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Casey’s 1st Innovation Summit Lands 19 New Product Finds

Last August, Casey’s teamed up with RangeMe to launch its first-ever Innovation Summit in an effort to discover new brands that would attract a broader array of customers to its stores. The convenience store chain, which operates more than 2,900 stores across 19 Midwestern states, discovered 19 new brands from the Summit, and their products will be on the shelves this year.

In this interview, Casey’s VP of Merchandising Chris Stewart shares the chain’s initial goals of the summit, the process in which the final brands were chosen, and some advice for suppliers looking to get on the shelves at its stores. You can watch the full video interview below.

RangeMe: Let’s start with an overview of Casey’s and its typical customer. Who are they, how do they shop, and what kind of products do they buy?

Stewart

Stewart: Casey’s operates primarily in the Midwest, across 19 states. While we’re a convenience store at heart, our pizza platform really sets us apart. We’re the third-largest convenience store chain in the U.S. and the fifth-largest pizza chain. That pizza business drives a strong late afternoon and evening daypart, as well as a solid weekend business, which is different from many traditional …

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How RangeMe Leveled the Playing Field for This Startup Bandage Brand

The bandage category is not an easy one to break into. Scan the first aid aisle of any store and you’ll see a wall of products that are primarily from a couple of national brands or else are the retailer’s private label products. Beginning in March, however, you’ll find colorful and playfully-designed boxes of bandages from a new player on the shelves nationwide at one of the major extreme value retailers.

The brand is called Hug-a-BooBoo, but if you ask them, they don’t sell bandages.

They sell hugs.

A husband and wife startup

Hug-a-BooBoo is a Staten Island-based startup co-founded by the husband and wife team of Rob Treglia, a retired NYPD lieutenant, and his wife Christine, a NYC Department of Education speech therapist who is the owner of the brand. The idea for the company came following a visit to the pediatrician for their then three-year-old daughter, Mia. After getting some shots and some bloodwork done, she didn’t like the bandage they gave her and subsequently tore it off.

Cristine Treglia

So Christine made her a new bandage for Mia, taking a marker and drawing a frog on it in the likeness of one of her daughter’s stuffed animals, …

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Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification is more than just a badge of compliance—it’s a gateway to building trust with retailers and customers while creating a robust food safety and quality system. Whether your goal is to meet regulatory requirements, expand your market reach, or streamline internal processes, SQF certification can set your business apart.

Many companies, especially those new to the certification process, find the journey overwhelming. From understanding the requirements to implementing sustainable systems, each step requires careful planning and execution. The good news is that with the right guidance, achieving and sustaining SQF certification is entirely attainable.

What is SQF Certification?

SQF certification is a globally recognized standard that helps companies ensure food safety and quality at every level of their supply chain. It provides a comprehensive framework for businesses to identify risks, implement preventative measures, and continually improve their operations.

Key components of SQF certification include:

Food Safety Plan: A structured approach to identifying and controlling food safety hazards. Employee Training: Ensuring staff are knowledgeable about food safety practices. Ongoing Compliance: Regular reviews and audits to maintain certification standards.

Achieving SQF certification demonstrates your commitment to excellence and positions your company as a trusted partner for retailers …

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How Envision Group Helps Mission-Driven Brands Launch Into Non-Traditional Retail 

Non-traditional retail venues such as offices, sporting arenas, and schools offer brands unique opportunities to connect with engaged audiences. However, navigating this distribution channel can be a challenge for emerging brands. Fortunately, Compass USA, one of the largest food service companies in the world, has developed solutions to help these brands navigate this complex distribution channel with its Envision Group and Retail Incubator program.  

In this Q&A with ECRM’s Wayne Benett, Ann Pendleton, SVP of Compass USA and a key leader of the Envision Group, shares valuable insights into how the company operates, and how emerging, mission-driven brands can break into these non-traditional channels and thrive. 

Watch the full video interview here!

RangeMe: Can you give us an overview of Compass USA and your role within the organization?

Pendleton: Compass USA is one of the world’s largest food service companies, but we’re not a consumer-facing brand, so not everyone knows us by name. We operate behind the scenes, providing food and beverage solutions in places like schools, hospitals, corporate offices, and sporting venues. Essentially, wherever people work, play, study, or receive care, we’re there making sure they have a great food experience.

My role is with the Envision Group, which …

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Get More Press By Making Your Products Newsworthy – Here’s How!

Using PR as a marketing method for product launch requires an understanding of what is newsworthy and what is not. Whether you’re an accomplished PhD or an enterprising young person starting out with a fantastic product, most people don’t understand this. Once I explain it, however, you’ll be able to pick up the phone to a reporter at the Wall Street Journal or Buzzfeed and have an actual conversation instead of being blown off.

There’s nothing worse than calling a reporter and regaling them with a description of your product’s features and benefits, followed by, “It’s so newsworthy!” Did the reporter hang up on you? Yeeeeeah (cringe).

Editorial versus advertising

A little background: You should understand what editorial is versus advertising—the latter known as “buys.” 

Editorial content is (ideally) not subject to being bought—it is manifested in the form of unbiased reporting or the earned opinion of a reporter or producer. This is the content between commercials on TV, articles on dot-coms that are interrupted by popups, the organic listings on Google under the ads on the top, magazine feature stories between ads, etc.

Advertising includes anything you pay for—such as pay-per-click, influencers, banner ads, radio, TV, newspaper ads, endorsements, …

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When a retailer asks, “What is your food safety management plan?” you need to be ready with a clear and confident answer. For emerging brands, having a comprehensive food safety management plan is not only essential for compliance, but also for building trust with retailers and consumers. In a market where food safety concerns are high, buyers want to know your product is safe and reliable.

While food safety may not be top of mind as you develop your product, it is a critical factor in ensuring long-term success. Here’s why a food safety management plan should be a priority for your growing brand:

1. Building buyer confidence

Retailers are prioritizing food safety more than ever. A robust food safety management plan signals to buyers that you take quality production seriously. Certifications like SQF (Safe Quality Food) can make your brand more attractive to retailers, as many large buyers require some form of food safety certification. This commitment to food safety helps build trust, making your product a more desirable option on the shelf.

2. Ensuring compliance and reducing risk

With increasing regulatory demands from agencies like the FDA, having a food safety management plan ensures you stay compliant and …

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