NEWSMAKERS
AAFES Named 'Retailer of the Year' by CE Distributor

• FORT LEE — The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) was selected as “Retailer of the Year” by New Age Electronics, a leading distributor of consumer electronics and gaming products and services.

According to the Exchange, the “Retailer of the Year” award winner is chosen based on several measures, including “year-over-year revenue growth; close executive alignment; strategic partnership; sourcing of multiple brands, and a consistent positive credit standing.”

In addition to meeting these criteria, the Exchange said it was recognized for expanding its offerings with New Age Electronics, and for “developing new and innovative ways to market and sell the distributor’s products to consumers in stores and online.”

AAFES noted that it was also recognized for opening its website to all honorably discharged military personnel via the Veterans online shopping benefit (VOSB). ...

Ships Store Sales Supercharge USS Bataan’s MWR Fund

• NORFOLK — Powered by sales generated by its Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) ships store, the USS Bataan’s (LHD-5) supply department donated a check for $110,000 to the ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) office on Nov. 2, bringing its total donation to MWR this year to $210,000. In the photo, Ship’s Serviceman Seaman Sherese Oliphant makes a sale to a customer in the USS Bataan ships store.

This was the second time this year that the supply department’s sales and services division (S-3) donated a check of this magnitude to MWR. This significant achievement was made possible by funds collected from items purchased through the ships store and ship vending machines from June to November.

In June, the S-3 division donated $100,000 from sales made from February through May. Chief Ship’s Serviceman Wendy Davis, the leading chief petty officer for S-3 division, said that she is extremely proud of her division, and points out that the donation never would have been possible without her division’s shipmates’ hard work and dedication. “It’s another huge accomplishment for S-3,” Davis said. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of professionals.” ...

MCX/MCCS’s Hoover Recognized for 50 Years of Service to Marines

• MCB CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — From helping Marines purchase furniture for their homes to seeing them leave and return from major conflicts in this century and the last, Susan Hoover has been part of Marines’ lives in many different ways since she began her long and caring career 50 years ago.

Whether setting up tables of hot dogs, warm cookies and pizza to welcome Marines retuning home from Iraq, staffing the cash register, or ensuring Marines can get gasoline on base when they need it, Hoover has been taking care of these servicemembers since she started work as a sales clerk serving Marines during the Vietnam War era, in 1967. ...

AAFES VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS
‘On-the-Go’ Items Set Pace for Healthy Lifestyle

Multivitamins, pre-workout and intra-workout beverages, branch chain amino acids (BCAA) products and a growing “On the Go” sports nutrition segment, which includes such items as protein cookies, have been setting the pace in the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) vitamins and supplements assortment.

Exchange Sports Nutrition and Vitamins Buyer Amber Seibert reported strength in a series of categories through Oct. 31. In particular, multivitamins, energy bars and pre-workout ready-todrink (RTD) shakes/beverages have posted strong sales numbers thus far during the fiscal year, while letter vitamins and minerals and sports nutrition powder supplements have struggled to keep pace into the fourth quarter.

All told, Seibert said that supplements were up 3 percent in dollars and 7 percent in units through the end of October. However, through the same period, the sales performance of letter vitamins/minerals had been greatly impacted by a voluntary recall of private label items.

“We were out of stock for several weeks while the issue was corrected, and new product was shipped back to stores,” Seibert said, adding that 12 percent of total sales within vitamins/supplements is generated by private label products. ...

FOOD SERVICE
Well-Known Brands Vitalize Exchange, MWR Foodservice Venues

Foodservice facilities in exchange and morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) portfolios on U.S. military bases around the world do their operators right proud. Nearly 3,000 facilities, ranging from sports activity snack bars and food court grab ‘n’ go to coffee shops and sit-down restaurants representing many popular cuisines, generate almost $2 billion a year in revenue.

In fiscal year 2016, exchange services and MWR agencies in the Defense Department operated or oversaw more than 2,902 foodservice outlets that rang up $1.802 billion, according to Government Food Service magazine. Of these venues, more than 1,700, turning in the bulk of the revenue, are recognized national or regional branded outlets.

Though changes occur periodically in specific brands on different installations, the overall picture has remained fairly steady for the past three years, despite shifts in troop strengths and without regard to deployments and realignments, varying less than 2 percent a year.

Including FY16’s Coast Guard 25-restaurant revenue of $5.5 million and Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) sales of $176.3 million from its 349 foodservice units (189 PatriotCafes and 160 PatriotBrew coffee locations), the military resale system toted up $1,984.4 million in 3,276 foodservice outlets. ...

Read more FOOD SERVICE - WELL-KNOWN BRANDS VITALIZE EXCHANGE, MWR FOODSERVICE VENUES ...

AAFES Brings Touch of Home to Battle Group Poland

• BEMOWO PISKIE, Poland — Since the end of last March, 1,000 Soldiers serving as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) in Poland — which now encompasses four battle groups including the one here — have appreciated the presence of an Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) Mobile Field Exchange (MFE) trailer parked on this Polish installation.

The MFE has brought personal care essentials, sundries, cold drinks, microwavable meals and electronics — including televisions and Xboxes — to U.S. troops at Bemowo Piskie Training Area (BPTA), which is just 100 miles from the Russian border.

While the Exchange has MFEs and troop stores positioned to support Soldiers in sync with the Army’s mission in Eastern Europe, the trailer at BPTA was the first of its kind to serve U.S. troops supporting this NATO mission.

“The Exchange’s service at the tip of the spear represents the very best of what we do,” said Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tom Shull. “We are all-in to support Soldiers serving with NATO’s Battle Group Poland to ensure they remain ready and resilient. Familiar products and a warm smile can make home seem not so far away.” ...

DeCA
DeCA Fiscal 2017 Million-Dollar Vendors

Each of the following 194 companies received more than $1 million in payments from the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) during fiscal year 2017, which ended Sept. 30, 2017. In most cases, payments made to divisions or subsidiaries of corporations appear under the corporate name. Such listings have been consolidated and are included as one sum here; asterisks indicate consolidated listings. Dollar volume shown for brokers, distributors and buy/sell firms generally reflects only amounts paid specifically to those firms and does not include payments made directly to their principals, which in many cases represent the bulk of their sales. ...