Heating Up Hot Beverages
NEW YORK -- Two convenience store retailers on opposite coasts -- Circle K West Coast and Quick Chek Food Stores -- are heating up their hot beverage programs.
Circle K West Coast announced it has teamed up with The Nec'tar Cappuccino Group and evolved its private label canned energy drinks, Talon & Vixen Energy, into a hot beverage offering. The new product responds to consumers' unquenchable appetite for energy; year over year, Circle K has achieved energy drink growth of over 25 percent.
New Talon Energy Infused French Vanilla -- a rich and creamy coffee-based beverage infused with caffeine, ginseng, guarana and taurine -- is dispensed through a traditional countertop cappuccino machine. Point of sale has been developed to cross merchandise the cold canned beverage with the new hot beverage offering, Circle K said.
"Initial consumer response has been astonishing," category manager Shannon Mooers said in a statement. "This is another example of how Circle K listens to its customers and creates the right products at the right time. Already in the pipeline is our next offering, Vixen Energy Infused Sugar Free French Vanilla."
In other hot beverage news, Quick Chek, a family-operated chain of more than 100 food stores throughout New Jersey and southern New York, reported that the company's coffee is now the official coffee of the New Jersey Devils hockey team.
Quick Chek's coffee, known for its 20-minute freshness guarantee and made from a select blend that incorporates only the world's finest beans, will be exclusively served at the New Jersey Devils' new home -- the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
To mark the occasion, the retailer is celebrating with the launch of a Devils Night Out Sweepstakes where a grand prize package, including Quick Chek coffee for a year and a Quick Chek Devils Night Out Prize Package, will be at stake for one lucky winner.
From Tuesday, Jan. 29, to Friday, Feb. 22, Quick Chek customers are invited to submit an original essay (200 words or less) stating why they deserve a "Devils Night Out." The entries will be evaluated on originality, creativity and compelling nature by a panel of judges, including a New Jersey Devils alumni player and John Schaninger, Quick Chek's vice president of sales and merchandising, according to the company.
One "Devils Night Out" Sweepstakes grand prize winner will receive:
-- Free Quick Chek coffee for one year
-- Dinner for four at the Prudential Center restaurant with a visit from a New Jersey Devils alumni player
-- Four lower level tickets to a select New Jersey Devils home game
-- VIP Tour of the Prudential Center
-- New Jersey Devils autographed item and New Jersey Devils gift pack
Ten "Devils Night Out" runnerup prize packages will include:
-- 10 vouchers for free Quick Chek coffee
-- Two tickets to a select New Jersey Devils home game
-- Autographed New Jersey Devils hockey puck and New Jersey Devils gift pack
Those interested in entering the sweepstakes can submit an essay online at www.njdevilsnightout.com, or pick up a mail-in entry form at any Quick Chek location. The grand-prize winner and 10 runnerups will be notified around Feb. 29.
Circle K West Coast announced it has teamed up with The Nec'tar Cappuccino Group and evolved its private label canned energy drinks, Talon & Vixen Energy, into a hot beverage offering. The new product responds to consumers' unquenchable appetite for energy; year over year, Circle K has achieved energy drink growth of over 25 percent.
New Talon Energy Infused French Vanilla -- a rich and creamy coffee-based beverage infused with caffeine, ginseng, guarana and taurine -- is dispensed through a traditional countertop cappuccino machine. Point of sale has been developed to cross merchandise the cold canned beverage with the new hot beverage offering, Circle K said.
"Initial consumer response has been astonishing," category manager Shannon Mooers said in a statement. "This is another example of how Circle K listens to its customers and creates the right products at the right time. Already in the pipeline is our next offering, Vixen Energy Infused Sugar Free French Vanilla."
In other hot beverage news, Quick Chek, a family-operated chain of more than 100 food stores throughout New Jersey and southern New York, reported that the company's coffee is now the official coffee of the New Jersey Devils hockey team.
Quick Chek's coffee, known for its 20-minute freshness guarantee and made from a select blend that incorporates only the world's finest beans, will be exclusively served at the New Jersey Devils' new home -- the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
To mark the occasion, the retailer is celebrating with the launch of a Devils Night Out Sweepstakes where a grand prize package, including Quick Chek coffee for a year and a Quick Chek Devils Night Out Prize Package, will be at stake for one lucky winner.
From Tuesday, Jan. 29, to Friday, Feb. 22, Quick Chek customers are invited to submit an original essay (200 words or less) stating why they deserve a "Devils Night Out." The entries will be evaluated on originality, creativity and compelling nature by a panel of judges, including a New Jersey Devils alumni player and John Schaninger, Quick Chek's vice president of sales and merchandising, according to the company.
One "Devils Night Out" Sweepstakes grand prize winner will receive:
-- Free Quick Chek coffee for one year
-- Dinner for four at the Prudential Center restaurant with a visit from a New Jersey Devils alumni player
-- Four lower level tickets to a select New Jersey Devils home game
-- VIP Tour of the Prudential Center
-- New Jersey Devils autographed item and New Jersey Devils gift pack
Ten "Devils Night Out" runnerup prize packages will include:
-- 10 vouchers for free Quick Chek coffee
-- Two tickets to a select New Jersey Devils home game
-- Autographed New Jersey Devils hockey puck and New Jersey Devils gift pack
Those interested in entering the sweepstakes can submit an essay online at www.njdevilsnightout.com, or pick up a mail-in entry form at any Quick Chek location. The grand-prize winner and 10 runnerups will be notified around Feb. 29.