All of Yesway and Allsup’s stores — CStore Decisions’ 2021 Chain of the Year — are stocking Black Buffalo’s smokeless tobacco alternative products for sale to adult tobacco and nicotine consumers beginning this week.
Yesway has a substantial presence in Southern U.S., with stores predominantly in Texas and New Mexico, as well as seven other states. This launch marks the entry of Black Buffalo’s products into the national convenience store channel.
Founded in 2015, Black Buffalo offers eight products that contain pharmaceutical-grade nicotine, but no tobacco leaf or tobacco stem, and also has developed a lineup of ZERO-branded nicotine- and tobacco-free products. Until the Yesway launch, adult consumers could find Black Buffalo’s products exclusively online and in select regional convenience stores.
“We are very proud to mark our national launch in the convenience channel with an industry-leading chain like Yesway. Our experience with the Yesway team has been outstanding, and we look forward to providing Yesway’s adult tobacco and nicotine customers with our award-winning tobacco alternative products one step closer to home, at their local Yesway or Allsup’s store,” said Matthew Hanson, Black Buffalo’s chief growth officer.
“We have seen robust demand for products that provide alternatives to adult consumers in the modern oral nicotine space. Our strong belief is that our adult customers will love the entire lineup of Black Buffalo’s products. We are excited to be the first to offer Black Buffalo’s products in the convenience channel in Texas, New Mexico and our other locations across the United States,” said Kevin Harder, Yesway’s senior tobacco category manager.
Established in 2015, Yesway is a multi-branded platform that acquires, transforms and enhances portfolios of convenience stores by leveraging expertise in real estate and technology and by implementing data-driven decision making. Yesway’s portfolio currently consists of 403 stores located in Texas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Nebraska, including, most recently, the Allsup’s Convenience Store chain.