At Your Convenience

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” Scott Negley, senior director of product management at Dover Fueling Solutions, and Doug Haugh, chief commercial officer at Vertex Energy, talk about a broad-view perspective on the realities of converting the nation to use electric vehicles (EVs). The pair, who spoke in March at the Dover Fueling Solutions conference in Austin, advocate for “decarbonizing the grid” in order for the transportation industry to successfully reduce carbon emissions with EVs.

They also talk about how other alternative fuels are an important piece of the puzzle, and how their impact is not to be ignored. Negley describes the ideal transformation as “a balanced approach.”

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” NexChapter CEO Art Sebastian talks with Mike Caldwell, manager of loyalty at Yesway, and Jake Kiser, general manager of Stuzo PAR.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks to Farley Kaiser, senior director of culinary of innovation at McLane Fresh.

Kaiser (pictured) discusses the power of limited-time offers, breakfast still holding the title of king, and how lunch remains a strong focus of development—and opportunity.

McLane is one of the largest distributors in America and a partner to retail and restaurant brands nationwide. McLane offers customizable solutions for retail and restaurant customers from ordering and fulfillment to equipment and in-store merchandising.

In August 2023, McLane unveiled McLane Fresh, an expanded foodservice-at-retail program designed for convenience stores and intended to elevate the dining experience in c-stores.

Rolfson shared how Weckstein has helped her launch her career, and the two give advice on how others can be mentors. Weckstein (pictured second from the left with her power team) also gives an update on what her Convenience-Store Women’s event power team group is working on.  

• Southwest Georgia Oil Co. Inc./SunStop is No. 86 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 ranking of convenience-store chains by U.S. store count.

SunStop c-stores are owned by Southwest Georgia Oil Co. The Bainbridge, Georgia-based company has nearly 80 stores.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” Nick Triantafellou, director of marketing at Weigel’s, peels back the curtain on how the convenience-store chain created its name, image and likeness (NIL) partnerships with University of Tennessee athletes.

• Weigel’s Stores Inc. is No. 98 on CSP’s Top 202 list of convenience-store chains by store count.

The Knoxville, Tennessee-based c-store chain partnered with Christian Moore (baseball), Karlyn Pickens (softball), Zakai Zeigler (basketball) and Tess Darby (women’s basketball). Weigel’s customers can redeem a free 24-ounce Coca-Cola when Moore hits a home run or when Pickens strikes out six opposing hitters in a game. And when Zeigler or Darby hit three three-pointers in a game, customers can take 20 cents off a gallon of gas when buying Gatorade.

When Majors Management LLC completed its transaction with Compañía de Petróleos de Chile S.A. (COPEC) for the acquisition of 192 MAPCO-branded convenience stores in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas and Kentucky, at the end of last year, it represented yet another transition from one owner to another. For some, it might have felt like an insurmountable amount of change. But for Damian Wyatt and team, it became another opportunity.

There is no ‘I’ in Sheetz… At least that’s how Matt High, senior sales manager for Sheetz MTO, puts it.

In this episode of At Your Convenience, High, and Abbey Lewis, vice president of content strategy at Informa Connect, discuss the player-coach relationship he has with his team, his involvement in CSP’s Convenience Store Women’s conference and menu ideation at Sheetz. We even get him to give us a sneak peek at new menu items for spring.

In part two of a three-part series on the Path to Foodservice Profitability, CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond interviews Impact 21 Senior Principal Consultant Liza Salaria and Beth Hoffer, vice president of operations and foodservice from Weigel’s convenience stores.

• Weigel’s Stores Inc., Powell, Tennessee, is No. 98 on CSP’s Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.

Hoffer shares which areas of waste she sees an how Weigel’s is working to reduce waste.

Look for part three soon.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

Salaria shares how developing the right foodservice solutions starts with understanding what is driving key metrics such as margin and operating costs.

Look out for part two on managing waste in foodservice coming soon.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Kristen Hjelm, regional account manager for Bunn and a C-Store Women’s (CSW) event power team member.

Hjelm shares what her team’s mission statement is and tips they’ve come up with to successfully network.  

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Jessica Mente, director of training at convenience-store chain Royal Farms.

• Royal Farms is No. 30 on CSP’s2023 Top 202 ranking of top U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.

Mente recapped her experience at CSP’s inaugural C-Store Women’s Event, which took place in November in Napa, California, and shared how Baltimore, Maryland-based Royal Farms is taking steps to diversity the workforce in Maryland.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Mandee Harvey-Smith, director of analytics, insights and media strategy at RaceTrac, about how an open mind led her to her job.

• RaceTrac, Atlanta, is No. 15 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 ranking of convenience store chains by store count.

She also spoked to the importance of being open to feedback and what she thinks the future of retail media networks is. 

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

Earlier this fall, CSP brought five convenience-store executives to the general session stage during our annual Outlook Leadership Conference in a session we titled C-Suite in the Hot Seat. During the session, CSP’s Mitch Morrison, vice president of retailer relations, and Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz peppered each executive with a series of questions about themselves and what’s new in their businesses.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” Erin Graziosi talks with Morrison about her rise to president of Robinson Oil Corp., Santa Clara, California, and the challenges of operating in the most regulated state in the country.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” RaceTrac President Natalie Morhous gives a speech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta as she accepts her 2023 Retail Leader of the Year award.

The third-generation leader of the Atlanta-based convenience-store chain gave thanks to her family, coworkers and industry partners.

Two years ago, the pandemic shook up the supply chain like never before. Today, distributor McLane Co. is re-establishing itself with new technology, foodservice and a revamped trade show.

CSP Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz discusses the distributor’s culture of continuous improvement and the state of distribution with McLane Grocery President Chris Smith.

CSP Editor Rachel Gignac talks to Cameron Watt, president and CEO of evaluation firm Intouch Insight, in August at the Outlook Leadership Conference. This year, for the fourth time, Rutter's was presented Customer Experience Award for its success.

Watt told CSP about chains' strengths and weaknesses, plus, how the audit might change in the future.

• Rutter’s is No. 82 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Glennie Bench, president and COO at Southwest Georgia Oil Co. Inc. The Bainbridge, Georgia-based company has about 80 convenience stores under the SunStop brand.

• Southwest Georgia Oil Co. In./SunStop is No. 86 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 ranking of top U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.

Bench has been in the industry for 32 years and shares how she joined the company and eventually became CFO and then COO. She’ll be one of the attendees at the inaugural C-Store Women’s Event this fall.

As the 2023 NACS Show approaches, CSP Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz connects with the outgoing chairman of NACS, Don Rhoads, CEO of Convenience Group LLC, about the state of the industry and his year at the helm of the convenience-store association. “I think that once we get to October I’ll look back and [conclude this year] has been one of the top activities that I’ve been involved in,” he said.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this special edition of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond talks to leaders from the four founding sponsors of CSP’s C-Store Women’s Event.

Paula Weeks, of Atlanta-based The Coca-Cola Co.; Michelle Patterson of Temple, Texas-based McLane Co.; Danielle Holloway of Richmond, Virginia-based Altria Group Distribution Co.; and Kevin Martello of Burlington, Massachusetts-based Keurig Dr Pepper shared why they wanted to be sponsors and what they hope to come from this event.

The annual conference will take place Nov. 8-10 in Napa Valley, California.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Choice Market Founder and CEO Mike Fogarty about what it’s like to operate an urban convenience store.  

Fogarty shared how the COVID-19 pandemic made him rethink downtown Denver stores, his new Mini-Mart concept under development and more. His story is part of CSP’s September cover story on the risks and rewards of operating in metro markets.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

This month, CSP brought five convenience-store executives to the general session stage during our annual Outlook Leadership Conference in a session we titled C-Suite in the Hot Seat. During the session, CSP’s Mitch Morrison, vice president of retailer relations, and Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz got to pepper each executive with a series of questions about themselves and what’s new in their businesses.

“At Your Convenience” will present each retailer’s time in the hot seat in a series of podcasts, beginning today with Jim Rose, the vice president of operations for the Pilot Co, Knoxville, Tennessee.

Leading NOW will combine career development, education, problem-solving and networking experiences to develop women in the convenience-store industry at the inaugural C-Store Women’s (CSW) event in November.

Lazzara gives a preview of what event attendees can expect, and why growing female leadership is important in this podcast.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

The August cover story of CSP magazine is all about labor and hiring. As a companion piece to that story, in this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks to Fady Bazzi, operations manager and co-owner of the 33-store Chillbox, owned by New Haven, Michigan-based Bazco Oil.

Bazzi discusses his convenience-store chain’s practices in attracting and retaining employees, including how and where they advertise to recruit employees, the increased frequency of performance reviews and the Chillbox incentive program, which includes health insurance, 401k plans and paid time off. Bazzi also talks about how to boost the odds of getting quality talent more likely to stay in the job.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

Energy North’s Haffner’s chain added a new flagship store in Lawrence, Massachusetts in May, featuring convenience items, gasoline, a car wash and a unique take on foodservice.

In this "At Your Convenience" podcast, CSP Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz talks with CEO Jeff Black about how the chain embraced community history and relationships to create a unique c-store model.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond interviews Amanda Buehner, senior vice president of retail events and media for Winsight LLC, on the company’s new C-Store Women’s Event.

The two talk about what attendees can expect in November, why this event is being held and the challenges women face at work.

For more information on the event, visit cstorewomen.com or contact Buehner at abuehner@winsightmedia.com.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

The two discuss pending Food and Drug Administration regulations, what challenges are top of mind for tobacco category managers, alternative products and more. 

Click here to read The Future of Behind the Counter 2023 issue.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this "At Your Convenience" podcast, CSP Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz talks with branding expert Todd Maute, a partner at CBX, about building a retail brand and expanding it to private-label products.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

Retailers are remarkably optimistic about the opportunities for foodservice growth in convenience stores. CSP’s annual State of Foodservice survey shows 73% of retailers expect improvement this year.

In this At Your Convenience podcast, CSP Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz talks through the survey results with Foodservice Editor Chuck Ulie.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

Beverage brand SunnyD recently announced it is introducing a new drink that contains 4.5% alcohol geared toward adult consumers. This is the latest example of traditional non-alcohol beverage brands introducing new pre-packaged alcohol drinks.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks to Marbet Lewis, founding attorney and team manager at Miami-based Spiritus Law, about this trend. Lewis represents alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers such as bars, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and pharmacy chains. Lewis discusses the effects COVID-19 had on this trend and how the retail market, flooded with a variety of products, has traditional brands innovating to reach new customers.

The April issue of CSP magazine serves as the convenience-store industry’s Category Management Handbook, providing year-end sales data from IRI/Circana, Technomic, McLane Co. and others to paint a picture of what’s selling in c-stores today, and where the industry’s biggest product segments are heading.

In this At Your Convenience podcast, CSP Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz talks through data collected for the issue with editors Hannah Hammond, Rachel Gignac and Chuck Ulie.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks to Savannah Johnson, manager of the food category, at Knoxville, Tennessee-based Pilot Co., on trends she’s seeing, new products Pilot is offering, and more.

The discussion includes Johnson talking about a new product playing off Pilot’s large pizza business: cheesy breadsticks debuting in June that customers can customize with toppings. She also discusses the company’s New Horizons project, which include the strategy of improving the display of food and beverage products.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talk to Gary Hemphill, managing director and COO of research at New York-based Beverage Marketing Corp., on trends he’s seeing in ⁠⁠packaged beverages⁠⁠.

The discussion covers bottled water, energy, sports drinks, carbonated soft drinks, milk, juice, ⁠⁠alcohol⁠⁠—even CBD.

Hemphill says he’s seen nothing short of remarkable pricing increases recently, often in double digits depending on the category. It’s a historical high for ⁠⁠beverage ⁠⁠prices, both alcohol and particularly nonalcohol, in all categories, he says.

In this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP Editor Greg Lindenberg speaks with Nathaniel Doddridge, vice president of fuels for Casey’s General Stores, Ankeny, Iowa, about the Midwestern chain's strategy for navigating which new fuels it is betting on and why.

It’s no secret driving customers from the gasoline pump into the store is one of the most studied challenges in operating a convenience store with fuel island. For 18 years, Gas Station TV (GSTV) has put brand stories on the pump to aid retailers in driving customers into the store and consumer brands in sharing a message where their products are readily available.

In this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz talks to GSTV CEO Sean McCaffrey about getting customers in the door and recent product promotions.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP Editor in Chief Steve Holtz talks through how Moore, part of CSP’s 2023 Power 20, rebuilt the human-resource department with the Worcester, Massachusetts-based retailer and addressed store staffing.

• Nouria Energy is No. 47 on CSP’s 2022 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by number of company-owned retail outlets.

Click here to read more about the award and Parent’s accomplishments.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

Click here to hear more “At Your Convenience” podcasts.

CHICAGO — In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor-in-Chief Steve Holtz talks through the results of the 2022 Outlook Survey and the future of convenience stores with Editor Chuck Ulie.

How are business conditions? What do retailers expect in 2023? Is the labor market improving? Retailers reveal talk through the best and the worst of the market.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

CHICAGO — In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Jackson Lewis covers the state of c-store distribution with Sharan Kalva, president of Huntsville, Ala.-based C-Store Master.

What are the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic? What are today’s biggest challenges for distributors and what new disruption will tomorrow bring? CSP asks Kalva this and more.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond caught up with Cameron Watt, president and CEO of evaluation firm Intouch Insight, in August at the Outlook Leadership Conference, where Rutter's was presented Customer Experience Award for its success.

Watt spoke about the York, Pa.-based chain’s strengths, as well as what other convenience stores did well in 2022 and what needs to improve.

• Rutter’s is No. 84 on CSP’s 2022 Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by store count.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editors Hannah Hammond and Greg Lindenberg talk to bp leaders about the oil company’s transition into convenience and its Reimagining Energy strategy.

Debi Boffa, vice president of convenience for the Americas at bp and president of Thorntons, and Greg Franks, senior vice president of mobility and convenience for the Americas with bp, spoke about the Houston-based company’s initiatives from the Thornton’s headquarters in Louisville, Ky.

Schildhaus talks about the intensity factor that is popular in snacks and candy as well as growth in shareable options. Additionally, Schildhaus sheds light on rumors regarding Halloween candy shortages.

She also discusses the benefits of participating in National Candy Month and offers suggestions on how retailers can get started.

CHICAGO — James Pogue, president and CEO of Dallas-based JP Enterprises, talks with CSP Editor Chuck Ulie about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) best practices retailers should keep in mind to broaden their pool of job candidates in this episode of “At Your Convenience.”

Pogue’s consulting firm specializes in DE&I solutions for companies and organizations.

In addition, Pogue offers suggestions on how to improve the odds of hiring staff, where to look to find the necessary talent and the hiring challenges facing businesses today.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

DENVER — What better source for some of the biggest trends in mobile technology than a retail concept centered around the mobile experience?

In this episode of At Your Convenience, CSP technology and fuels editor Jackson Lewis checks in with Mike Fogarty, CEO and founder of Choice Market, whose Denver-based c-stores have been focused on mobile technology since well before the pandemic.

Tune in for an exclusive chat with Fogarty, covering Choice’s upcoming national expansion, what’s next for mobile technology in stores and advice for operators exploring omnichannel retail.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.

When independent retailer Numan Dharani opened Abbott’s Travel Center in Abbott, Texas, in September, he purposely aimed to offer “items not typically offered at convenience.”

The result is a large store that takes advantage of its location and a collection of products intended to keep customers engaged and interested in coming back.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Content Director Steve Holtz talks to Dharani, one of CSP’s 2022 Indie Influencers, about how he was drawn into convenience retailing, his experience opening his first store and what’s next.

“At Your Convenience” brings industry experts and analysts together with CSP editors to discuss the latest in c-store news and trends. From mergers and acquisitions to foodservice and technology, the podcast delivers the story straight to listeners in short-format episodes, perfect for the morning commute or a quick break at the office.