Convenience Matters

Have you ever wondered which gas station serves the best cow tongue in Arkansas or has vegan food in Virginia? Hear from the Gas Station Gourmet guru, Al Hebert, as he shares tales of the best food finds and unique local fare and flare he’s discovered on his travels.

“‘C-store’ doesn’t just stand for ‘convenience store’ – it stands for ‘community store’” was arguably the most quoted line from the 2017 NACS Show general session stage. We look at consumer survey data and broader consumer trends that show how communities embrace the “community store” and offer ideas and resources to help you engage more closely in the community. The hosts build the business case for why community relations is important – and share how NACS can help retailers tell their story in the community.

Approximately one-third of all Americans are considered obese, and the percentages are increasing. As more consumers look toward diets and other solutions to gain control of their weight, there is another problem, known as “infobesity.” Simply put, there is too much information about nutrition and it’s becoming more difficult to make the right nutrition choices, especially when there is conflicting information. Like any food product, too much information is unhealthy. We’ll talk about what retailers and consumers can do to find the best food information quickly.

If you haven’t been to an automobile showroom in a few years, you’ll be in for a surprise next time you go. Automakers are putting a big emphasis on a few new fuels and power sources, as well as some amenities that make your car feel more like your living room. We’ll take listeners through some of the bigger trends on display from the 2017 Washington Auto Show – and discuss what it means to retailers.

Computer hacking has dominated the political discussion for most of the past year, but hacking goes well beyond politics. From data breaches to malware and ransomware, every business—or even every computer—is vulnerable. What can businesses do to best protect themselves from attacks—and what can they do to prepare for broader threats beyond their control? The hosts talk to Gray Taylor about all of the potential cyberattacks that businesses face—and what they can do to mitigate their risk to their businesses.

With 500-plus stores throughout 6 states, Sheetz is regarded as one of the most successful convenience retailers in the country. From its popular MTO sandwich program to its work with the Partnership for a Healthier America and its recognition as one of the best companies to work for, Sheetz has a lot of things going for it.  But at the same time, it’s also continually looking to reinvent itself. What are the trends that are driving change and how can retailers take advantage of them? The hosts talk to Sheetz CEO Joe Sheetz about how the company is continually seeking out new opportunities and addressing challenges that are common to convenience retailers.

Recent challenges with adjusting to a deregulated market in Mexico have led to an unusual sight: Mexicans coming across the border simply to buy fuel for their vehicles. Recent price increases and shortages are part of the growing pains for the Mexican petroleum market that is in the early stages of adjusting to a deregulated market for the first time in nearly 80 years. The hosts talk to their guest about how the recent challenges facing Mexico’s deregulated fuels market affects the United States.

There has been much more focus on the “crumbling infrastructure” related to how vehicles travel on the roads and bridges in the United States. But what about the infrastructure that supplies the 12 million barrels of transportation fuel that is required every day? And what are the critical considerations for any new fuels introduced to the market—especially how they must fit into an existing infrastructure?   The podcast examines the research findings in a Fuels Institute report that evaluates the U.S. supply chain, how it works and what limitations/weaknesses exist at each point to accommodate diverse fuel specifications and achiev­ing higher rates of biofuels penetration. Understanding the fundamentals of this complex system is essential for anyone considering introducing a new product into the market or adjusting market dynamics for any reason.

What do stand-out convenience stores around the world have in common? Good locations, great food and superb service. Hear about retailing around the world from NACS European partner and managing director of Insight, Dan Munford. From “foodvenience” to dog washes, find out what makes a store memorable and worth the cross-continental trip to visit. Host Carolyn Schnare, NACS Director of Strategic Industry Initiatives, talks to Dan about convenience retailing excellence around the world and in the United States.

For fuels retailers and their customers who are used to seeing retail gas prices change a few times a month, Denmark would be quite a shock, with prices changing a dozen or more times a day. That’s just one of many insights that Ian Thompson shared from his international travels in studying fuels markets. One thing is certain--fuel retailing is not easy and is getting even more complicated with the impact of increased competition, de-regulation, volume challenges and ever-diminishing margins around the world. Also hear how deregulation is affecting markets in India, Brazil and Morocco, which are in early stages of deregulation.   The key for retailers is to focus beyond just pricing strategies and look at other offerings to differentiate from their competition. Co-hosts Stephanie Sikorski and Donovan Woods talk with guest Ian Thompson of Kalibrate about broad trends like competition and deregulation and how it affects the fuels markets around the globe.

Those new “chip” credit card readers that are seen inside some retail stores may not be coming to your local gas station as soon as originally planned—the implementation date to require something known as EMV at gas pumps was extended from October 2017 to October 2020. This announcement is particularly beneficial to the fuel retailing community. What does this implementation date change mean for small and medium-sized retailers that comprise 80% of the convenience and petroleum retail market—and how does this affect your fill-up? The hosts discuss how the new implementation date for outside EMV affects retailers—and their customers.

The new Amazon Go retail concept is groundbreaking—an 1,800-foot store where customers use an app to continuously check out and never have to wait in lines. Amazon is just the latest in a long line of retail giants testing the convenience space, including Walmart, Tesco, Target and The Home Depot. How might this affect the convenience store industry? And, how does this revolutionize the concept of convenience, both now and over the next few years? The hosts discuss how the new Amazon Go retail store concept could revolutionize the retail environment—and what retailers can study to consider implementing at their own stores.

For VERC Enterprises, business goals always come back to serving the community. Nearly 20 years ago, the company tested a program to provide work to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After finding that the program significantly increased culture, it grew to providing employment to other hard-to-place individuals. Today, more than 20% of the 250 employees are individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This is just one of the many ways the company seeks to delight customers and celebrate the communities in which it serves. Co-hosts Jeff Lenard, NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives; and Stephanie Sikorski, Director, NACS Foundation and Mission Marketing talk to Leo about how he delights customers and gives back to the community.

EPA’s Office of Underground Storage Tanks is responsible for ensuring that fuel retailers maintain their tank systems to prevent petroleum releases. A 2016 report issued by the Office found that many diesel fuel retailers have experienced excessive corrosion in their systems and that many more may not even know they have a problem. Convenience Matters spoke with EPA about this study, new tank regulations and the relationship between EPA and tank owners. Co-hosts John Eichberger, Executive Director of the Fuels Institute, and Donovan Woods, Director of the Fuels Institute, talk to the EPA about the Agency’s report on corrosion in diesel storage tanks, underground storage tank regulations and priorities for the tanks program.

Customers are increasingly seeking out more fresh items at convenience stores--whether bananas, fruit cups or salads. And this trend is attracting new customers, especially millennials and women. But that doesn’t mean that a fresh offer will work at every store. If you’re not sure if you are ready to expand your fresh offer, review a quick 10-point checklist that Kelly helped develop as part of her involvement on the NACS-United Fresh “Fresh Convenience” task force. Co-hosts Jeff Lenard, NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives; and Stephanie Sikorski, Director, NACS Foundation and Mission Marketing talk to Kelly about what stores need to consider before they embark upon a more comprehensive fresh offer in stores.

Larry Thomas is known by that iconic character but sometimes it’s about being in the right place at the right time. He got the call to play the part about 7:30 at night and came up with his character in the early morning hours. And over the course of those few hours he created a character so memorable it led to an Emmy, an iconic catch phrase and a product line of, you guessed it, soups. Larry shares his thoughts on the NACS Show, explains how soup can sell in a c-store, and provides a behind-the-scenes account of his time working with the stars of the hit TV show, Seinfeld. Co-hosts Stephanie Sikorski, Director, NACS Foundation and Mission Marketing; and   Nat Keller, NACS Director of Marketing talk to Larry about foodservice in the convenience channel with the debut of his new soup line, growing up in an entrepreneurial household, and—of course—what it’s like to have been a part of a show that revolutionized American pop culture.

Why do blindfolded taste-test volunteers say that chocolate yogurt tastes like strawberry yogurt? It comes down to psychology and if their minds think it, they react accordingly. NACS Show attendees packed an education session to get insights about how the consumers’ mind works from Adam Brumberg—and we had a chance to dive deeper into how retailers can better understand human psychology to help increase sales of better-for-you items in stores. Co-hosts Jeff Lenard, NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives; and Carolyn Schnare, NACS Director of Strategic Industry Initiatives talk to Adam about the psychology behind how consumers make decisions—and what you can do about it.

“You need to separate yourself from the competition,” stresses Kent Couch. It’s something that he first did with a series of record-setting cluster balloon flights, beginning in 2006. However, the story about his Stop & Go store in Bend, OR, is really about what they have brought home from learning at NACS Shows and through NACS membership. Currently, it’s the wildly popular growler program, with more than 50 taps in the gas station. His store was the first to put in a growler station in the Northwest a few years ago. (Kent said that he got the idea from a NACS Daily article, and he says that it may have kick-started the entire growler craze in the Northwest.) Co-hosts Jeff Lenard, NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives; and Carolyn Schnare, NACS Director of Strategic Industry Initiatives talk to Kent about how he finds ideas to grow his one-store business. (Hint: The NACS Show plays a big role.)

Everyone at the NACS Show was talking about the NACS Show general session speeches. So it only makes sense that Convenience Matters talked to one of these speakers, Steve Gross. At the heart of his work, Steve helps others discover the power of optimism so that they can build resilience and bring greater joy, connection, courage and creativity to their lives. Co-hosts Carolyn Schnare, NACS Director of Strategic Industry Initiatives; and Stephanie Sikorski, Director, NACS Foundation and Mission Marketing talk to Steve about the themes that were part of his highly acclaimed 2016 NACS Show general session presentation.

The fuels and vehicles markets are truly global in scope and there are a number of fueling trends in South America that are relevant to the United States, from how they fuel vehicles to what fuels are sold, to what consumers do once they come inside the stores. And, as can be expected, there are also some interesting fueling-related issues that have emerged.