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sure bets Bosselman Pump & Pantry Convenience Stores Partner with Cinnabon; First In-Store Bakery Opens in Omaha, Neb. Pump & Pantry convenience stores, operated by the Bosselman Companies, recently announced a partnership with Cinnabon and Focus Brands, Inc. to feature Cinnabon's World Famous Cinnamon Rolls and other Cinnabon items in select Pump & Pantry locations. Pump & Pantry is the first and only convenience store chain in the United States to sign on with Cinnabon. "We are thrilled to continue our expansion in non-traditional venues with great partners like Bosselman Pump & Pantry," said Cinnabon CEO Kat Cole. "[Pump & Pantry's] location spread, strong corporate culture and consistent operations make them the perfect partner to help us bring Cinnabon's world famous baked goods to Nebraska and surrounding states." "Forming this partnership with Cinnabon is a fantastic expansion of our offerings to our customers," said Charlie Bosselman, CEO of Bosselman Companies. "We couldn't be more excited to team up with such an outstanding company and to make the world's most famous cinnamon rolls and other baked goods available to our customers. We are honored and privileged to be the first and only convenience store chain in the nation to partner with Cinnabon." The first Cinnabon location inside a Pump & Pantry recently opened on April 5 at the 370 Express location at 11108 Sapp Brothers Drive in Omaha, Neb. The location features a full Cinnabon Bakery, where products are freshly baked and served on-premises in front of the customer during the majority of store operating hours. Take-home packs are available for customers to take with them during all hours of operation. Cinnabon product offerings available at Pump & Pantry convenience stores will include freshly baked cinnamon rolls, takehome packs, Chillatas blended frozen beverages and Cinnabon Iced Coffee. Additional Pump & Pantry locations will soon follow the Sapp Brothers Drive location in introducing their own in-store Cinnabon operations. Grand Island, Neb., the corporate headquarters of the Bosselman Companies, will be receiving its first Cinnabon location when the South Locust Pump & Pantry opens its operation in May. This will be followed by the Capital Avenue location in Grand Island, set to open a Cinnabon later this summer. Founded in 1948, The Bosselman Companies own and operate 48 Pump & Pantry convenience stores, 41 Boss Shops, the Bosselman Travel Center, three Pump & Pantry Motels and a number of other hotels, motels, restaurants and bars. The company also owns the Nebraska Danger Indoor Professional Football Team. Bosselman's is a family organization in its third generation that has expanded across the nation. It now operates businesses in 23 states and employs 1,200 individuals. For more information, visit www.bosselman.com. n Pepsi Launches First New Single-Serve Bottle in Over 16 Years Pepsi has unveiled a new single-serve bottle for Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi MAX and Pepsi NEXT beverages. This marks the company's first bottle design update since 1996. A visual expression of the brand's "Excitement of Now" marketing slogan, the company began rolling out the new bottles in markets nationwide starting in April, available in both 16-oz. and 20-oz. sizes. A new, 12-oz. glass bottle will also be offered as a premium package in select stores. Conversion of other Pepsi products into the new bottles will take place over the next few years. "This new bottle is the next milestone in Pepsi's Live For Now marketing campaign," said Angelique Krembs, Vice President of Pepsi Marketing. "Our single serve bottle is the most visible and tangible connection point we have with our consumers, and we love how the new bottle expresses our brand DNA." The new bottle's bold swirl and elevated profile reflect the brand's attributes and youthful spirit. The etched, grip-able bottom allows consumers to have a more stimulating tactile interaction with the bottle itself. The new bottle is the first iteration of the redesign of the full portfolio currently underway under the stewardship of PepsiCo's Chief Design Officer Mauro Porcini. Customers can expect additional redesigns to be rolled out throughout the next year. PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. The company makes hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo is committed not only to providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats, but also to finding innovative ways to minimize the company's impact on the environment, to conserving energy and water and other natural resources, to providing a great workplace for its associates and to respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where it operates. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com. n Budweiser Introduces Unique Bowtie-Shaped Can On May 6, Budweiser will introduce a striking and original new beer can, a bowtie-shaped aluminum can that mirrors the company's iconic bowtie logo. The new bowtie-shaped can will be available in a special 8-pack on store shelves nationwide. The proprietary can, in development since 2010, will be available only in the United States and will not replace the traditional Budweiser can. "This can is incomparable, like nothing you've ever seen before," said Pat McGauley , Vice President of Innovation for Anheuser-Busch. "The world's most iconic beer brand deserves the world's most unique and innovative can. I think we have it here." To make the new can possible, Anheuser-Busch engineers needed to solve a number of technical challenges, and major equipment investments were required at Budweiser's can-making facil6 C onvenienceRETAILER May/June 2013 ity in Newburgh, N.Y. Significant capital investments also were required to upgrade packaging lines at the Budweiser breweries in Los Angeles and Williamsburg , Va., the first breweries with capability to package this unique can innovation. Creating the can requires a 16-step process—10 steps to form the bottom half of the can, with an additional six steps to form the top portion. The Anheuser-Busch Global Innovation Group has been investigating potential can innovations for several years. "We explored various shapes that would be distinguishable in the marketplace, but also viable from an engineering standpoint," said McGauley. "Aluminum can be stretched only about 10 percent without fracturing, which requires that the angles of the bowtie be very precise." Due to the can's slimmer middle and sleek design, it holds 11.3 oz. of beer and has about 137 calories, approximately 8.5 fewer calories than a traditional 12 oz. can of Budweiser. "This can is certainly a conversation starter: eyecatching, easy-to-grip, trendy and, according to our research, very appealing to young adults," said McGauley. "It's a beer can like no other." Though there is no written documentation on the origins of the Budweiser bowtie, it is a brand icon found the world over. According to company lore, the bowtie was introduced when too many people were using the "Bud" nickname too frequently. The double triangles were added to emphasize the full Budweiser name. The Budweiser bowtie can is a natural progression from the new packaging introduced in 2011 that emphasized the iconic bowtie. The bowtie can is another example of how Budweiser continues to innovate, evolve and attract a new generation of beer drinkers. The launch of the can is being supported with a marketing campaign that includes digital, print and television. It will be offered for sale in grocery stores and supermarkets, convenience stores and packaged liquor stores. Consumers interested in locating where they can purchase the special 8-pack can call 1.800.DIAL.BUD. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com. n