News Briefs

7-Eleven Japan is running a pilot trial at six stores in Tokyo, using contactless self-checkout kiosks with holographic displays. 

The holographic displays are equipped with Neonode's Touch Sensor Modules, which make it possible to interact with the images projected by the holographic displays mid-air, in a similar way to a normal touch display. 

Demand for contactless shopping has surged during the coronavirus pandemic and these new holographic self-checkout kiosks tap into the trend, accepting only including credit cards, e-money cards and QR codes. Plus, they take up about 30% less space than existing cash registers, leaving more space for product displays.

"We are pleased and excited to see this initiative, where our technology is simplifying and enhancing the customer experience and making the interaction with the underlying device or system safer, more hygienic, and more convenient to use, which further emphasizes the importance of Neonode's contactless touch technology in the retail segment," said Urban Forssell, CEO of Neonode.

7-Eleven Canada is relaunching its Big Bite with a new 1/4 lbs hot dog from Schneiders and Big Bite Bar in its 600 branded stores.

The new Big Bite features a 100% all beef, all Canadian hot dog from Schneiders, a Canadian company founded in 1890. Big Bite fans will also have the option to customize their hot dog with more 13 toppings ranging from classic ketchup, mustard and relish to chili, nacho cheese, salsa, BBQ sauce, sauerkraut and more. 

“At 7-Eleven Canada, our winning formula is combining convenience and a broad assortment to provide choice, customization and a bit of fun. And this is no exception for our Big Bite,” says Norman Hower, VP & GM of 7-Eleven Canada. “We know Canadians are going to love the taste of the new Big Bite and the ability to fully customize their hot dog at the Big Bite Bar.”

Big Bite is available 24/7 on the grill at 7-Eleven locations, both for in-store visitors and delivery.

The Hershey Co. is celebrating the "SHE" at the centre of its milk chocolate bars as part of Women's History Month celebrations in the United States. The new Hershey's bar is a reminder to celebrate the impact that SHE makes, with limited-edition "Celebrate SHE" bars now available nationwide while supplies last.

"We are surrounded by women and girls that inspire us every single day. Creating this simple, but powerful and colourful change to our iconic milk chocolate bar serves as a reminder of how important they are in our lives," said Veronica Villasenor, vice president, U.S., The Hershey Co. "So grab a Hershey's bar, share one and celebrate all women and girls through a simple, and sweet, gesture."

To continue the celebration of "SHE," Hershey's is partnering with Girls on the Run, a nonprofit organization with a mission focused on supporting, empowering and inspiring girls to realize their limitless potential. As part of the partnership, Hershey's is donating $150,000 to Girls on the Run.

"For over 25 years, Girls on the Run has inspired girls and women to be confident and resilient while finding strength in connection with one another," said Elizabeth Kunz, CEO of Girls on the Run. "We are proud to partner with Hershey's Celebrate SHE campaign to shine a light on all the amazing SHEs in our lives!"

In addition to the work the Hershey's brand is doing through Celebrate SHE, The Hershey Co. was named No. 1 on the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies list by Forbes in 2021. It is among only a handful of Fortune 500 companies led by women. Hershey is committed to equal pay, career development and supporting impactful non-profit partners among other initiatives to support women.

Pennsylvania-based The Hershey Co. has more than 90 brands around the world that drive more than $8 billion in annual revenues, including brand names like Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop and Pirate's Booty.

-Originally published at Convenience Store News

Amazon is closing all of its brick-and-mortar bookstores, as well as its 4-star shops and pop up locations, as the online retail behemoth reworks its physical footprint.

The Seattle-based company said Wednesday that the move, which affects 66 stores in the U.S. and two in the United Kingdom, will enable it to concentrate its efforts on Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, its convenience concept called Amazon Go and its upcoming Amazon Style stores. Amazon Style, which will sell fashion and accessories, is set to open in a Southern California mall later this year.

"We remain committed to building great, long-term physical retail experiences and technologies and we're working closely with our affected employees to help them find new roles within Amazon," the company said in a statement.

It couldn't be learned immediately how many Amazon workers are being affected.

Amazon opened its first brick-and-mortar bookstore in 2015, two decades after it began selling books online and helped drive a number of shops out of business. Amazon's 4-star shops, which first made their debut in 2018, carry a limited selection of best-selling products from top categories that Amazon.com sells, including devices, consumer electronics, toys and games.

The move comes as Amazon.com Inc.'s overall revenue growth is slowing, and it's looking for new ways to reignite sales.

Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, said the strategy comes as a surprise. He said he believes it's an acknowledgement that the bookstores weren't delivering the returns Amazon was looking for.

Saunders said he thinks the main problem with Amazon’s non-food stores is that they lacked a real purpose even though the merchandise was well-presented.

“They were designed for people to pop in and browse rather than as destinations where people would head on a mission to buy something,“ he wrote in a note on Wednesday. He noted that ultimately that wasn't good for driving customer traffic, especially in an era where people are visiting shops less.

Saunders added that the other problem is the assortment which, in many locations, was disjoined and unfocused.

-The Canadian Press

Floods in B.C. and the temporary shutdown of the Trans Mountain pipeline in the fourth quarter of 2021 cost Parkland Corp. approximately $35 million.

The Calgary-based fuel marketer and convenience store retailer made the the figure public Friday, as part of its fourth-quarter results.

On a conference call with analysts, chief executive Bob Espey said Parkland would have delivered record earnings for the full-year 2021 if not for the weather-related shutdown of Trans Mountain in November and the resulting pause in operations at Parkland's Burnaby refinery.

Instead, Parkland said it earned $23 million or 15 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Dec. 31, down from $53 million or 35 cents per diluted share a year earlier.

But Espey said he is proud of the way Parkland employees stepped up during the B.C. disaster.

"In British Columbia, we ensured our customers and communities had reliable access to food, fuel and convenience items they depend on throughout a major flood event,'' he said.

The Trans Mountain pipeline was shut down for three weeks while crews assessed damage and made necessary repairs in the aftermath of the flooding.

The 1,150-km pipeline carries 300,000 barrels per day of petroleum products from Alberta to B.C. During the shutdown, Parkland paused its refinery processing operations in Burnaby, B.C., due to a lack of crude oil supply from Trans Mountain.

The Burnaby refinery is a key supplier of gasoline to the Vancouver area. While its processing operations were paused, Parkland imported fuel into Burnaby, then stored and transported it to retail and commercial locations by truck and barge.

Also on Friday, Parkland Corp. increased its annual dividend to $1.30 per share compared with $1.235 per share and said that starting in the second quarter it will switch to a quarterly payment schedule from monthly payments.

Parkland's fourth-quarter sales and operating revenue totalled $6.29 billion, up from $3.51 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020.

On an adjusted basis, Parkland says it earned 36 cents per diluted share in its most recent quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 28 cents per diluted share a year earlier.

In January, Parkland signed a deal to buy frozen food retailer M&M Food Market for $322 million.

-The Canadian Press
 

The Canadian Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (CIPMA) has a new name: The Canadian Energy Marketers Association (CEMA).

The national not-for-profit trade association, which has served as the voice of traditional and alternative fuel marketers in Canada for over two decades, is "changing its name to reflect the evolution of our nation’s vital energy supply, distribution and marketing industry," according to a release.

CEMA members include progressive leaders who are responsible for the distribution of diverse products like gasoline, diesel, heating oil, propane and aviation fuel, as well as low-carbon transportation energy solutions including renewable fuels and electric vehicle charging stations across a vast geography, to diverse industries, and to millions of Canadian consumers.

“For decades, we have helped Canadians in every region and industry to do their work, live their lives and contribute to their communities, all while fuelling the Canadian economy,” said Jennifer Stewart, CEMA’s CEO. “As we look towards the future and rebrand to reflect our critical role in it, we will continue to advocate for our sector in policy-making decisions by demonstrating our dedication to innovation, our commitment to emissions reductions and our meaningful contribution to economic growth.”

“This association has become a fixture in the Canadian energy industry, and our new name reflects our members’ proactive, solution-oriented approach,” said Peter Kilty, chair, CEMA. “We take great pride in advocating on behalf of the sector with all levels of government because we want to contribute to strong, effective policy which ensures a robust Canadian supply chain that can process, distribute, and sell a diverse mix of energy solutions as part of Canada’s long-term carbon reduction strategy.”

CEMA notes its members "are committed to channeling the sector’s unparalleled experience and adaptability, and to continue to help policymakers work towards achieving net zero by 2050. This has been demonstrated by members’ early adoption of – and consistent commitment to – innovation within their businesses, and CEMA leadership will continue to support its members as they grow and adapt their businesses at this unprecedented time in Canadian and global history.