Growth-Focused Parker's Renews McLane Partnership

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Parker's renewed its multi-year agreement with McLane Co. Inc. The deal comes as the Savannah-based convenience store chain plans to double in size within the next five years.

According to a joint news release, Parker's is on track to grow from a $500-million company to a $1-billion company and experienced 53-percent growth over the past three years. Central to that growth has been the retailer's use of McLane's suite of merchandising and technology services, which has boosted profit while cutting operational costs. 

"Relationships with our vendor partners are key to the success of our company. McLane continues to go above and beyond to make sure we are able to serve our customers' needs," said Brandon Hofmann, chief marketing officer at Parker's, which operates 43 convenience stores across Georgia and South Carolina.

Last year, Parker's saved approximately 10 percent on cost of goods ordered with McLane's Virtual Trade Show, an online trade show that enables McLane's retail customers to view and book hundreds of quarterly product specials on top of any rebates they are receiving directly from their vendors. 

The retailer also utilizes McLane's Strategic Merchandising Portal and McLane's Premium Ordering Management Suite, which includes the Customer Managed Inventory solution and the Smart Hand Held Inventory Management System barcode scanner. 

"Parker's is revolutionizing the convenience store industry with cutting-edge approaches focused on saving time, increasing profitability and allowing its managers to spend more time with customers," said Patrick NeSmith, area sales manager at McLane Co. "McLane is committed to keeping Parker's on its mission of combining first-class customer service with an uncompromising commitment to quality. We look forward to our ongoing relationship with Parker's and what the coming years will bring."

Temple, Texas-based McLane is a $46-billion supply chain services company, providing grocery and foodservice supply chain solutions to convenience stores, mass merchants, drugstores and chain restaurants throughout the United States.