Poppy Market, a new convenience store and fuel station, opened its first location in Arbuckle, California, on Feb. 25. Poppy is equipped with a car-charging station, dog-washing service, restaurant-style kitchen, car wash and bulk propane. The store also offers local merchandise such as bait, personalized hats, local produce and more.
Retailer Vintners Distributors also owns Loop Neighborhood Market, a chain of convenience stores based in Fremont, California, that features fresh and healthy products along with standard c-store fare. The goal was to develop a private fuel brand tied to the overall c-store brand, Varish Goyal, CEO of Poppy Markets and Loop Neighborhood Market told CSP.
The store will add Crunchy Munchy Chicken, according to a LinkedIn post. While the details of the kitchen are still being worked out, the store currently offers chicken, pizza, rice bowls and sides, Poppy representatives said.
“It is our mission to reinvent the modern convenience store in an approach that invites and excites everyday consumers,” said Goyal. “We aim to provide quality service while continuing to be a quick and affordable stop along the way. We are looking forward to bringing the Poppy spirit to Arbuckle and making life a little bit more convenient and easier for everyone.”
The store's layout is "supposed to be safe and inviting," said Goyal. The open floor plan with high ceilings and gondulas below eye level were implemented so that employees and customers could see throughout the store.
"It was designed to take items off the ground and have them in a designated location that makes it easy to shop and not look like clutter or storage," he said.
Poppy’s loyalty program rewards customers by giving 800 points at signup to each customer when they validate their contact information. Customers can also earn four points for every $1 spent in the store and two points for every gallon of gas purchased. Customers can choose the value of the coupon they would like, show the app at checkout to have the discount automatically applied, or add a phone number in the app to apply points to the transaction amount.
Poppy is also planning to add three EV charging stations.
- Vintners Distributors is No.57 on CSP’s 2022 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by number of company-operated retail outlets.
The chain is looking into expansion. The company plans to open additional Poppy Market locations in California, according to another LinkedIn post. "We have three in the pipleine," Goyal told CSP.
Vintners is supported by more than 20 fuel tankers that are visible on the highways throughout the Bay Area, where more than 100 company-operated stores are located. The company also operates gas stations and car washes and develops real estate. Vintners has a wholesale division that delivers fuel to about 60 dealer locations in the market, but the company has no other influence on products or operations for those locations. Loop supports active and healthy lifestyles by carrying organic, natural and gluten-free products. It offers items more specifically targeted to female and millennial customers. Additionally, each location offers seating areas equipped with Wi-Fi to further enhance the experience.
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