Convenience Store: The Video Game
We didn’t realize running convenience stores was such an adrenaline-pumping adventure. But that’s before we heard about “The Last Gas Station,” a new PC game set to debut on gaming platform Steam. The game comes from developer Alawar Entertainment and it’s apparently a “story-driven management sim that mixes cozy business-building with eerie mystery,” according to independent video game review site MonsterVine. In the game, players are reportedly placed in charge of the last c-store selling gasoline in a universe that’s evolved to rely on electric vehicles. Players get to clean and modernize the anachronistic fuel station. “That means upgrading fuel pumps, managing a roadside store and designing your neon signage,” MonsterVine reported. But a mystery lurks at night, which the publication described as “creeping tension” and a “chilling undercurrent.” If that’s not enough, Steam also offers a game called “Gas Station Simulator,” which was released in 2021. Would you play a c-store video game after working for a c-store all day? –Heather Lalley
A Salty-Sweet Pairing For a Good Cause
In an unexpected flavor mashup, snack maker Utz has introduced lemonade-flavored potato chips in partnership with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, an independent childhood cancer charity. Utz will donate a portion of each bag sold, up to $25,000, to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, funding critical research and support for children battling cancer. –Rachel Gignac
A Cherry Slurpee Almond? That’s Nuts
The flavor mashups keep on coming! Blue Diamond Almonds, Sacramento, California, is teaming with Irving, Texas-based 7-Eleven on a Cherry Slurpee-flavored almond. The offering, which comes in a 1.5-ounce snack tube, combines the “classic crunch of Blue Diamond Almonds with the sweet pop of cherry that’s kept Slurpee drink fans coming back over the years,” the companies said. “Cherry is an iconic summer flavor, so it immediately came to our attention when ideating, and what encapsulates that more than the sweet and refreshing Cherry Slurpee drink,” said Maya Erwin, vice president of marketing and innovation at Blue Diamond. “Bringing this flavor to our protein packed almonds makes it the perfect snack for the flavors you crave in the warmer months, while delivering on our desire to provide consumers with new and exciting flavors.” –Chuck Ulie
Hulkamania Runs Wild at a Texas C-Store
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan went to a TXB location in Kyle, Texas, last month to promote his Real American Beer. The legendary wrestler signed beer cases and took photos with customers. The beer is brewed in the U.S., Real American Beer is 110 calories and has 4 grams of carbs. It’s made with four ingredients—malt, hops, yeast and water. –Rachel Gignac
Bazooka Launches Juicy Drop Mystery Cube
Juicy Drop Gummy Mystery Cube is a new offering in New York-based Bazooka Brands’ Juicy Drop lineup. The new product was unveiled at the 2025 Sweets & Snacks Expo, going on now in Indianapolis. The mystery cube continues the brand’s legacy of Edible Entertainment, offering consumers new and novel ways to engage with candy, the company said. The mystery cube is a gummy experience featuring an outer gummy cube that, when peeled back, reveals a surprise 3D animal-shaped gummy hidden inside. Developed by Las Vegas-based Amos Sweets, the makers of Peelerz, this next iteration introduces a mystery element to the already popular peeling experience. Available in two variety packs, Original and Wild Berry, the mystery cube includes land and sea animal varieties inside the gummy cube. –Chuck Ulie
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