While there is no magic bullet when it comes to selling vape and e-cigarette products in c-stores, the industry has matured to the point that experts can help retailers and suppliers learn from their mistakes, and continue to ride the category’s history of innovation.

Cynthia Cabrera, consultant with Miami-based Cating Group, spoke with Convenience Store Products on the e­ffect of NJOY’s bankruptcy, the role of brick-and-mortar retail and what operators should consider if they want to sell more vaping-related products.

A typical grocery store has a lot of square footage devoted to frozen food—space that isn’t as readily available in c-stores. But don’t write off­ frozen completely.

“We are seeing a lot more just-in-time shopping, and this is causing shoppers to spread their dollars across more channels and retailers,” says Susan Viamari, vice president of thought leadership for Chicago-based IRI.

It’s been only about 400 days since we launched CStoreProductsOnline.com, and we’ve already amassed seven times that number in hot new products available to the industry.

In a little more than a year, we’ve put together a database of nearly 2,800 products. The site has become a go-to for retailers interested in finding new-product trends before they become, well, trends. It’s a new-product repository, a time stamp of consumer demands, and a catalogue of the core products that still make up 80% of your sales.

Button, button—who’s got the Amazon Dash Button?

Unfortunately, brands in your store. Hershey, for one, established an Ice Breakers dash button in 2015. Other candy and snack brands participating are Mondelez, Wrigley (Orbit gum), Clif Bar, Frito-Lay (Doritos) and Perfetti Van Melle (Mentos).

Three words c-store foodservice operators never want to hear: The machine’s down. But as foodservice programs grow more sophisticated, best practices for equipment maintenance, repair and staffing are critical.

Steve Every, vice president of managed service and international for The ICEE Co., Ontario, Calif., likens buying equipment without preventive maintenance to “buying a car with the ‘check engine’ light on.”

Wine in a Tetra Pak? Ready-to-drink cocktails and shots in a pouch? Brillant … if you’re a consumer. But for the convenience-store operator, these packaging innovations can be a head-scratcher.

Alternative packaging for alcohol arguably originated decades ago with wine in a box. While consumer perception of boxed wine hasn’t always been favorable, that’s no longer the case.

“Many consumers are now accepting of the ‘box wine’ proposition and appreciate the

Ready-to-cook meal kits are all about convenience. At least that’s what Erik Thoresen, principal with Chicago-based Technomic, thought.

But it turns out there’s more to it than that.

According to Technomic’s research, convenience is just one of the reasons behind the growing trend. Health and, interestingly, entertainment value were attractive features that showed up signi­ficantly in consumer surveys.

This was Rutter’s Farm Stores’ first year in the CSP/Service Intelligence Mystery Shop, and it’s off to a sparkling start.

The York, Pa.-based chain of more than 60 stores ranked ­fifth in the mystery shop overall. Helping it place high was its strong cleaning game, beginning with the exterior.

“Cleanliness is built into the culture of this company,” says Jere Matthews, vice president of operations for Rutter’s Farm Stores. “It’s been here since day one.”