News

With the recent surge in numbers related to COVID-19 comes added stress, especially for c-store and gas operators and staff who continue to meet the needs of Canadian consumers.

As Couche-Tard marks a milestone birthday, president and CEO Brian Hannasch discusses the Quebec-based company’s ascent to one of the biggest convenience store players on the planet  Alimentation Couche-Tard wouldn’t be the retail powerhouse it is today—growing from a single store in 1980 to more than 9,400 convenience stores in North America and 2,700 in Europe (most under the Circle K banner)—without innovation as a trajectory for growth.

Convenience Store News Canada is thrilled to announce the Leadership Panel for the Star Women in Convenience Virtual Awards Celebration on November 4th.

Mondelēz International.

Retail sales in Canada “hit a wall'' in July after big gains in May and June, a sign that the economic recovery could be slow and bumpy.Statistics Canada said Friday overall retail sales in July rose 0.6% to $52.9 billion, helped by higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers and gasoline stations, after posting gains of more than 20% in both May and June.However, core retail sales, which exclude those two sectors, fell 1.2% in July, with building material and garden equipment sales dropping 11.6%.

A new survey finds that young people have been vaping less frequently since the COVID-19 pandemic began.The survey, conducted by the Lung Association of Nova Scotia and Smoke-Free Nova Scotia, finds that respondents decreased vaping to five days per week from six, on average.They also cut back to an average of 19 vaping episodes per day, down from 30.There has been a major push by all levels of government to introduce regulations designed to curb youth vaping.The survey funded by Heart & Stroke also found the decrease in vaping frequency is most notable in British Columbia and Ontario.The researchers say it may be related to warnings of potential complications from COVID-19 for e-cigarette users.The survey heard from more than 1,800 respondents between 16 and 24 years old, and found most begin vaping at around the age of 15.

Convenience Store News Canada is thrilled to announced that Cara Keating, president, PepsiCo Foods Canada, will deliver the keynote address at the Star Women in Convenience Virtual Celebration on November 4, 2020.Keating will speak about "Leading through change and adversity: lessons of leadership and resilience."As president of PepsiCo Foods Canada, she leads the Canadian businesses of Frito-Lay North America and Quaker Foods North America.A 15-year PepsiCo veteran, Keating has a wealth of experiences in various geographies, as well as in account management, customer insights, field and customer leadership roles.Since joining PepsiCo in 2004, Keating has climbed the ranks, consistently delivering results and taking on progressively senior roles in customer development and field leadership across Canada.

Alimentation Couche-Tard's Circle K is teaming up with Mastercard to pilot a rollout of timely frictionless checkout solutions designed for convenience stores and other retailers.