Balance of Food

For those who lived near a White Hen Pantry, it has always served as a nice alternative to 7-Eleven. But White Hen got swallowed up by 7-Eleven. There's nothing really wrong with 7-Eleven; I've enjoyed many fine "meals" there. I even joke of being on a business trip to Washington, DC and buying breakfast there. We got reimbursed for meals and it identified a "$6 breakfast." Unfortunately, finding a $6 breakfast wasn't easy because of the areas where we stayed. Well, I got a $5.94 breakfast of 2 hot dogs, nachos, a Big Gulp, and the Sunday Washington Post. Those were the days of good eating. Joe DePinto, president and chief executive of 7-Eleven, suggested in the media that the White Hen Pantry name may be used for fresh-food offerings. That sounds good (from a marketing standpoint), because White Hen has meant fresher than 7-Eleven to me. The major concern is giving 7-Eleven legitimate competition to not let it get complacent. White Hen Pantry did serve that role. I do hear a buzz about Tesco PLC, Britain's largest retailer, opening a chain of 4,000-square-foot convenience stores in California and Arizona that sell high-quality fresh foods. That will be good news for all.