Iowa-based Kum & Go is increasing its healthier product choices for customers at its 400-plus convenience stores through a new commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), a nonprofit that helps leverage the power of corporate America to improve the food supply.
NACS, which was the only retail-focused association to commit with PHA and was named PHA’s 2019 “Partner of the Year,” has helped the industry work with PHA to expand healthier options in more than 2,500 convenience store locations nationwide.
Kum & Go’s three-year commitment with PHA, announced during the NACS Show in October, will result in healthier offerings, including fresh fruits and vegetables, grab-and-go items, beverages and prepared items in its fresh food program. Kum & Go also will offer special price promotions on healthier items and include healthier options in its “&Rewards” customer loyalty program.
As a company committed to its employees and the local communities they serve, Kum & Go also has committed to increasing the locations that participate in its food rescue program, which donates food and beverages to local food banks and provides discounts on healthier offerings to employees.
“Kum & Go is proud to announce these new commitments with Partnership for a Healthier America,” said Kum & Go Chairman and CEO Kyle J. Krause. “The partnership’s mission to ensure all families have access to nutritious foods is in lock step with our own goals to help make healthy choices convenient and accessible for all.”
“One in two Americans visits a convenience store every day. The convenience store industry has recognized the important role they must play in providing healthy, nutritious options for customers,” said Nancy Roman, president and CEO of PHA. “We are excited to have Kum & Go’s commitment to expand healthier options throughout its 400 stores.”
“The convenience retailing industry is committed to making the healthy choice the convenient choice. Kum & Go’s commitment with PHA furthers the work of the country’s leading convenience retailers and distributors to help make a positive difference in millions of American lives every day,” said NACS President and CEO Henry Armour.
For more information about the industry’s involvement with PHA, including access to the Healthier Product Calculator, visit www.convenience.org/PHA.
NACS Show Gives Back
At the conclusion of the NACS Show in October, exhibitors donated more than 100,000 pounds of product to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Donated product helped provide more than 100,000 meals to residents of the greater Atlanta community.
C-Stores Make the Best Workplaces for Women
Convenience store operators are not just good community partners—they’re also great employers.
Sheetz Inc. and Cumberland Farms were recently named among the top 75 Best Workplaces for Women by Fortune magazine. Sheetz (No. 58) has been recognized for the fourth consecutive year as a Best Workplace for Women by the publication. Women make up about 63% of the Sheetz organization, and 62% of women are in non-executive management, and 10% are in executive or managerial positions.
This year is also the first year that Cumberland Farms (No. 73) has been named to the magazine’s ranking. Women make up about 58% of the workforce at the company, which was recently acquired by U.K.-based EG Group.
IN THE COMMUNITY
Buffalo, New York-based Delta Sonic Car Wash Systems Inc. awarded 149 employees with up to $2,000 each for the 2019-20 school year through the Delta Sonic scholarship program. The scholarship award recipients work either full- or part-time and had to be enrolled in a two- or four-year accredited college or technical program to be considered. The scholarship program, which has been in place for 10 years, is administered by Scholarship America.
“This scholarship program was put into place to recognize the outstanding academic achievements of our employees,” said Paul Lutz, chief human resources officer at Delta Sonic. “This year, we had the highest number of applicants and the highest number of awards. We are very excited about the success of the program and will continue to encourage our employees to study hard and reinforce that their education is a priority.”
This summer, Volta Oil Company, its 16 Rapid Refill locations throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island and its newest store, Garrett’s Family Market, raised awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research for the ninth consecutive year as part of the Purple Pump Up for Alzheimer’s cause marketing campaign. This year’s campaign raised more than $147,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter.
Purple Pump Up for Alzheimer’s is the largest cause marketing campaign of its kind in the New England region to benefit the association. Since the campaign started nine years ago, it has raised more than $760,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter.
During the month of October, more than 550 convenience retail members of the Greater Austin Merchants Cooperative Association (GAMA) sold pink “More Than Pink” wristbands for $2 to support Susan G. Komen’s work to support research and raise awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer.
From July 15 to September 15, 2019, EG America, a Cincinnati-based operator of 1,112 convenience stores nationwide, encouraged customers to donate to Disabled American Veterans as a way to say thank you to the men and woman who served. The campaign raised more than $800,000, smashing through its initial goal of $200,000. However, they did not stop there. Co-CEO of EG Group Zuber Issa announced that he and Co-CEO Mohsin Issa are rounding up the donation to $1 million.