SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. -- About 160 G&M Food Stores and other stores concentrated on the West Coast and in the Southwest have signed on to sell products from Space Jam Juice LLC, a vaping company known for branded e-liquids, reusable vaping devices and coils.
Space Jam Juice’s reach in convenience retail will go from 4,000 stores in early fall to as high as 10,000 by year’s end, the San Clemente, Calif.-based e-liquid company said. The c-store chains that have given authorization include about 160 stores from Huntington Beach, Calif.-based G&M, as well as stores from four other convenience networks, two of which are concentrated on the West Coast and Southwest.
The renewed commitment from c-stores runs contrary to trend reports showing declines in certain vaping products, especially e-liquids.
Pittsburgh-based Management Science Associates Inc. (MSA) noted a 59% year-over-year decrease in volume of product shipped to c-stores ending July 1. One-time-use vaping devices and kits were also down in volume, 3% and 7% respectively, MSA officials said.
Officials with Space Jam point to the importance of building brand awareness in the leap from vape shops to c-stores. It's something Dylan Spencer, executive vice president of marketing for Space Jam, believes the company has succeeded in doing.
That’s not to say all news was bad for vaping products at c-stores. The MSA data, which tracks shipping movement of product into stores, showed a 481% increase in volume at c-stores for vaporizers, as well as a 12% increase in e-cigarettes overall and a 20% increase in cartridges.
Citing data from New York-based research firm Nielsen, Spencer said Space Jam's products can provide incremental revenue to c-stores currently lost to vaping stores. “The vape-store consumer frequents convenience stores two to three times a week,” he said, “but heads to the nearest vape shop for [his or her] vaping needs.”
In addition to c-stores, Space Jam products are available in vape and smoke shops nationally, as well as through online retailers.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.