For the past 18 years, Suzie Hall has coordinated the logistics for Advantage Solutions at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s seen firsthand the show grow into a massive tradeshow for more than 23,500 industry stakeholders \u2014 including brands, retailers, wholesalers and more. She\u2019s also had a front-row seat to Advantage\u2019s evolution, which culminated this year with a bold new identity as a unified solutions provider.<\/p>\n
But even Hall was surprised when global MMA icon Conor McGregor strutted past the Advantage booth after posing for cameras with boxing legend Mike Tyson, who appeared to promote his LF*GO! energy pouches.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a first,\u201d Hall said, grinning as a crowd swarmed the booth for a glimpse of the pugilist duo.<\/p>\n
Beyond the flash of celebrities and mascots, this year\u2019s NACS Show offered a robust showcase of retail <\/strong>innovation<\/strong> <\/strong>across the convenience channel \u2014 from brand launches to go-to-market strategy.<\/p>\n For Advantage, the show was a platform to unveil its new visual identity and emphasize its capabilities as a strategic partner in the fast-growing convenience store space.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s exciting to share our new corporate and visual identity,\u201d said Brian McRoskey, chief growth officer. \u201cIt reflects the breadth of services and solutions we offer.\u201d<\/p>\n Take LF*GO! as an example. The new entry in the energy product category is being guided to retail success with Advantage\u2019s full backing \u2014 including market entry strategy, retail relationships, and merchandising support.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s unique because we\u2019re in at the absolute ground floor,\u201d McRoskey said. \u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity to bring the whole power of Advantage to launch them into retail.\u201d<\/p>\n While innovation abounds, legacy brands still face challenges in the fragmented c-store landscape. There are over 152,000 convenience stores in the U.S., and 63% of them are single-store operators.<\/p>\n \u201cConvenience stores are a tough business to grow a brand,\u201d said Rich Adams, SVP for Mars Wrigley North America at Advantage. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the hardest channels because of the complexity.\u201d<\/p>\n Even with 37 years of partnership under their belt, Advantage continues to help Mars Wrigley grow its pet care and snacking divisions through custom strategy and tight retail alignment.<\/p>\n Others, like Energizer, rely on Advantage\u2019s retail innovation<\/strong> to<\/strong> maintain strategic placement and drive sales.<\/p>\n \u201cI view Advantage as an extension of our company,\u201d said Bobby Elkes, national account manager for convenience at Energizer. \u201cWe rely on their expertise.\u201d<\/p>\n C-store retailers face the daily challenge of curating a relevant, revenue-driving product mix. Sukhi Sandhu, chairman of the National Coalition of Associations of 7-Eleven Franchises, emphasizes that the stakes are high \u2014 especially in limited shelf space.<\/p>\n \u201cAdvantage is the perfect conduit,\u201d said Sandhu. \u201cThey know that the right products are key in such a limited space.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael Atkins, head of sales for branded services at Advantage, agreed: \u201cYou need the right mix of staples and innovation. That\u2019s what keeps you ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n While the LF*GO! brand is still early in its journey, the decision to highlight it at NACS came just days before the show \u2014 underscoring Advantage\u2019s agility in a fast-moving channel.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re a $4 billion company,\u201d Atkins said, \u201cbut we can pivot on a dime.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For the past 18 years, Suzie Hall has coordinated the logistics for Advantage Solutions at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show. She\u2019s seen firsthand the show grow into a massive tradeshow for more than 23,500 industry stakeholders \u2014 including brands, retailers, wholesalers and more. She\u2019s also had a front-row seat to Advantage\u2019s evolution, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2347,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"mrktblog-category":[41],"class_list":["post-2348","mrktblog-posts","type-mrktblog-posts","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","mrktblog-category-advantage-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHelping Established Brands Compete and Win<\/h2>\n
Innovation Matters \u2014 for Retailers, Too<\/h2>\n