The success of a convenience store relies on managing personnel recognizing the products that customers want and catering to the trends that arise in purchasing habits in a timely manner. Without the most appealing merchandise array, c-stores will lose potential opportunities and sales.
Category managers are essential for knowing the correct assortment for each store. And that assortment may be different depending on geographic location, generational demographics, nearby establishments and more.
As a category manager for Dandy Mini Marts, Jesse Dix has keyed into emerging trends for the tobacco category and capitalized on the continuously expanding next-generation items of the segment, making sure Dandy is always up to date with the latest customer asks.
CStore Decisions is recognizing Jesse Dix as a Category Management Leader for his dedication to the industry and in-depth knowledge of his categories.
In the Beginning
Today, Dix’s responsibilities involve managing the tobacco category, including cigarettes, as well as beer and wine, health and beauty care, general merchandise, direct store delivery (DSD) chip vendors, and DSD packaged sweet vendors.
“I love how every day is never the same, and this business is constantly changing and evolving. I am forced to evolve my thinking in order to keep up with today’s consumer,” said Dix.
Prior to working at Dandy, Dix worked for US Smokeless Tobacco while attending Penn State University and for a brief period of time post graduation. He soon after accepted a full-time role as a territory manager at Swisher International, where he stayed for nearly 10 years.
Following his time at Swisher, he took on his current position with Dandy Mini Marts, which operates 63 convenience stores in Pennsylvania and New York.
“My father, Tom Dix, has been a category manager at Dandy for over 40 years, and I still remember running around the corporate office as a little kid wishing I could work for the company one day,” said Dix.
Dix is now starting his eighth year with Dandy.
An Evolving Industry
As a category manager for tobacco, one of Dix’s primary focuses must be on the federal, state and local regulatory minefield that comes with the territory.
For example, at press time, a potential federal ban on menthol cigarettes and characterizing flavors in cigars loomed, and many vape products are consistently struck with marketing denial orders.
Tobacco category managers industrywide must regularly review the products they are allowed to keep on the backbar.
In fact, Dix believes legislative threats, including increasing taxes, are one of the biggest challenges facing category managers today.
“To quote my general manager, ‘The government can change our business with the stroke of a pen,’” said Dix.
To address the issue, Dix noted Dandy is speaking with political representatives in the chain’s markets to inform them that their decisions have the potential to negatively impact Dandy’s business.
Aside from legislation, Dix noted another challenge is pressure from dollar store openings. A dollar store sits close to over 70% of Dandy’s sites.
To stand apart from dollar store competition, Dandy is emphasizing products it offers that dollar stores do not, including foodservice, beer caves, frozen drinks and more.
While working with Dandy to tackle these hurdles, however, Dix remains focused on what he can do day by day to improve the categories he manages.
During his years with Dandy Mini Marts, Dix has had the opportunity to not simply make certain his categories were performing at the status quo, but to improve upon them and recognize new prospects.
For example, he spearheaded the implementation and refining of the alternative nicotine sets.
“I worked closely with our R.J. Reynolds rep at the time to come up with a plan to create a permanent home in our existing tobacco space for all the alternative nicotine products. I visited every store over the course of roughly six months and reset the entire section,” said Dix.
A few products that Dix added and/or expanded the variety of included ZYN, On!, Rogue, Black Buffalo, Vuse, NJOY and JUUL.
Dix is excited to see the evolution of the alternative nicotine category and to continue reviewing the sets to make certain Dandy is positioned for the category’s future.