Operational excellence; phenomenal leadership; a laser focus on its people, values and culture; and an ongoing commitment to investing in convenience retailing are what Nouria embodies and fully embraces. These are extremely important characteristics of the best convenience store chains in the industry, which is why CStore Decisions is proud to honor Nouria as the…

Despite a global pandemic and looming economic recession, the convenience store industry continues to grow sales at record numbers. But the stakes have never been higher as storeowners face competition from multiple retail channels, regulations that are threatening foundational categories like gasoline and tobacco and a labor crunch that is crippling chains of all sizes.…

When it comes to the cigar category, c-store retailers are watching regulatory headwinds at the local, state and federal levels as legislatures increasingly target flavored tobacco. A ban on flavored cigars would clearly change the dynamic of the tobacco category at convenience stores.  The good news is, despite the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) releasing…

Estate planning involves all of the assets in an individual’s estate including an ownership interest in a convenience store business. Thus, succession planning should be part of an estate plan — or undertaken before that estate plan. Even more importantly, a succession plan for the business can help ensure that a closely held or family…

C-store chains are doubling down on their lunch offerings as customer demand for foodservice options grows. Tried-and-true c-store fare like chicken, pizza and roller grill remain customer favorites, while limited-time offers (LTOs) keep the menu fresh. Lunch sales are strong and continuing to steadily grow at Beck Suppliers Inc.’s FriendShip Food Stores, which operates 29…

Prior to the debut of debit cards in 1996, customers primarily proffered cash for their convenience store purchases, or maybe a personal check. Since then, there’s been a steady migration toward card-only payments. More than 40% of Americans exclusively use an alternative form of payment other than cash for all their purchases, per recent research…

WINNER: High’s of Baltimore High’s continues to upgrade its restroom features and value the importance of sanitation as an influence on in-store sales. Although restroom cleanliness has always been a well-regarded aspect of convenience store operations, its importance has never been quite so touted as it was during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, post-pandemic and with…

A trend toward an increased demand for spiked or alcoholic slushies started to grow during the COVID-19 pandemic amid lockdowns when customers turned to convenience stores for ready-to-drink cocktails for home consumption. “Frozen alcoholic blended beverages continue to be a consumer favorite,” noted Mike Kostyo, associate director and trendologist for Datassential. “America’s favorite cocktail is…

Meat snacks have been a hot seller in convenience stores this year. In fact, according to NielsenIQ, the category increased 7.7% in the 52 weeks ending Aug. 27, 2022, while jerky was up 4.6%. Mike Jackson, category manager for High’s headquartered in Baltimore, Md., with 59 stores in Maryland and Pennsylvania, has seen a rise…

Walking the floor at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) annual conference last month in Las Vegas, a few offerings from beverage manufacturers caught the attention of the Goldman Sachs representatives in attendance. In the company’s “America’s Consumer Staples: Quick Takeaways from NACS Show in Vegas,” released Oct. 4, Managing Director Bonnie Herzog wrote:…