January 2016
Happy Birthday GHRA
page 6
Creating Life-long
Customers
PAGE 10
Pain-Free
Payroll
PAGE 13
January Storefront Set-Up
JANUARY
Posters
JANUARY
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20 ft.
15 ft.
Mtn Dew
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Invoice Cost $11.06
Minute Maid
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Retail 2 for $3.00
Invoice Cost $22.56
Your spanner
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Retail 2 for $2.22
Invoice Cost $9.80
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JANUARY STOREFRONT
2
Vol. 3 Issue 1
GHRA BOARD
President’s Notes
Dear GHRA Members,
Zulfikarali Maknojia
President
Ahmed Hasora
Senior Vice President
Rafique N. Ali
Negotiation - Chairman
Vice President
Sherali Haiderali
Honorary Secretary
Mahemood K. Momin
Treasurer
Lehjatali M. Momin
Warehouse Chairman
On behalf of our Board of Directors, CEO, staff and membership, I would like to wish
you a very happy New Years, and a prosperous 2016!
The economic outlook for next year is a positive one. It is likely that the overall global
economy will be favorable, despite some destabilizing political and diplomatic factors.
The forecast tells us that the industry trends we saw in 2015 will generally continue
into 2016. It will also be a year where our country is tested to see whether or not it
is capable of implementing its growth strategy in a consistent manner to ensure its
economic recovery.
Under these conditions, we want you to be aware that the economic tide may change
this year. For the past few years and more, there has been an overabundance of
money due to excess liquidity under a situation of ultra-low interest rates, and this
has supported high growth in many areas. GHRA has benefited from this growth as
members built new locations and tried new concepts without the burden of interest.
However, it is also likely that interest rates will rise as the country begins to grow faster.
We will carefully monitor this situation and we encourage you to do the same. Take a
proactive approach to these changes, and do not let them effect you negatively. We
want you to take these changes as an opportunity and allow them to lead you to new
business.
Shamsuddin Maredia
Director
Asif Davwa
Director
In order to achieve sustainable growth with limited resources, we must optimize our
management resources; in other words, we must further improve our category and
product portfolio. We need to continue to replace less efficient assets with more
efficient and profitable ones, while raising the standards for existing categories and
product lines.
Rahim Maknojia
Director
Tajddin Momin
Most importantly, commitment is key. Commit yourselves to excellence and to your
organization’s initiatives. Committing is simply making sure you keep your promises
and in doing so, we can overcome anything that comes our way in 2016.
Director
Mubarak Dhukka
Director
Zulfiqar Kurjee
Director
Nizarali Momin
Director
OFFICE
12790 South Kirkwood Rd.,
Stafford, TX 77477
Ph. 281.295.5300
Fax. 281.295.5399
www.ghraonline.com
Vol. 3 Issue 1
GHRA’s opportunities are expanding. Our company is playing a large role in the
economy of the southeast region with the establishment of our warehouse and
distribution center. At the same time, we want to fulfill the missions and roles expected
of our community, and contribute back to the development of the business architecture.
Let us continue to strive as a team to achieve our goals for 2016 with lofty aspiration
and a challenging spirit.
We would like to wish you all and your families another healthy and successful year.
Sincerely,
Zulfikar Maknojia
Vol. 3 Issue 1
3
In This Issue
In Balance................................................................................5
Feature Story.........................................................................6
Food Service...........................................................................7
Technology..............................................................................9
Education.............................................................................10
Safety......................................................................................11
Human Resources.............................................................13
Industry News....................................................................14
Business Services Update..............................................15
Community..........................................................................16
Government Relations....................................................17
Warehouse Update...........................................................18
New Member Introductions.........................................19
Announcements.................................................................20
Promotions In Action......................................................21
4
2016 Cooler Reset Form................................................22
Vol. 3 Issue 1
In Balance
H
appy New
Year! And
what a year 2016
will be for all of
us here at GHRA!
In the coming
months, we will
be bringing many
important projects
to our members.
As we get our
Warehouse &
Mike Thompson
Distribution
Center
Chief Executive Officer
up and running in
the first quarter we will continue to focus
our efforts on food service, store training,
safety programs and more.
worked best in 2015 and expand
on, or better develop, these ideas.
Just as important though, we should
also look at what strategies did not
work and find ways to improve upon,
or remove, those things from our
businesses.
With the new year, there will also
be many challenges. Volatility in the
oil industry has a large impact on fuel
prices, which in turn influences how
consumers spend their money in our
stores. Our local economy is heavily
influenced by the health of the oil
industry, and although Houston has
benefited recently from a strong oil
GHRA continues to look for more
market, we need to keep our stores
opportunities to help Members build
their business volume while delivering prepared for an uncertain future.
Additionally, our local governments
the tools necessary to operate
c-stores safely and efficiently. January are going through changes in
leadership. We will continue to work
is the best time to take a fresh look
with local and regional government
at your store, and reflect on what
leaders, and law enforcement
officials, to find ways to increase store
safety.
Lastly, I want to encourage every
GHRA Member to keep in the spirit
of working together. Collectively we
have accomplished many things and
we have much, much more left to
do. Working together and supporting
each other is the most important
aspect of our recent successes.
Supporting GHRA, and its objectives,
makes all of our businesses strong
and competitive. Stay involved and let
us know what we can do to improve
our services for our Members.
I wish everyone the best for 2016
and pray this is the most prosperous
year for your business and your
family.
The future is bright for GHRA!
The following is a paid advertisement
THANK YOU FOR YOUR BUSINESS
The PepsiCo Company and Frito lay wish to thank the members of
GHRA for a terrific 2015 & we look forward to a strong partnership in 2016!
Below is the outlines for our 2016 program. Frito-Lay representatives will be in your store
in January to assist you with this programming, Thank you for your business.
Store
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• 1st Position
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• Primary Lobby Position
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Vol. 3 Issue 1
Optional
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Under
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5
Feature
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GHRA!
"Happy birthday
GHRA! Here’s
to 17 years of
fantastic growth
and many great
accomplishments!
Birthdays
happen every year.
Every person and
organization has
Bill Pitocco
GHRA Vice President
them whether
they’re celebrated or not. At GHRA we
aren’t just experiencing the inevitable
passage of time, we are celebrating
something much more, something bigger
than all of us as individuals!
This organization is made up of
experienced and dedicated store owners
and managers. Owners and managers
who work very hard every day and who
have had a vision for GHRA’s future since
its inception. When you think about it,
that vision is a relatively young one; 17
years isn’t a very long time in the grand
6
scheme of things. Our vision is a young
and aggressive one with much hope
and potential leading the charge. That
hope is fueled by the character of this
great company. A character that displays
self-control, quick and unquestioning
obedience to duty, and zest in difficult and
arduous undertakings. There is power
in this character because it is a formula
that is tried and true; it’s a formula we
attribute to our current leadership and
the leadership before them. If we simply
work hard, good things will come to us.
And good things have come to us here at
GHRA.
Just like the original vision for GHRA
17 years ago, we will see the GHRA
Warehouse and Distribution Center grow
and prosper throughout the coming years.
Do you remember the passion? Do you
remember that hope for what GHRA
would become? The only thing larger than
the potential for our warehouse is the
hope we have in it; that same hope we
had 17 years ago. We know that hope is
the engine that drives us all to action, and
this organization is continually “In Action.”
Whether it is working at a store, at a
function, at GHRA or volunteering, GHRA
members are moving forward knowing
that our work defines us and will leave its
legacy on the next generation. That hope
is fueling a future that we know will be
secure.
What started as a few convenience
store owners coming together is now an
organization that is over 100 employees
strong. What began as a million-dollar
business could soon become a billiondollar business. As we celebrate our
17th year, remember that we have a
strong future, a long future, a future
that is built on a very small concept
called cooperation. We’ve mastered it,
and in doing so have formed the most
successful cooperative in the U.S with
many great years ahead…
Vol. 3 Issue 1
Food Service
Breakfast Brawl
By Jamie Hartford
Y
our mother was right, breakfast
is the most important meal of the
day —though not just because it boosts
metabolism. It can also build sales. Since
2001, the away-from-home breakfast
market has swelled from $57.5 billion
to more than $90 billion, according to
market research firm Technomic. But
in the battle for breakfast
dollars, convenience stores
are coming up short.
Consumers are
frequenting quick-service
restaurants more than two to
one over convenience stores
for their weekday morning
meals, according to a
Technomic study released in
January. Lump in fast-casual
restaurants, donut, coffee,
bagel and smoothie shops,
and convenience stores
are getting creamed 20 to
three at breakfast time. Over
all dayparts, foodservice
traffic at convenience stores has fared
better than in restaurants, which have
suffered seven consecutive quarters of
decline, noted Bonnie Riggs, restaurant
industry analyst with market researcher
the NPD Group. But convenience store
foodservice traffic growth has been
driven largely by lunch and snack
occasions. "The morning meal is still
weak for convenience stores," Riggs
said. "There’s a definite opportunity
there, but they’ve got their work cut out
for them against the burger guys who
have a lot more marketing clout."
Declines in restaurant breakfast traffic
and sales during the recession have
also heated up competition. Restaurants introduced 460 new breakfast
Vol. 3 Issue 1
offerings in 2009 —more than in either
of the two prior years —according to
market intelligence firm Mintel. With
most consumers indicating that they
don’t expect to buy breakfast more often
this year, convenience store operators
looking for a bigger slice of the breakfast
pie are going to have to steal share,
predicts Technomic’s Darren Tristano.
"They’re going to have to be competitive
and find a way to stand out and drive
their share of traffic."
To stay in the fight, convenience stores
must improve their offerings and perhaps
lift a page or two from the QSR breakfast
battle plan.
Quality Coffee
Starbucks revolutionized coffee culture
in the United States by bringing bolder
brews and fancy drinks to nearly every
street corner. McDonald’s changed the
game again by doing it cheaper. The
result: McCafe©, where even costconscious consumers are now coffee
connoisseurs.
"Breakfast is the only daypart where
beverage choice drives a lot of the
purchase decision on where to get the
food," said Dennis Lombardi, executive
vice president of foodservice strategies
for retail and foodservice consultancy
WD Partners, which counts Wawa and
Circle K among its clients. "You have to
have an outstanding coffee program; if
not, you’re nothing more than
second class."
QSRs like Burger King
and Subway have already
upgraded their drip-coffee
brews to compete with
McDonald’s, and some
convenience chains have
followed suit. To keep their
coffee programs competitive,
other convenience stores
would be wise to do the
same, said Andrew Hetzel, a
Hawaii-based coffee industry
consultant.
"Find a good regional or
national roaster that has a better-rated
product than the guys who are also
selling you your toiletries," Hetzel said.
"Your cost per cup will only increase
a few pennies, potentially increasing
your selling price, and you’ll be giving
customers a cup of coffee they’ll come
back for."
Counteract the Drive-Thru
One offering QSRs have that most
convenience stores do not is the drivethru. Instead of ordering from the
comfort of their cars, convenience store
customers have to park, get out and
enter the store to make a purchase.
The entire act can be inconvenient.
Convenience stores would be wise to
entice customers who are filling up at
7
Food Service
the pump in the morning to come in
and make a purchase. For starters,
ensure a high level of customer
service and pleasant in-store displays.
Offering opportunities for customization
is another attraction. "You can offer
different creams or flavor shots that
they can add to their coffee," Lombardi
said. "Or in addition to the traditional
egg, protein, slice of cheese sandwich,
allow them to throw something else on
there, like Tabasco sauce or mushrooms
or Swiss cheese. The option for the
customer to tailor that product creates
an advantage."
Retailers such as Wawa, Rutter’s and
Sheetz —all based in Pennsylvania —
have touch-screen ordering kiosks that
enable customization, giving customers
the option to choose their toppings and
sides with their breakfast orders.
And while convenience stores don’t
have drive-thrus, they do have the upper
hand when it comes to product variety.
For instance, QSR breakfast
customers typically have to choose
among the house coffee, milk and
orange juice, or drink a soda with their
breakfast. Convenience stores can offer
a variety of coffee drinks —both brewed
and bottled —along with teas, juices and
cooler doors full of additional beverage
options. What convenience stores lack in
the speed of a drive-thru, they can make
up for in selection.
Bundle of Tastiness
QSRs pioneered the combo meal,
bundling food and drink items for
less than it costs to purchase each
separately, but they’re not the only ones
who can package up a deal.
Sara Lee Foodservice provides
promotional materials to help
convenience
stores that
serve its Jimmy
Dean break-fast
sandwiches bundle
8
the product with a coffee in the morning
daypart. Research shows such deals
can increase check averages by up to
10 percent and raise basket size by
more than 15 percent, according to
the company. Sara Lee Foodservice
provides promotional materials to help
convenience stores that serve its Jimmy
Dean break-fast sandwiches bundle
the product with a coffee in the morning
daypart. Research shows such deals
can increase check averages by up to
10 percent and raise basket size by
more than 15 percent, according to the
company.
The practice can drive new purchasing
behaviors, says Catherine Porter,
Sara Lee’s senior customer marketing
manager for convenience stores. For
instance, pairing the company’s premium
sausage, egg and cheese biscuit with
a coffee can encourage consumers
to trade up from the cheaper sausage
biscuit. Bundling can also get consumers
to purchase high-margin items, such as
potato sides, that might be considered
optional, says Rafi Mohammed, author
of the pricing strategy book, The 1%
Windfall.
Rutter’s uses its touch screen ordering
kiosks to suggest a bundle with hash
browns and a coffee when a customer
orders a breakfast sandwich. The upsell
seems to work, as Weiner says nearly
half of all breakfasts sold are combo
meals.
To use bundling successfully, Porter
suggests pairing items that are a natural
(e.g., coffee and a pastry) and change
deals frequently so customers don’t get
too attached.
Can’t Beat 'Em? Join 'Em
Convenience store operators
intimidated by the legwork required to
build a breakfast program from scratch,
or whose sales aren’t up to par, can
consider partnering with rather than
competing against QSRs.
Partnering with a nationally
recognized brand can lend credibility
to a convenience store’s foodservice
program, says Shultz Hartgrove,
senior vice president of convenience
development for sandwich chain
Quiznos, which in March debuted a
national breakfast program to court
convenience stores.
"It gives [customers] that comfort in
the c-store operator," Hartgrove said.
"It’s perceived to be cleaner, safer and
a better value because the consumer
doesn’t have to make an extra stop."
Hartgrove says when convenience
store operators open a Quiznos
franchise on site in-store sales can
improve, too. "People are clearly coming
in and buying other stuff," he said.
But Steve Rosen, chairman and CEO
of franchise consultancy FranNet, says
partnering with a QSR doesn’t guarantee
killer breakfast sales. Because so many
breakfast offerings are similar across
the chains, it’s important to choose a
quick-service partner that has made a
name for itself in the daypart. There are
costs —including equipment, franchise
fees and ad contributions —to consider,
and the franchisor likely won’t grant
exclusivity rights.
"You might find yourself spending a
couple million only to find out they’re
building another store right across the
street," Rosen said. Before signing on,
operators should do their homework.
"It comes down to how much that
brand is worth," Rosen said. "Ask
yourself, 'Will it bring more people into
the store? What am I adding to the menu
that I couldn’t do for myself? Am I going
to be getting enough to justify what I
have to give up?’"
Jamie Hartford is a freelance writer
based in Hood River, Oregon. She
specializes in covering the business of
food. ■
Vol. 3 Issue 1
Technology
Opportunities and Risks on the New
Frontier of Mobile Commerce
Retailers across channels putting new emphasis on mobile
projects, study says
By Angel Abcede
BOSTON -- As the need to connect with
customers through mobile devices grows,
retailers have begun to prioritize new and
upgraded mobile apps and websites as a
critical step, according to a recent study.
The 2015 BRP Special Report: Mobile
Commerce—The Future of Retail reveals
that mobile commerce has
become a valuable revenue
stream for retailers; however,
retailers need to address
security risks and privacy
concerns as they prepare for
the anticipated shift of fraud
from stores to e-commerce and
mobile-commerce sites.
“The mobile device is the
cash register of the future, the
sales associate of the future
and the wallet of the future–
or rather the now,” said Ken
Morris, principal, Boston Retail
Partners (BRP), Boston. “The
opportunities for mobile to
influence retail sales—via direct
sales through a mobile website
or app or through in-store
possibilities to influence sales—clearly
represent the new frontier transforming
retailers’ operations.”
Like their counterparts in other channels,
convenience-store retailers should also
consider their mobile strategies, but not
at the expense of existing infrastructure,
according to Marty Whitmore, vice
president of BRP. Whitmore told CSP Daily
News that convenience stores want to
pull customers into the store to buy highmargin items and can use display screens
Vol. 3 Issue 1
in their pumps to do just that.
“In effect, the gas pumps are the mobile
extension for c-stores and present a
unique opportunity to promote special
offers to consumers while they are
pumping gas that will, hopefully, inspire
them to enter the store and shop,”
Whitmore said. “Some c-stores are now
offering lower cost per gallon of gas based
upon an in-store purchase."
According to the BRP report, new or
upgraded mobile apps and websites are
top commerce priorities for surveyed
retailers. Drawing from the firm’s 2015
E-Commerce Benchmark Survey, officials
said mobile devices are creating many
potential opportunities and risks for
retailers to consider:
Mobile websites, apps. While a mobile-
responsive website is a requirement for all
retailers with e-commerce, a well-designed
mobile app can elevate the shopping
experience and increase customer loyalty
and sales.
In-store possibilities. Beyond line
busting, there are many other mobile
opportunities for retailers
to enhance the customer
experience and drive
incremental sales, such
as customer identification,
geolocation, guided selling,
customer Wi-Fi and crosschannel transactions.
Security risks. History
has shown that when EMV
(Europay, MasterCard Visa)
is implemented in a country,
store fraud is reduced and
online fraud rises dramatically.
Now that many retailers have
implemented EMV, the focus
should be on locking down
security for e-commerce and
m-commerce.
Privacy concerns. Retailers
are concerned over how best to protect
their customers’ privacy while still gathering
location, preference and purchase data.
Integration challenges. With the addition
of mobile channels, the integration,
dissemination and consolidation of all
pertinent data is compounded, making it
more challenging for retailers to provide
customers a seamless experience with
the brand. A shift from silos to a holistic
paradigm must occur as retailers upgrade
their mobile capabilities. ■
9
Education
Study: Kid-Friendly Products Can
Hook Long-Term Customers Early
Children under age 9 are particularly influential.
Published in CSNews, December 2, 2015
ROCKVILLE, Md. — The way to
develop long-term customers is to hook
them early in life. Children under the
age of 9 are a particularly influential
demographic for food and beverage
marketers, as lifelong dietary habits are
established during this time period and
brand loyalty begins, according to a new
report by market researcher Packaged
Facts.
Today’s kids are more marketing savvy
and make more nutritionally conscious
choices than any prior generation,
and they have input on the foods and
beverages their parents buy for them, the
report noted.
According to Packaged Facts, kidfriendly food is qualified as such when
it has a taste kids love, nutrition kids
need or entertainment kids seek. Taste
alone, though, is not sufficient to qualify a
product as being for kids.
With its research based on seven
food and beverage categories in which
marketers have a strong tendency to
target kids — dairy products, snacks,
frozen food, beverages, cereal, shelfstable meals and produce — Packaged
Facts projects sales for the $25-billion
kids’ food and beverage market will grow
to almost $30 billion by 2018.
Growth will be driven by continued
economic recovery, strong new product
development, and increased demand for
health and wellness products suitable for
growing kids.
10
Packaged Facts' research also found
that:
• Marketing strategies must go
beyond simple kid-appeal and focus
on gaining parent approval. Although
targeting the child demographic is largely
accomplished through formulation,
packaging and marketing, kids are
the end user and not necessarily the
decision maker when it comes to product
purchase.
• Obtaining parent approval is most
often achieved through healthy brand
positioning and socially responsible
efforts. Brands that have a strong
alignment with health are in a good
position to succeed in appealing to the
parent demographic.
• Kids’ food is more about marketing
claims such as natural, organic, gluten-
free and no preservatives/additives, and
less about diet monikers like fat, calories
and sodium.
• Transforming “healthy” offerings into
fun and interactive products creates more
appeal among younger demographics
while still catering to parents’ desires for
good nutrition.
• Many marketers find ways to
associate themselves with health,
even if their products may not have a
great nutritional profile. Although the
product itself may deter parents away,
by promoting child exercise and health/
wellness programs, the marketer may
reflect positively on the product by
instilling ideas of a balanced lifestyle
while providing kids with the products
they want. ■
Vol. 3 Issue 1
Safety
Attorney Generals Calling for Adoption
of More Secure Chip and Pin Technology
Published in CSP Daily News
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Eight state
attorney generals joined Connecticut
Attorney General George Jepsen
in urging leadership of the nation’s
largest credit-card issuers to speed up
implementation of chip-and-PIN (personal
identification number) technology,
which is widely considered a more
secure means of processing credit-card
transactions than traditional magneticstripe payment cards and the Europay
MasterCard and Visa (EMV) chip chipand-signature card process they are now
rolling out.
In a letter, the AGs asked leaders
at companies including MasterCard,
Visa, Discover Financial Services, Bank
of America, Capital One, Citigroup,
American Express and JP Morgan
Chase--who have collectively begun
the nationwide transition to a chip-andsignature card--to move to full chip-andPIN technology as soon as possible.
The AGs said that doing so would be
in the best interest of consumers, who
are now routinely impacted by breaches
involving credit and debit cards, and of
local businesses, which are at risk of
increased financial risks as well as harm
to their reputations and loss of consumer
trust if they experience a breach.
“Over the last few years, breaches at
major retailers that involved credit and
debit card information have really shown
a giant spotlight at the inherent weakness
and vulnerability of magnetic-stripe
cards even when the cards are lost or
stolen,” said Jepsen. “We know, based
on experiences in other countries, that
chip and PIN cards offer greater security
Vol. 3 Issue 1
to consumers--security that I believe far
outweighs any initial burden or confusion
that always comes when we need to
get used to a new way of doing things,
like using a credit card. Consumers in
Connecticut and across the country
deserve access to the absolute best that
the industry has to offer. Right now, that
is chip and PIN, and I believe it’s my
responsibility to advocate on their behalf
for it.”
The AGs said that while the ongoing
implementation of chip-enabled cards in
the United States is “imperative in order
to provide stronger payment security
and assurance to consumers,” most
chip cards currently being issued in the
country rely on a signature, rather than
a PIN, as the secondary
form of verification.
“There can be
no doubt that this
is a less-secure
standard, since
signatures can easily
be forged or copied
or even ignored at the
point of sale,” the AGs
wrote. “In order to better
protect consumers,
the chip-enabled cards
issued in this country
must be reinforced
with the requirement
that consumers enter
a PIN to verify
the transaction.
… Absent this
additional protection,
your customers and
our citizens will be more vulnerable
to damaging data breaches. This is
something we cannot accept, and nor
should you.”
“I am not calling for chip and PIN or any
other particular technology to be codified
in federal or state law as a legal mandate
on card issuers,” Jepsen said. “Rather,
I am urging credit-card issuers, as good
corporate citizens, to voluntarily expedite
the implementation of a technology that
exists now and offers substantial security
benefits and to continue to adapt and
improve security as quickly as possible
as newer and even better technology
arises in the future. No technology
will prevent all credit card fraud, but
chip and PIN promises to substantially
curtail lost and stolen card fraud and the
disruptions it causes to consumers
and businesses. I
11
Safety
The following is a paid advertisement
recognize that issuers should consider
and minimize disruptions to consumers
and retailers as they implement new
technology to improve security, but I
believe they can and should do more to
expedite implementation of chip-and-PIN
technology.”
In addition to Connecticut, AGs from
Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New York,
Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and
the District of Columbia joined in signing
the letter.
“This is further proof that top law
enforcement officials and security experts
agree that continued reliance on an
illegible scrawl isn’t good enough to
protect American consumers when the
technology of a secret, secure PIN is
readily available,” said Mallory Duncan,
senior vice president and general counsel
of the National Retail Federation (NRF).
“Banks and credit-card companies should
heed the advice being given them and
immediately implement chip-and-PIN.
That’s the standard used around the
world, and U.S. consumers deserve
nothing less.”
The U.S. Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning
to law enforcement, merchants and
consumers that credit cards with the new
chip can still be the target of fraud. When
using the new cards at a point-of-sale
(POS) terminal, consumers should use
the PIN instead of a signature to verify
the transaction. ■
12
GOURMET 100% ARABICA COFFEE + DELICIOUS CREAMY CAPPUCCINO
Vol. 3 Issue 1
Human Resources
Pain-free Payroll
By CSD Staff
D
irect deposit isn't an option for
unbanked employees, meaning
they're left paying lofty fees at checkcashing facilities to gain access to their
hard earned money. And retailers, who
are steadily trying to turn their employees
to electronic payment options, are left
creating paper checks for a large portion
of their labor force.
Today more and more businesses
are turning to reloadable payroll cards
to reduce operating costs and provide
employees greater flexibility in how
they receive their pay. Denny's, a large
family dining chain in the U.S., is one of
the thousands of companies that have
turned to Visa-branded payroll cards. It
considers "the convenience factor" one of
the best reasons for jumping on board.
"We have 27,000 company employees
nationwide, with 30% of them using direct
deposit," says Debbie Atkins, director
of public relations for the Spartanburg,
SC based company. "We introduced the
payroll card as an additional option to
direct deposit, and today we have 3,100
employees participating in the program.
[Employees] no longer have to stop by
the restaurant for a paycheck, and our
restaurant managers can spend more
time focusing on customers rather than
turnover.
Interested companies would forge
an agreement with an issuing bank.
The bank provides the employers with
enrollment materials to be distributed
by their human resources department,
which explains the benefits of the payroll
card. The employee then signs up for the
card, providing their name, address and
distributing paychecks."
Social Security number to the employer
From an employer standpoint, studies
to give to the issuing bank. This triggers
indicate it costs a company $1.50 to issue the creation of a Visa payroll card in the
a paper check, not including inefficiencies employee's name that is mailed to his/
like processing and distributing in a
her home. The employee then activates
timely fashion. More than 4 million
the card, and has his/her pay directly
payroll checks are lost or stolen every
deposited into an account at each
year, according to the American Payroll
payday. There's nothing different for
Association. Generating replacement
employers than if they were signing up for
checks and checks for exception pay (i.e. a direct deposit account.
holiday pay, bonuses and overtime) can
While the payroll card is still a relatively
cost employers an average of $12 per
new concept and there are a number
check. Visa payroll cards reduce the time of options popping up in the market,
needed to process payroll, increasing
Denny's found an added benefit with its
administrative efficiency. Employers can
Visa-branded program (usa.visa.com).
help reduce payroll costs by reducing
"Our employees were more aware of
lost or stolen check replacements, bank
Visa than some of the other cards on the
processing and handling fees, check
market," says Atkins. "We chose the Visa
fraud, check printing costs and check
product because of brand awareness and
reconciliation costs. And their ease of
its strong marketing program. It made it
setup and processing make payroll cards much simpler approaching the employees
especially attractive in industries with high about it and explaining it to them." ■
COMING UP: FEBRAUARY PROMOTIONS
Spanner Board: Dr. Pepper 20oz bottles
Poster #1: Poster #2: Poster #3:
Dasani 1-Liter Snapple 16oz Monster 16oz
Vol. 3 Issue 1
13
Industry News
Three Reasons Chocolate Sales
Are Rising in C-Stores
81% of Americans are eating chocolate, and that number is growing
By CSD Staff
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The U.S. chocolate
candy market is bullish. With 81% of
American consumers eating chocolate,
sales of chocolate candy in the United
States are expected to exceed $26 billion
by 2018, a first for the industry, said
Convenience Store Products online, citing
a Packaged Facts report.
In 2015, sales will hit $22 billion. That
leaves roughly $4 billion for the taking,
of which convenience stores should
expect a piece. Given the strong pace of
innovation and an influx of creative new
suppliers, stores should see a steady
flow of new products to engage their
customers.
Here are just three factors behind
chocolate’s sweet success, according to
Rockville, Md.-based Packaged Facts’
report, Chocolate Candy in the U.S., 10th
Edition:
The market has continued growing
despite the volatile economic climate,
proving customer devotion.
The sentiment around chocolate
is that it’s an accessible luxury
and allows customers to trade up
to more premium products at
minimal expense.
Research supports cocoa
as a superfood with multidimensional nutritional benefits.
Consumers perceive that chocolate
is a guilt-free indulgence, which will
ultimately drive more consumption. ■
The following is a paid advertisement
14
Vol. 3 Issue 1
Business Services Update
G
reetings and
Happy New
Year to our valued
members. As we
look out at the
coming year and
reflect on the past,
many of us are
thinking about
our businesses
and personal
Jeff Thompson
goals. Maybe you
Research/Development and
had
some things
Business Services Manager
you wanted to
accomplish this year that you weren’t able
to accomplish for whatever reason. Here
at GHRA, we’ve been focused on our
Warehouse which is now just weeks away
from completion. There was a time when
the GHRA Warehouse and Distribution
Center was a dream – simply a sketch on
paper.
Our goals are like that. They start off
as ideas, and then we take action. At
some point the results of those actions
begin to bear fruit, and before long, our
goals have been realized. In the Business
Services arena, we continue to evaluate
our supplier relationships and look for
opportunities to make improvements in
every category in the coming new year.
We continuously watch the Credit Card
industry for opportunities to improve the
retailer’s position while sifting through the
distractions from the real threats to our
data security.
I think everyone should have at least
one big goal for each year. A goal that is
perhaps beyond reach, or a bit unrealistic.
I have both business and personal goals
this year. What are yours? Maybe it’s
time to remodel your store? Perhaps it’s
time to add financial services? Or is it
time to upgrade your store security – new
cameras, lighting, or armored car pick-ups
for your daily deposits?
Whatever your goal is, know this: at
GHRA, the work we do is about adding
value and profitability to your stores.
We work best when we know what your
goals are. Stay in communication with us
and continue to let us know about what
your needs are. Many of you have called
and given me your feedback about what
you want and need in the realm of credit
card processing. Through your Board of
Directors, I have a clear idea of what our
goals are once the warehouse opens.
Remember that even your biggest, most
“blue sky” goals are possible if you lean
on this strong community and our strong
organization. There is an African proverb
that speaks to this: “If you want to go
fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go
together.” There’s no limit to where we can
go, if we go together. Let’s make 2016 an
amazing year for all of us. ■
The following is a paid advertisement
We take pride in offering our GHRA customers a great
selection of products to meet your market needs.
Please call us today (323) 786-7865
(this is a local call)
Vol. 3 Issue 1
15
Community
Art exhibit review: Doors Without Keys
The Aga Khan Museum’s latest exhibit focuses on homey
architecture from multiple countries
By Reut Cohen
S
tepping inside the Aga Khan
museum has an immediately
calming effect. The ceilings are high,
the walls are muted shades of white
and grey, and the subtle hymn of a
muezzin plays over the loudspeaker.
Abbas Kiarostami’s Doors Without
Keys has just opened to the public,
and as the first exhibition by a solo
artist at the museum, it certainly sets a
high bar.
Meticulously curated, the
multidimensional exhibit combines
its visuals with lighting and sound to
create a fully immersive experience.
To create this installation, Kiarostami
took photographs of abandoned doors
in his home country, Iran, as well as
France, Italy, and Morocco.
This past August, Kiarostami flew to
Toronto to supervise the painstaking
process of printing each photograph
on life-size canvasses. Meanwhile
at the museum, over 800 hours
of labor were put into creating the
installation’s structure. The walls that
were being constructed needed to be
freestanding, but weighty enough to
hold the artwork on both sides. Now,
the exhibit has been arranged into a
labyrinth-like formation, compelling
the viewer to seek out the doors for
themselves.
Each door is different. They are made
of different materials, and are shown
in different seasons. Some doors
are locked; some doors are not. It’s
impossible to identify which country each
door belongs to, save for stickers with
Farsi and Arabic slogans on a few.
What each has in common, however,
16
Door 3 by Abbas Kiarostami. Courtesy Aga Khan Museum.
is that it is abandoned; that seems to be
the point. The overdubbed soundtrack
of indistinct conversations and children
playing force us to imagine a life behind
each one. Who lived there? Where
did they go? The exhibit’s approach is
far more visceral than trying to extract
meaning from an abstract painting hung
on a white wall.
I find myself filling in the gaps,
imagining the world that surrounds
each door. Other walls are decorated
with snippets from Kiarostami’s
poetry. The poems exude themes of
melancholy, solitude, and exclusion.
“The bell is broken, please knock at
the door,” one reads. Lines like these
appear to be the most overt messages
of the exhibit. They seem to demand
action and engagement from the
reader.
Interspersed in the maze of doors
are a number of hammock-like
daybeds on loan from the Lahore
Tikka House, a halal restaurant in
the east end of the city. When I try
to perch on one to take notes, I am
forced to lie back. There’s no way to
sit here distractedly; every aspect of
the exhibit is crafted to ensure viewer
participation.
While I lie back, I read a transcript of
Kiarostami’s interview with journalist
Nazzy Beglari conducted in August.
In it, he explains how he wanted to
create “a neighbourhood” with this
exhibit. He has done just that.
I visited the Aga Khan museum
hoping to gain some insight into
Iran, the country from which my
grandparents fled, and that I may
never see. When asked why he always
returns to Iran after long periods away,
Kiarostami says, “I appreciate myself
inside Iran.” Through his latest exhibit,
this statement rings true.
Doors Without Keys is showing at the
Aga Khan museum until March 27, 2016.
Admission to the museum is free on
Wednesdays from 4:00 – 8:00 pm. ■
Vol. 3 Issue 1
Government Relations
Government Relations: News Update
By Steve Koebele – Attorney & Government Relations Counsel
Austin, Texas – Soon a new product
will likely be available for sale in Texas:
powdered alcohol. An alcoholic mixed
drink is produced when powdered alcohol
is mixed with water or other drinkable
liquid, such as a cosmopolitan, daiquiri, or
margarita.
On the federal level, in March 2015,
the United States Alcohol and Tobacco
Tax and Trade Bureau approved notice
labels for a product called “Palcohol”
that, when added to water, produces an
alcoholic beverage. This action made
sales of Palcohol legal in the United
States, unless otherwise prohibited.
That is where various laws by individual
states become relevant. During the last
two years, a fast trend has developed
by states to ban powdered alcohol and
prohibit its sales before, or as, the market
develops. As of today, 27 states have
enacted laws that ban powdered alcohol,
while three other states regulate Palcohol
like they would any other product
containing alcohol.
Texas has yet to move with this trend.
Approximately 12 months ago, as state
lawmakers convened for their regular
session at the Texas Capitol in Austin,
legislation was filed that would have
stopped any manufacturing, importing,
selling or possessing of powdered
alcohol in Texas. Supporters of the bill
(HB 1018) included the Texas Package
Stores Association, the Wholesale Beer
Distributors of Texas, and Total Wine and
More. Ultimately, however, the author of
the legislation decided not to proceed
with moving his bill into law.
Those who support the legal sale
of powdered alcohol tout the ease of
use and convenience of carrying the
product, say, during a hike in the forest
and later mixing it with water from a
creek or brook. On the other hand,
opponents of powdered alcohol say that
children may wrongly obtain the product,
individuals may eat the product, or
consumers will mix the powdered alcohol
with other alcohol to create even more
potent drinks. At least one company,
the Galveston-based Lt. Blender’s
Cocktails in a Bag, is working to obtain
the appropriate state and federal license
approvals to bring its proposed powdered
alcohol products for sale in Texas. After
experience in the Texas market in 2016,
stakeholders can advocate their position
and the topic can be revisited by the
legislature during its next scheduled
regular session that begins about 12
months from now, in January 2017, back
in the Texas Capitol. ■
The following is a paid advertisement
Please support the following
Blue Bunny Distributors
Outside Houston
Pete Dimas Enterprises LLC.
281-227-0033
Vol. 3 Issue 1
For
Service
Call
Inside Houston
Tastee Kreme Ice Cream
713-290-0123
17
Warehouse Updates
Five Common-Sense Rules for
Inventory Management
As you all know,
managing inventory
in your stores is a
critical part of your
daily success. Our
Warehouse Board of
Directors, and office
staff, have spent
many hours planning
for every aspect
Nick Gibbon
of our Distribution
GHRA Warehouse Manager
Center’s inventory.
Recently I read an article on inventory
management, and the 5 common-sense
rules to ensure we are using the best
industry techniques and practices.
1. If you don’t know where you are
going, no road will take you there. To
manage inventory proactively, you must
know projected inventory levels for the
future. Our team has spent many hours
reviewing our stores’ product assortment,
and selling velocities, to project the
inventory levels needed to fill for our
opening orders.
18
We need to calculate appropriate safety
stock levels for all products based on
forecast error, supply variability, restock
lead times, quantity increments, and a
number of other less tangible variables.
The ability to take these factors into
account when planning your target
inventories is critical to effective inventory
management.
2. Buy what you can sell. Inventory
is not an independent variable - it is the
direct result of supply and demand. The
less accurate the forecast, the more
inventories we will have on hand which is
not "working" capital, but "non-working"
capital. This means it is costing you money
but not contributing to your bottom line.
Careful attention is necessary to improving
the forecast and to ensuring that the right
inventory is on-hand, and in the right place
at the right time.
3. If you can’t sell it, stop buying
it. If demand for your product does not
materialize, you need to identify that gap
quickly to avoid a buildup of non-moving
inventory. Numerous mechanisms can be
put in place to identify such trends.
We will have an effective standard
operating process at the warehouse
that includes the ability to identify these
deviations and allow for re-planning.
4. Safety stock is not a paperweight.
Our leaders have been asking the
question, "What level of inventory should
we never fall below?" Our answer is zero.
Safety stocks are only useful if they are
used. The whole point of safety stock is
to protect against expected variations in
demand and supply. If we never use your
safety stock, we have too much.
5. You can’t improve what you can’t
measure. Metrics are essential to a wellrun supply chain. Metrics for their own
sake, however, are worthless. The purpose
of a metric is to drive change when the
variable you are measuring trends in the
wrong direction. At GHRA we will have
the best metrics in place to ensure we
are providing a world class service at the
lowest possible operating cost. ■
Vol. 3 Issue 1
New Member Introductions
Welcome
Members
On behalf of the board of directors and staff at GHRA,
please welcome our newest members as of January 2016:
Fuel Depot #36 • Houston, TX
Ed's Country Store • Van Vleck, TX
24 Seven #9 • Houston, TX
V & D Food Store • Texas City, TX
Wheelock Express • Wheelock, TX
L & J Market • South Houston, TX
First Stop Food Store • Houston, TX
2016 GHRA Annual Membership Renewal
The 2016 GHRA Annual Membership Renewal deadline has passed. It is available on the
GHRA Members Portal. Please complete the online application and submit all required
documents.
Only Authorized Representatives are able to renew each store membership and access
stores under their log in.
Oasis Tidwell • Houston, TX
24 Seven #17 • Houston, TX
Snappy's Market • Columbus, TX
Niko's Corner • Oyster Creek
Timber Creek Food Mart • Houston, TX
A & T Food Mart • Beaumont, TX
2978 Express • Magnolia, TX
Fairmont Food Mart • La Porte, TX
Only Authorized Representatives will have access to the renewals on their member portal.
1.
Visit http://www.ghraonline.com/
2.
Log into the member portal
3.
Click on Membership Renewal and start the renewal process.
4.
Please have the Authorized Representative DL, Tobacco Permit, and Beer License on hand,
as you will need those required documents to complete your membership renewal successfully.
Vol. 3 Issue 1
19
Announcements
Industry News
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Lehjatali Momin | Warehouse Chairman
NOW
HIRING

WE’RE ONLINE
WWW.GHRAONLINE.COM
All GHRA
announcements and
publications will be
posted online.
Various positions
available
Please visit ghraonline.com for
a complete listing of all available positions
TCEQ Manadatory Underground Storage
Tank (UST) A/B Operators Training
GHRA is excited to provide this online
training, for the price of only $65.
Members are
encouraged to visit the
GHRA website on a
regular basis for up to date
information and latest
publications.
GHRA ONLINE
CLASSIFIEDS
WWW.GHRAONLINE.COM
• Members purchasing online training
will receive a unique code from GHRA.
• This training takes about 4-6 hours
and must be completed within 30 days
from start of training.
• Payment options: Money order or
deduct $65 from your quarterly rebate.
Under Other Services
Absolutely FREE for
GHRA members.
Members can now
list businesses or
equipment for sale on the
GHRA Website!
REGISTRATION FORM IS AVAILABLE
at www.ghraonline.com
GHRA CERTIFICATION CLASSES
Learn2Serve:
Food Safety Principles Training +
Texas Food Safety Manager Bundle Package
To register for this Health class please visit
www.learn2serve.com/
texas-food-safety-certification
Learn2Serve:
TABC Seller-Server Training Exam
To register for this TABC Class please visit
www.learn2serve.com/
online-tabc-certification
Sales/enrollment: 1-888-395-6920
20
Vol. 3 Issue 1
Promotions
In Action
January 2016
Vol. 3 Issue 1
21
22
Vol. 3 Issue 1
The following is a paid advertisement
FRITO LAY
Promotional Dates:
1/1 - 1/31
Package:$2.00
Package Cost:
$1.47
Promotional Discount:
$0.05
Net Cost:
$1.42
Suggested Retail:
$1.89
Retail Margin:
24.86%
GHRA All-in-one Rack
$2.00 Value Line
Shippers on Sides
Nut Harvest
Harvest Shipper
$1.49 Pre-Packed
Weekender
SHIPPERS INCLUDE:
$1.49 Pre-Packed Weekender
Cost $62.40 | Margin 30.20%
Vol. 3 Issue 1
$1.99 Nut Harvest Holiday Shipper
Cost $92.88 | Margin 35.18%
23
The following is a paid advertisement
PEPSI
Promotional Dates:
1/1 - 1/31
Package:12pk
Package Cost:
$8.70
Promotional Discount:
$1.35
Net Case Cost:
$7.35
Suggested Retail:
2 for $8.00
Retail Margin:
21.1%
Any
Variety!
All 12 packs CSD 2 for $8.00
throughout the month of January
24
Vol. 3 Issue 1
The following is a paid advertisement
BRISK
Promotional Dates:
Package: Package Cost:
Promotional Discount:
Net Case Cost:
Suggested Retail:
Retail Margin:
1/1 - 1/31
1-Liter Bottles
$15.50
$5.51
$9.99
2 for $2.00
39.2%
All 1-liter Lipton Brisk drinks are 2 for $2.00 In January
Vol. 3 Issue 1
25
The following is a paid advertisement
AQUAFINA
Promotional Dates:
Package: Package Cost:
Promotional Discount:
Net Case Cost:
Suggested Retail:
Retail Margin:
1/1 - 1/31
1-Liter Bottles
$15.50
$5.51
$9.99
2 for $2.00
39.2%
All 1-liter Aquafina bottles are 2 for $2.00 In January
26
Vol. 3 Issue 1
The following is a paid advertisement
DR PEPPER
Promotional Dates:
Package: Package Cost:
Promotional Discount:
Net Case Cost:
Suggested Retail:
Retail Margin:
1/1 - 1/31
20oz Bottles
$9.00
$.85
$8.15
2 for $2.22
41.4%
New item from Dr. Pepper
Imported from Mexico!!
Vol. 3 Issue 1
27
The following is a paid advertisement
SNAPPLE
Promotional Dates:
Package: Package Cost:
Promotional Discount:
Net Case Cost:
Suggested Retail:
Retail Margin:
1/1 - 1/31
16oz Bottles
$11.00
$2.36
$8.64
2 for $2.44
47%
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
We appreciate your partnership & business
Thank You!
28
Vol. 3 Issue 1
The following is a paid advertisement
NEURO
Promotional Dates:
Package: Package Cost:
Promotional Discount:
Net Case Cost:
Suggested Retail:
Retail Margin:
1/1 - 1/31
14.5oz Bottles
$18.75
$1.75
$17.00
2 for $4.22
38%
Hot Price
2/$4.00!
New item from Dr. Pepper
Imported from Mexico!!
Vol. 3 Issue 1
29
The following is a paid advertisement
HENRY'S HARD SODA
Promotional Dates:
Package: Package Cost:
Net Case Cost:
Suggested Retail:
Retail Margin:
1/1 - 1/31
16oz
$32.80
$1.37
2 for $3.50
22%
Henry’s Hard Soda: Big Opportunity with C-Store Shopper
Bet on Henry’s Hard Sodas – Orange and Ginger Ale
• Hard Sodas are growing fast with c-stores +115% in
sales*
• Henry’s offers the right flavors: orange & ginger ale sodas
are 3x the volume of root beer soda sales
• Henry’s offers the right packs for c-stores: 16oz can and
6pk bottle. Singles are 62% of flavored beer category
sales at c-store**
Get On Board Early
• Make your store the go-to destination for Henry’s Hard
Sodas by getting it on the shelf quickly
• Two flavors are better than one! Stores with two flavors
from one brand sell 3.7x more***
30
NEW!
Vol. 3 Issue 1
The following is a paid advertisement
Vol. 3 Issue 1
31
The following is a paid advertisement. This product is not endorsed by GHRA.
32
Vol. 3 Issue 1
The following is a paid advertisement
$20 Off
All Services
For January
2016
GEO’s Recipe for GHRA members
To avoid unreasonable fines:
$20 Off
All Services
For January
2016
Stage-II decommissioning has been approved by TCEQ!!
Geo will decommission each Gilbarco MPD (minimum 4 MPDs) for $550 including the
following services:
 30 Day decommissioning notification to TCEQ;
 Replacing Stage II nozzle/ hose with non-vac nozzle/ hose;
 Replacing P/ V vent cap;
Conduct Pressure Decay Test.
*Sign up with Geo for Monthly Inspections and avoid TCEQ Citations
For $100/ Month
Make Sure you have:







Current Delivery Certificate
Current Pollution Liability Insurance
Current Inventory or SIR reports
Current Employee Training Certificate
Current Annual and 3 year testing
60 day rectifier inspection and 3 year CP
testing by a certified inspector
Current calibration stickers on dispensers
GEO Environmental Consultants
40 Lyerly Street, Houston, TX 77022
Tel.: (713) 695-4708 | Fax: (713) 695-5736
www.geoenvconsultants.com
Vol. 3 Issue 1
33
The following is a paid advertisement
The following is a paid advertisement
“Integrity backed by Experience”
Specializing in the
removal of…..
Services include…..
Termite Inspections
Termite Treatments
WDI Reports
Residential
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put under ARREST!
Checks and Credit Cards welcome
Serving Greater Houston and surrounding areas
Call today to make an appointment!!
281-580-5618
www.arrestapestinc.net
34
Vol. 3 Issue
33 1
The following is a paid advertisement
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
C-Store Accounting Exp. Since 1992
Business Tax (1120, 1120S, 1065)
Personal Tax (1040)
Business Financial Statements
Audits Service(Sales Tax and IRS)
Payroll Services
Bookkeeping (All type of businesses)
Mahjabeen Samnani
Samir Karowalia
Salim Momin
T – 713-988-2243
F – 713-988-0800
6200 Savoy Dr. Ste 400 Houston TX 77036
The following is a paid advertisement
LOCATED INSIDE GHRA OFFICE
12790 SOUTH KIRKWOOD RD HOUSTON TEXAS, 77477
COMMERCIAL
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YOU WILL BE PLEASED WITH OUR SERVICE AND PRODUCTS, SO CALL US TODAY
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Cell: 832-283-4246
Fax: 1-888-506-6022
36
12790 South Kirkwood Rd., Stafford, TX 77477
Ph. 281.295.5300 • Fax. 281.295.5399
www.ghraonline.com
Vol. 3 Issue 1