$1 million goal to support the USO, Wounded Warrior Project and five state-based military support organizations
Clearwater, FL, June 28, 2011 – GSP, a leading provider of retail services, has joined The Pantry, Inc., the leading independently operated convenience store chain in the southeastern United States, for the “Salute Our Troops” campaign inviting customers in more than 1,600 Kangaroo Express convenience stores across 13 states to demonstrate united support for military personnel and their families.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, GSP and Kangaroo Express will invite store guests to make donations toward its $1 million fundraising goal. Funds will support the USO, celebrating 70 years of delivering programs, entertainment and other services to the military; Wounded Warrior Project, honoring and empowering injured servicemen and women; and five state-based military support organizations.
GSP has worked closely with The Pantry to incorporate the "Salute Our Troops" theme throughout all the existing site-specific POP elements and collateral—bringing the campaign to life in the store. GSP provides ongoing site-specific POP management services for The Pantry and Kangaroo Express including production and logistics as well as account, budget and inventory management—ensuring flawless in-store execution. GSP also provides graphic and industrial design solutions tailor made for retail results.
"GSP is proud to be part of this initiative with Kangaroo Express." says Geoff Neuhoff, GSP’s CEO. "We look forward to the Jeep Tour visiting our Clearwater facility on July 5th and having the many GSP military veterans share in this celebration."
Salute Our Troops celebrations will be held throughout the southeastern United States. A Jeep Tour will honor military heroes and their families along the route with celebrations in local communities.
"This summer's Salute Our Troops is an ideal campaign for Kangaroo Express and our partners to support of the men and women who serve our country," said John Fisher, senior vice president of The Pantry. "We are proud to join GSP in this campaign to provide an opportunity for our store guests to thank our military for the work and sacrifices required to protect our nation and preserve our freedom."
Store guests will be encouraged to support the program with $1 donations. Customers will add their own voice of gratitude with "shout outs" of pride and appreciation by posting photos and videos on the Kangaroo Express Facebook page. Many will be showcased on the Salute Our Troops website at www.KESalute.com.
About GSP
GSP helps consumer facing businesses transform their growth strategies into store-level results. Our site intelligence software optimizes planning and enables flawless store-specific retail execution. Our survey services ensure that retailers know the details of every store to improve capital expenditure decisions, store understanding and store support. Our design team provides award-winning graphic and industrial design solutions tailor made for retail results. And our point of purchase management team leverages expertise in design, production, fulfillment and data management to maximize return on in-store marketing efforts. We make retail better. For more information, visit www.gspretail.com.
About The Pantry and Kangaroo Express
Headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, The Pantry, Inc. is the leading independently operated convenience store chain in the southeastern United States and one of the largest independently operated convenience store chains in the country. As of May 9, 2011, the Company operated 1,659 stores in thirteen states under select banners, including Kangaroo Express®, its primary operating banner. The Pantry's stores offer a broad selection of merchandise, as well as gasoline and other ancillary services designed to appeal to the convenience needs of its customers.
With more than half of our stores located within 25 miles of a military installation, Kangaroo Express has supported the military and their families for many years. More than one-third of our employees have direct connections with the U.S. Armed Forces, either having served in the military or having a family member currently serving our country. In fact, more than 10 percent of employees at Kangaroo Express stores and more than 17 percent of employees at the corporate offices previously served in the Armed Forces. For more information about Kangaroo Express, please visit www.kangarooexpress.com. For more information about the Salute Our Troops campaign, please visit www.KESalute.com.
Media Contacts
Marketing - GSP
Email: marketing@gspretail.com
Voice: 727.532.0647
Largemouth Communications (on behalf of The Pantry)
Brandon Bryce
Email: brandon@largemouthpr.com
Voice: 919.459.6450