Convenience Stores

Nineteen of the nation’s leading retail and CPG companies received perfect scores on the 2013 Corporate Equality Index compiled by the Human Rights Campaign.

The Human Rights Campaign released its 2013 Corporate Equality Index, which gives companies ratings of up to 100% based on their policies regarding LGBT employees and also released a buyer's guide for LGBT consumers. According to the equality advocacy group, a total of 1,848 companies were invited to submit applications, of those 530 actually did so and of those 252 received scores of 100%.

At a time of year when much of the retail news we hear focuses on receipts and holiday sales performance, I can’t help thinking that the notion of value has become synonymous with price — and only price. You can make the argument that price has nearly hijacked the whole definition of value. Why is that, exactly? Should retailers be paying closer and more systematic attention to how they articulate (and how customers perceive) the value of their brand?

Dallas -- 7-Eleven announced Thursday that it has acquired 143 Speedy Stop and Tigermarket retail locations from C. L. Thomas, of Victoria, Texas.

The acquisition, which closed Dec. 31, increases 7-Eleven stores' footprint in San Antonio, where recently the country's largest convenience retailer purchased 25 stores as part of its acquisition from TETCO. It also adds to 7-Eleven's growing fuel wholesale-delivery business because the acquisition includes gasoline distribution to approximately 150 dealer-operated sites.

New Hudson, Mich. -- Icom North America announced Thursday an installation program for 140 propane autogas Ford F150 pickup trucks for use by Menards home improvement stores.
 
The vehicles will serve 36 Menards locations throughout Illinois and at Menards' Eau Claire West store in Wisconsin.

Icom North America has teamed with Menards on a project to up-fit its JTG II Liquid Injection Propane System on Menards fleet of Ford F150 pickups equipped with a 3.7-liter engine.

Despite solid sales trends at Family Dollar during the company’s first quarter ended November 24, margins contracted and profits were less than expected.

New York -- The hunt is on for a new chief executive at Safeway following the resignation of longtime chairman and CEO Steve Burd.

Burd, 62, is scheduled to retire at the company’s annual stockholders meeting on May 14 and will aid in the search of his successor that is said to include internal and external candidates. Burd joined Safeway in October 1992 as president and was appointed CEO in May of the following year.

More than 2,800 Walmart locations now feature Jackson Hewitt brand tax preparation services and the opportunity to drive big ticket sales once shoppers get their hands on refund checks.

Seattle -- The weekend before Christmas ranked as the busiest shopping period in December by in-store visits to top retailers, with Super Saturday ranking among the three busiest shopping days for Walmart, Target, Toys ‘R’ Us, Macy’s and Kohl’s, according to Placed.