In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talked with Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of the Irvine, California-based Specialty Coffee Association, at CSP’s Dispensed Beverages Forum in Lombard, Illinois.

“We want to foster a global coffee community and support activities to make coffee more sustainable, equitable and thriving as an endeavor for the entire value chain,” Apostolopoulos said on the podcast, which was recorded in April.

The CEO also discussed how he’s seen a steady shift toward specialty coffee consumption in the United States—as well as what “specialty coffee” means.

“There is not a clear line what is specialty coffee and what is not specialty coffee,” Apostolopoulos said. “I would say it’s a continuum.”

He also discussed trends in coffee consumption around the world, how the association creates standards—and loyalty.

“Having a good cup of coffee can make a huge difference when it comes down to loyalty, and my ask from the c-store community would be really take good care of your coffee offering. It can make a lot of difference for you,” he said. 

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Retail media networks need to shift their focus from scale and impressions to measurable outcomes if they want to earn sustained brand investment, according to Jake Kaiser, general manager at Par Retail.

Speaking on CSP's "At Your Convenience" podcast in May at the RMN Forum in Chicago, Kaiser emphasized that while loyalty programs provide valuable customer data, they typically capture only approximately 25% of transactions—creating a significant ceiling for proving ROI to CPG partners.

"Scale does not equal value necessarily," Kaiser said. 

Kaiser outlined how identity resolution technology and AI can help retailers expand visibility beyond loyalty members, enabling them to identify and measure outcomes across their entire customer base. This approach allows retailers to prove that specific campaigns drive incremental sales at individual locations.

"The aspirational goal should be 100% of our customers are people we can prove are individual human beings," Kaiser said, adding that AI-powered orchestration will enable faster, more intelligent campaign execution while maintaining quality.

Join CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond as she sits down with Joelle Robinson, Director of Retail Media at Circle K, at the Retail Media Network Forum in Chicago. In this insightful conversation, Joelle shares her journey from building Giant Eagle GetGo's retail media network to now leading Circle K's retail media strategy.

Discover how Circle K is transforming its approach to retail media by focusing on in-store scalability while expanding digital capabilities. Joelle discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in the convenience store space, the importance of executive buy-in, and why she believes convenience retail is poised to rise significantly in the retail media landscape.

Key Topics Covered:

• Building retail media networks from the ground up
• The unique flip in mindset: prioritizing in-store over digital in convenience retail
• Strategies for gaining executive buy-in and cross-functional alignment
• Circle K's upcoming network relaunch and new capabilities
• The future of measurement and transparency in convenience store retail media
• Why convenience stores are "under the radar" but positioned for major growth

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Todd Smith (left), president of Sandy, Utah-based Swig, which is known as the home of the original dirty soda. The two talked in April at CSP’s Dispensed Beverages Forum in Lombard, Illinois. A dirty soda, Smith said, is a soda with added flavors, purees, creams and fruits “just to make it more interesting.” Swig has 153 locations in 16 states.

Their discussion includes how Swig started and some key operational strategies that have helped Swig maintain consistency and quality across its 150-plus locations. Smith also discusses how they call the company’s employees “day makers”—because “the whole thing is making somebody’s day,” he said.

On this podcast, Smith also shares how the company is getting to the point where they’re planning a year ahead, “which is really, really great.”

He also talks about a focus group, which meets at least once a month, with the company’s very best customers where Swig tests new flavors and flavor combinations with them.

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In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Tommy Greenberg, senior director of Love’s Media Group for Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores. 

The podcast was recorded at CSP’s Retail Media Network Forum, which was held May 4-6 in Chicago. 

• Love’s is tied for No. 14 on CSP’s 2026 Top 40 update to the 2025 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count. Watch for the full 2026 Top 202 ranking in June. 

Greenberg shared how the travel-center chain created its retail media network, Love’s Media Group, and what learnings he’s taken away from it since its launch in October. He also gave insights into how Love’s collaborates among departments and built out his own team to support Love’s Media Group. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks to Nick Triantafellou, director of marketing at Weigel’s.

On this podcast, recorded April 15 at the annual Midwest Fuel and Convenience Trade Show, M-PACT, in Indianapolis, the two discussed foodservice and how Powell, Tennessee-based Weigel’s is measuring success beyond sales. They also discussed loyalty and digital engagement and what role personalization plays in the c-store retailer’s loyalty strategy.

Key Takeaways:

• Foodservice is booming: Breakfast and lunch have always been strong at Weigel's, but third-party delivery is now driving dinner sales.
• Loyalty done right: Weigel's refreshed app interface has increased engagement, especially among Gen Z customers.
• Personalization isn't the silver bullet: It's a tool, not the end-all-be-all. The key is meeting customers where they are—without being creepy.
• C-stores can compete with QSRs: With better locations and high-quality food, the industry just needs to treat marketing like the big players do.
• Data, data, data: From consumer data platforms to retail media networks, Weigel's is building a smarter, more targeted marketing engine.

On CSP's “At Your Convenience” podcast, recorded at the inaugural CSP Cannabis Forum, Scott Estrella from Majors Management, LLC and Blake Patterson from Keef Brands discussed how hemp beverages are successfully launching in the convenience channel, revealing strong consumer demand and strategic merchandising approaches that are reshaping the category.

They discuss their partnership model, which focuses on retail fundamentals rather than reinventing strategies. For example, Estrella plans to integrate hemp beverages directly into beer cooler space, believing "it belongs in the beer space" rather than separate coolers, making the category more accessible to mainstream consumers.

Both stressed the importance of proper distribution channels and consumer education, particularly as federal regulations threaten the hemp beverage market's future accessibility.

Listen to the full conversation on the “At Your Convenience” podcast and subscribe for more insights on cannabis, regulations and the future of convenience retail.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” Rachel Gignac, conference content manager at Informa, talks to Cameron Watt, president and CEO of Intouch Insight.

Their conversation explores how the annual Mystery Shop audit, which CSP partners with Intouch Insight for, has evolved over the past two decades, from basic service checks to a more comprehensive focus on cleanliness, food safety and overall customer experience. Watt shares how technology is reshaping service speed and satisfaction and how operators are using these insights to strengthen loyalty and operational performance.

He also looks ahead to emerging trends and how convenience retailers can continue raising the bar to meet growing consumer expectations.

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In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” Melissa Vonder Haar, CSP Cannabis Forum Board chair and managing director of TradeWorks for iSee Store Innovations, speaks with Cann Co-founder Jake Bullock and Chris Bambury, president of Bonneau Markets.  The conversation took place at the inaugural CSP Cannabis Forum by Informa, held in March. 

They dive into the complex landscape of hemp beverage regulations and what they mean for convenience retailers.

Learn about the current state of hemp beverage regulations, why they matter, and how convenience retailers can advocate for responsible policies in this evolving market.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Brayton Heinz (left), inside sales director at Coffee Cup Travel Plazas, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 

Heinz talks about being part of a four-store, family-run convenience-store chain—as well as data analysis, negotiating to maximize profitability and keeping up with today’s many trends.

On this podcast, Heinz also discusses how Pokemon is back, keeping food waste to a minimum and the quick-service restaurants they have in their stores.

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