{"id":2366,"date":"2024-09-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/"},"modified":"2024-09-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T00:00:00","slug":"convenience-store-trends-nacs","status":"publish","type":"mrktblog-posts","link":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/mrktblog\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/","title":{"rendered":"No Longer Just a Quick Stop, Convenience Stores Are Becoming Destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite ongoing economic headwinds, convenience stores across the U.S. are finding new and innovative ways to lure passersby \u2014 a shift that\u2019s redefining what people expect when they stop for gas, food and other c-store staples.<\/p>\n

And though recent years have been difficult for all retailers, industry experts are downright giddy about the opportunities for c-stores. More than 20,000 retailers, vendors and attendees will soon converge on Las Vegas for the annual NACS Show October 7\u201310, to network, learn and conduct business. In the lead-up to the convention, there\u2019s palpable excitement for what seems to be a full-on transformation in direct response to the challenges of recent years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing a lot of activity in the c-store channel, from mergers and acquisitions to store expansions and more foodservice operations,\u201d says Brenda Chantry, category manager, senior team leader at Advantage Solutions, a business solutions provider to consumer goods manufacturers and retailers.<\/p>\n

But as in all retail, inflation has been the biggest issue. The number of store trips are down this year by about 3.5%, according to data from Circana, which also reports that the average price per unit in c-stores has outpaced all other multi-outlet brick-and-mortar channels.<\/p>\n

Now the good news: Retailers and brands are finding new opportunities in a number of trends and developments that are growing their c-store business.<\/p>\n

A Changing Landscape<\/h2>\n

The total number of convenience stores grew by 1.5% in 2023 for the second year in a row, according to NACS data<\/a>, for a total of more than 152,000 stores nationwide (comprising more than a third of all brick-and-mortar retail outlets).<\/p>\n

Large and medium-size chains continue to grow store count, expanding beyond their traditional markets. Northeast favorite Wawa plans to open 70 new stores this year, including its first locations in Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina, while Midwest mainstay Casey\u2019s General Stores is entering Texas for the first time.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we\u2019re seeing expansion of stores, we\u2019re also seeing bigger stores,\u201d says Chantry. \u201cMore c-stores are changing formats that feature larger footprints that provide foodservice kitchens and sitting areas. Others are creating travel centers. It’s not just opening more stores into different territories, but it’s also different formats. They\u2019re not just convenience stores, they\u2019re becoming destinations.\u201d<\/p>\n

This growth reflects a broader wave of retail innovation<\/strong>, as chains experiment with formats, footprints, and customer experience strategies to meet evolving shopper expectations.<\/p>\n

Foodservice on Fire!<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s an interesting tidbit: Casey\u2019s, the Ankeny, Iowa-based operator of more than 2,500 c-stores, is the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States.<\/p>\n

Yes, convenience stores are fully embracing foodservice \u2014 and it\u2019s paying off. Food-forward chains, which include leaders such as Sheetz, Wawa, Rutter\u2019s and Buc-ee\u2019s, are proving to be a legitimate threat to quick-service restaurants for fresh, made-to-order food on the go.<\/p>\n

\u201cFoodservice has been a driver for growth in the c-store segment,\u201d says Chantry. \u201cAnd it\u2019s not just that it\u2019s affordable options \u2014 customers are coming for the quality and variety of the food offerings. Many of these c-stores are now fast-food destinations, rather than convenience stops that happen to have foodservice.\u201d<\/p>\n

The strategy is paying off, as Circana reports that c-stores recently increased their share of the lunch daypart while quick-service restaurants have seen a drop.<\/p>\n

\u201cFoodservice continues to evolve as operators align with shoppers\u2019 need for customization, fresh made-to-order and the demand for more options,\u201d notes Charles Simpson, senior director of category leadership at Advantage. \u201cAnd price \u2014 c-stores still have an average $3 price advantage over QSRs and the margins are strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Services and Perks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beyond foodservice, convenience stores are increasingly positioning themselves as destinations for other services \u2014 from banking to car washes to EV charging and more. And they\u2019re upping their game to incentivize gas buyers to come into the store, with loyalty programs and discounts, through media and promotions at the pump, and by offering higher-tech options such as mobile pay and self-checkout.<\/p>\n

\u201cC-stores are definitely making some inroads in bringing gas customers inside their stores,\u201d Chantry says. \u201cThey\u2019re doing a lot with loyalty programs \u2014 if you buy gas, you get such-and-such a discount in-store. And they\u2019re focused on digital marketing, partnering with large vendors to promote snacks and beverages at the pump and driving business to the store.\u201d<\/p>\n

Differentiation Is Key<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best way to make your store a destination stop is by offering customers something they can only get there \u2014 be that a foodservice or fountain program, a rewards benefit or exclusive or limited-time offer.<\/p>\n

And, increasingly, convenience stores are turning to private brands, which continue to grow market share in grocery stores. Large chains such as 7-Eleven, Casey\u2019s and Circle K are rolling out hundreds of private brands each year, while medium-sized chains such as Allsup\u2019s, operated by Yesway, and Weigel\u2019s in Tennessee have been innovating in the space, with everything from regional snack favorites to surprising new beverages (Weigel\u2019s Brownie Batter Milk, anyone?).<\/p>\n

\u201cBy offering items that your customers love that they can only get from you, you become the destination of choice,\u201d says Gil Phipps, senior vice president, global customer solutions at Advantage, who will be presenting a session at the NACS Show on private brands. \u201cYou want to have the items that your customers just can\u2019t live without or get anywhere else \u2014 whether that\u2019s your foodservice program, fountain area, snacks or beverages.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bottom line for retailers of all types, Phipps says, is differentiation. And whether that\u2019s through private brands, expanded foodservice programs, rewards and apps or other strategies, the c-store industry is making it the key to its growth.<\/p>\n

Learn more about Advantage Solutions\u2019 capabilities and retailer and brand services at the NACS Show at Booth N1447 in the Las Vegas Convention Center, October 7\u201310.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Despite ongoing economic headwinds, convenience stores across the U.S. are finding new and innovative ways to lure passersby \u2014 a shift that\u2019s redefining what people expect when they stop for gas, food and other c-store staples. And though recent years have been difficult for all retailers, industry experts are downright giddy about the opportunities for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2365,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"mrktblog-category":[41],"class_list":["post-2366","mrktblog-posts","type-mrktblog-posts","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","mrktblog-category-advantage-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nConvenience Stores Evolve Into Full-Service Destinations<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Foodservice, private brands, and perks are transforming the convenience channel. Explore the trends fueling this retail innovation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Convenience Stores Evolve Into Full-Service Destinations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Foodservice, private brands, and perks are transforming the convenience channel. Explore the trends fueling this retail innovation.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Advantage Solutions\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/CStore3-732x488-1-2.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"732\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"488\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\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=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/mrktblog\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/\",\"url\":\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/\",\"name\":\"Convenience Stores Evolve Into Full-Service Destinations\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/CStore3-732x488-1-2.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-30T00:00:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"Foodservice, private brands, and perks are transforming the convenience channel. Explore the trends fueling this retail innovation.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/CStore3-732x488-1-2.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/CStore3-732x488-1-2.png\",\"width\":732,\"height\":488},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/youradv.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"No Longer Just a Quick Stop, Convenience Stores Are Becoming Destinations\"}]},{\"@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":"Convenience Stores Evolve Into Full-Service Destinations","description":"Foodservice, private brands, and perks are transforming the convenience channel. Explore the trends fueling this retail innovation.","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":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Convenience Stores Evolve Into Full-Service Destinations","og_description":"Foodservice, private brands, and perks are transforming the convenience channel. Explore the trends fueling this retail innovation.","og_url":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/","og_site_name":"Advantage Solutions","og_image":[{"width":732,"height":488,"url":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/CStore3-732x488-1-2.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/mrktblog\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/","url":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/","name":"Convenience Stores Evolve Into Full-Service Destinations","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/CStore3-732x488-1-2.png","datePublished":"2024-09-30T00:00:00+00:00","description":"Foodservice, private brands, and perks are transforming the convenience channel. Explore the trends fueling this retail innovation.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/CStore3-732x488-1-2.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/CStore3-732x488-1-2.png","width":732,"height":488},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"\/advantage-news\/convenience-store-trends-nacs\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"No Longer Just a Quick Stop, Convenience Stores Are Becoming Destinations"}]},{"@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\/2366","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\/2366\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2366"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"mrktblog-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youradv.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/mrktblog-category?post=2366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}