{"id":2358,"date":"2023-09-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T18:23:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T18:23:49","slug":"as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way","status":"publish","type":"mrktblog-posts","link":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/mrktblog\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/","title":{"rendered":"As Convenience Stores Face Change, Advantage Solutions Helps Guide the Way"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the National Association of Convenience Stores holds its annual NACS Show<\/a> in Atlanta October 4\u20136, it will not only be a celebration of the strength of the convenience store industry, it will be one of the biggest, most important business opportunities of the year for Advantage Solutions.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOur teams will be out in force at the NACS Show,\u201d says Charles Simpson, senior director <\/em><\/strong>category management<\/em><\/strong> at Advantage. \u201cWe\u2019re going to have a large presence at the show, meeting with more than 100 clients to promote and sell our services and solutions.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Innovation, Planning, and Shopper Trends<\/h2>\n

This year\u2019s show comes as the c-store channel is amid a period of growth and evolution in the United States, thrusting the channel into the retail spotlight and priming it for increased attention.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe continue to see mergers and acquisitions,\u201d says Simpson. \u201cWith that we\u2019re also seeing a growth in independent store ownership. At the same time, many of the large chains are building new stores or rebuilding acquired units.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For the first time in four years, the number of c-stores is growing in 2023, surpassing 150,000 nationwide. On top of that, advances in technology coupled with a changing customer base are forcing retailers and product manufacturers to evolve their approach in the channel.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe c-store channel has traditionally been somewhat behind when it comes to innovation,\u201d Simpson says. \u201cCost is always a major driver of speed in terms of innovation, but we’re starting to see stores get into more \u2014 or at least testing \u2014 self-checkouts as well as the integration of EV charging stations at their gas stations. There’s still some work on the cost front, but we’re seeing some retailers start to dabble in that space. We\u2019re also seeing growth in the use of apps and the mobile space to communicate with shoppers.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

With a clear transformation underway, Advantage is honing in on three key focus areas for convenience stores this year: general <\/em><\/strong>category management<\/em><\/strong> services, covering everything from market research to business planning; planograms and assortment for clients and customers who can\u2019t devote full-time resources to those tasks; and floor planning to address how consumers are shopping the store.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

A New Generation of Shoppers and Solutions<\/h3>\n

Perhaps the biggest change in the channel has been shoppers themselves. Data from NACS show the traditional demographic of 15- to 24-year-old blue-collar males is increasingly giving way to more female shoppers and Millennials, the latter of whom now comprise 39% of shoppers. Four in 10 shoppers have at least some college education, half have at least one child and 44% live in the suburbs.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

With a change in shopper profiles comes a change in product profiles, Simpson says. \u201cToday\u2019s shoppers are looking for bold new flavors, sustainable packaging, low- and no-sugar options, high protein, clean ingredients and so on. Those kinds of attributes are driving new product innovation.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s c-store shopper is also seeking out more foodservice options, says Brenda Chantry, senior team leader in <\/em><\/strong>category management<\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>at Advantage Solutions. \u201cC-stores are really pushing foodservice,\u201d she says, noting the category is one of the top drivers of growth in the channel last year. \u201cOur research says 50% of c-store customers agree the food at their c-store is comparable to fast-food restaurants. So instead of going to a fast-food place where there are long lines, <\/em><\/strong>they’re<\/em><\/strong> going to their quick, in-and-out c-store to get breakfast, lunch or a snack.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

All of these new products, innovations and new menu items will be on display at the NACS Show, along with educational sessions, networking opportunities and more. This year\u2019s show will draw more than 20,000 attendees.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Aside from connecting with friends and colleagues, Simpson says he is looking forward to learning new strategies to help retailers and manufacturers drive business and exceed profit expectations.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don’t need to invest in and hire a new person to execute against <\/em><\/strong>category management<\/em><\/strong> or planogram services, for example, when you can use Advantage services, which can be scaled based on your needs,\u201d he says. \u201cWe can offer so many experts and technology from our world, and that way you <\/em><\/strong>don’t<\/em><\/strong> have to make a massive investment to hire a full-time employee that you may not need all the time.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOur ability to help another business succeed is what drives me right now heading into the show.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the National Association of Convenience Stores holds its annual NACS Show in Atlanta October 4\u20136, it will not only be a celebration of the strength of the convenience store industry, it will be one of the biggest, most important business opportunities of the year for Advantage Solutions. \u201cOur teams will be out in force […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2357,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"mrktblog-category":[41],"class_list":["post-2358","mrktblog-posts","type-mrktblog-posts","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","mrktblog-category-advantage-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAdvantage Brings Retail Strategy to the NACS Show<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Advantage Solutions outlines category management, planning, and innovation support for c-stores ahead of the NACS Show in Atlanta.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"\/advantage360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Advantage Brings Retail Strategy to the NACS Show\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Advantage Solutions outlines category management, planning, and innovation support for c-stores ahead of the NACS Show in Atlanta.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"\/advantage360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Advantage Solutions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-03T18:23:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Convenience-store-newsroom-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/mrktblog\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/\",\"url\":\"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/\",\"name\":\"Advantage Brings Retail Strategy to the NACS Show\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Convenience-store-newsroom-2.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-09-21T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-03T18:23:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"Advantage Solutions outlines category management, planning, and innovation support for c-stores ahead of the NACS Show in Atlanta.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Convenience-store-newsroom-2.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Convenience-store-newsroom-2.jpg\",\"width\":600,\"height\":400},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"As Convenience Stores Face Change, Advantage Solutions Helps Guide the Way\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/\",\"name\":\"Advantage Solutions\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Advantage Solutions\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/advantagelogo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/advantagelogo.svg\",\"width\":1,\"height\":1,\"caption\":\"Advantage Solutions\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Advantage Brings Retail Strategy to the NACS Show","description":"Advantage Solutions outlines category management, planning, and innovation support for c-stores ahead of the NACS Show in Atlanta.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"\/advantage360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Advantage Brings Retail Strategy to the NACS Show","og_description":"Advantage Solutions outlines category management, planning, and innovation support for c-stores ahead of the NACS Show in Atlanta.","og_url":"\/advantage360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/","og_site_name":"Advantage Solutions","article_modified_time":"2025-11-03T18:23:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":600,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Convenience-store-newsroom-2.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/mrktblog\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/","url":"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/","name":"Advantage Brings Retail Strategy to the NACS Show","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Convenience-store-newsroom-2.jpg","datePublished":"2023-09-21T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-03T18:23:49+00:00","description":"Advantage Solutions outlines category management, planning, and innovation support for c-stores ahead of the NACS Show in Atlanta.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Convenience-store-newsroom-2.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Convenience-store-newsroom-2.jpg","width":600,"height":400},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"\/advantage-360\/as-convenience-stores-face-change-advantage-solutions-helps-guide-the-way\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"As Convenience Stores Face Change, Advantage Solutions Helps Guide the Way"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/","name":"Advantage Solutions","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#organization","name":"Advantage Solutions","url":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/advantagelogo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/advantagelogo.svg","width":1,"height":1,"caption":"Advantage Solutions"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mrktblog-posts\/2358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mrktblog-posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/mrktblog-posts"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mrktblog-posts\/2358\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"mrktblog-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mrktblog-category?post=2358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}