At Your Convenience

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Ken Rash, senior category manager of packaged beverages at Stinker Stores, and Scott Johnson, executive vice president at beverage partnership consulting firm Enliven and former senior vice president of Keurig Dr Pepper.

Topics include challenges and trends for convenience stores in the world of packaged beverages. The two also talk about the stiffest competition that c-stores face today in this category—and more.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond and CSP Editors Diane Adam and Rachel Gignac have a conversation about their highlights from the Convenience-Store Women’s Event.

CSW took place from Nov. 4-6 in Charleston, South Carolina. Industry experts and c-store retailers spoke on topics including work-life balance, how they overcame challenges in their careers, why women get passed up for c-suite jobs and more. Listen here. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks with Brad Helmer, executive vice president of business and corporate brand development for specialty and fresh product distributor KeHE Distributors, Naperville, Illinois.

Helmer talks about the increased interest in better-for-you products, especially from the younger generation. He also unpacks how consumers who care about what they put in their body and where the products come from are becoming big drivers in trends in convenience.

He also discusses how convenience-store retailers are now more open to bringing a better-for-you assortment into their stores.

Darren Rebelez, CEO of Casey's and CSP's 2024 Retail Leader of the Year, accepted the award in October at the RLOY dinner in Las Vegas. In his acceptance speech, he thanked and honored the entire Casey's team.

“I’m just one person up here representing the achievements of the 45,000 team members we have across our 2,700 stores; many of whom are working as we speak to take care of our guests in our communities. We're here to celebrate them,” he said.

Listen to his acceptance speech here.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” in partnership with C-StoreTEC, Mike Templeton, vice president of digital strategy at NexChapter, talks to convenience leaders about opportunities for c-stores in the mobile gaming space.

Templeton speaks with Abigail Cerra, loyalty marketing manager at Chestnut Market, New Paltz, New York, and Kim Carlson, chief revenue officer and chief operating officer at Mobivity, a Chandler, Arizona-based company that connects mobile game and marketers with restaurant, convenience and fuel brands.

Mobile games are the No. 1 activity on mobile devices, Carlson said, and it actually ranks ahead of social media and texting.

“Gaming and impulse purchases go hand in hand,” said Cerra. “Gaming is a billion-dollar industry, so knowing that we could capture the attention of consumers that are already conditioned to micro purchases, AKA impulse buying, we knew we can make them our most valuable customer.”

Tune in to learn about the power of partnership and how technology and strategy combine to drive growth in the convenience store sector, and don't miss out on future C-StoreTEC webinars, podcasts and the upcoming conference.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Kyle Drenon, co-owner of the Springfield, Missouri-based ad agency Supper Co.

Drenon, whose business partner is Kesha Alexander, talks about why convenience stores shouldn’t try to do everything great—and why it’s a better strategy to focus on one or two items or areas to be excellent.

Menu strategy, including limited-time offers, also is a subject, as is the “amazing results” he’s seen growing loyalty programs with paid social media.

Finally, the importance of innovation—trying new things—also is part of the discussion.

“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 Melissa Weaver, senior operations manager at Metroplex Energy, which is a division of the RaceTrac convenience-store chain. Metroplex Energy is a wholesale fuel supplier that secures bulk fuel to supply companies by rail, pipeline, truck, barge and vessel. 

Weaver talks about Atlanta-based RaceTrac’s employee-led business resource group called LEAD, which aims to create community, belonging and opportunity for women at work. 

“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," Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy Patrick DeHaan talks to CSP Editor Rachel Gignac about the state of fuel prices, what determines increases and decreases and how the presidential election might affect prices. He also touches on what the outcome of the election could mean for the fuel industry, especially in regard to electric vehicle adoption.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks with the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) Director Brian King.

King discusses CTP’s top priorities, including the creation of a federal multi-agency task force to combat the illegal distribution and sale of e-cigarettes. He also discusses how convenience-store operators can partner with CTP when it comes to regulation.

The two spoke at CSP's 2024 Tobacco Plus Forum in Schaumburg, Illinois, in September.

“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.

Nouria Energy Corp., based in Worcester, Massachusetts, took home first place in CSP's annual Mystery Shop audit done in partnership with Intouch Insight, an Ottawa, Ontario-based data analysis firm.

CSP Editor Rachel Gignac spoke with Nouria's director of operations, John Pszeniczny at CSP's Outlook Leadership conference in August, where the Mystery Shop winner was announced.

Nouria stood out with a revealed audit score above 98% in seven categories, which counts for 60% of the overall score. In the Mystery Shop portion, 40% of the overall score, the chain also received above 98% in five areas, including appropriate noise levels and well stocked stores.

Pszeniczny talked about the chain's attention to cleanliness, investment in educating employees and raise and rebuild transformation.