FORT WORTH, Texas -- Take a service-oriented culture and add strict attention to detail and the result is another banner year for the Huck’s convenience-store chain, according to CEO Todd Jenney.
Jenney outlined his 109-store chain’s philosophies and the steps that its parent, Martin & Bayley Inc., Carmi, Ill., takes to execute on its strategies.
Though credentials, intelligence, education and other traditional factors play a role in hiring, Jenney told the closing session gathering of about 300 attendees, “more than anything else, passion is what makes the difference.”
That passion within the Huck’s chain has lead to record-breaking revenues despite a three-year recession. Jenney reported double-digit increases in its performance metrics, creating sizable rewards for employee owners.
Part of its success lies in its infrastructure, having developed a supply-chain model that includes its own warehousing system, store deliveries twice a week and its own fuel-transportation business.
Innovations also occur at the store level, with themed displays such as its Sweet Street candy aisle and focused promotions on specific candy bars. For instance, its internal contest with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups brought in two years’ worth of sales in just one month. Its current focus on Kit Kat bars is on pace with the Reese’s effort.
The company is also interested in innovation, building a drive-thru program that now exists at 35 locations.
Looking ahead, Huck’s intends to grow through small acquisitions and new builds, having developed a streamlined format for expansion and construction. The chain currently operates in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee.
—Angel Abcede
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