Presenting at the 2012 National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Leadership Forum, the NACS vice president of research Dae Kim delved into the importance snack sales play to this retail market. Kim noted the per-store sales of snacks (candy, salty, sweet and alternative snacks) stood at roughly $2,500 in 1975 but were a stalwart $13,500 in 2010. And, “while snacks draw about 10% of c-store trips, snackers dominate impulse sales (accounting for about 35%).”

Quinn Popcorn takes an organic approach to snacks, promising “organic corn and non-GMO pure ingredients” in its “reinvented” microwave popcorn.

Quaker Oats may have long been a staple of cookie recipes in consumers’ kitchens, but the brand is finally gaining its own packaged cookie line.

Although new product introductions in confections and snacks generally wait until the Sweets & Snacks Expo in May, this year has already seen several high-profile launches and announcements. Just Born Inc. is taking a heated approach to sweets with an even hotter version of its Hot Tamales.

An ancient healing tea is one of the latest beverage launches in the U.S. marketplace. Numi Organic Tea is adding a line of Pu-erh teas with such flavors as coconut, cardamom, basil mint, jasmine and ginger.

A new study shows that reducing iron levels in blood plasma may protect the brain from changes related to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Convenience store sales, both at the pump and inside the store, set new records in 2011.

Healthy people who exercise and also eat chocolate regularly tend to have a lower body mass index than those who eat the rich brown sweets less often, a U.S. study suggested.

Researchers at the University of Scranton (Pa.) ran a lab analysis on the content in several types and brands of popcorn and found that the crunchy hull is rich in polyphenols.

Kraft Foods Inc. announced its new global snacks company will be named Mondelez International Inc.