the Ohio General Assembly, according to an article by Jon Craig in The Cincinnati Enquirer. If the ban is approved it could be enforced as early as May 1, according to the article. (Full Story) Willard Bishop to investigate how retailers can maximize cigar profits Willard Bishop, Barrington, Ill., said April 16 that it has been commissioned by John Middleton Inc., a cigar manufacturer, to identify ways that retailers can generate incremental profits from cigars through more effective profit-building strategies. The results will be available to retailers in a Cigar Merchandising Guide. (Full Story) The Pantry announces resignation of chief financial officer The Pantry, Inc., Sanford, N.C., announced April 13 that Daniel J. Kelly, its Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, notified the Board of Directors of The Pantry that he intends to resign. (Full Story) HMSHost opens travel plazas along Maine Turnpike HMSHost Corporation, Bethesda, Md., announced April 11 that the company will provide travelers with high-quality, trusted brand name food, beverage and retail service in two new innovative travel plazas along the Maine Turnpike. (Full Story) Kucinich demands that Big Oil CEOs explain rise in fuel prices Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee, sent a letter April 10 to the Chief Executive Officers of seven major oil companies demanding answers for the cause of new record highs in the price of gasoline. (Full Story) Handy Mart and Speedway SuperAmerica choose RedPrairie systems RedPrairie Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., announced April 12 that E.J. Pope & Son, Inc. (dba Handy Mart) has purchased RedPrairie's BlueCube Enterprise Software for mid-sized convenience store retailers. (Full Story) Merchants Payment Coalition releases interchange fees study A survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive via its QuickQuery online omnibus service on behalf of The Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC) between January 16-18, 2007 among 2,214 adults (aged 18 and over). (Full Story) PRODUCT OF THE WEEK New Camouflage Micro Lighters from Cricket® Cricket® is pleased to introduce a new camouflage design for its Micro sparkwheel lighters. The new lighter series features five popular camouflage colors: blue, orange, green, red and camel. Cricket® micro sparkwheel lighters feature a self-extinguishing nylon tank, and sleek and pocket friendly body. This fun line is offered in a Display-A-Tray. The lighters have a suggested retail price of $1.09. Calico Brands, Inc. sacosta@calicobrands.com CALENDAR OF EVENTS Fuel Management University Loews Ventana Canyon Resort Tucson, Ariz. April 24-26 (866) 620-5940 www.opisnet.com/fmu SIGMA 2007 Spring Convention Loews Ventana Canyon Resort Tucson, AZ April 26-29, 2007 (703) 709-7000 www.sigma.org   2007 AOCA Convention and Fast Lube Expo Dallas Convention Center Dallas April 28-May 1 (800) 331-0329 www.aoca.org NACStech 2007 Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center Nashville, Tenn. April 30-May 2 (703) 684-3600 www.nacsonline.com   NYACS Trade Show and Convention The Oncenter Syracuse, N.Y. May 15-16 (518) 432-1400 www.nyacs.org Focus on Finance hosted by Meridian Associates, Inc. Renaissance Worthington Hotel Fort Worth, Texas May 16-18 (800) 728-9005 www.askmeridian.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 Keith Reid, 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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