At Your Convenience

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks with Mitch Morrison, vice president of retailer relations at Informa Connect, about the latest news and trends in the tobacco category. The two talk about staff changes at the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), how artificial intelligence might speed up the agency's premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) review process, growing illicit vape sales and more. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Rachel Gignac talks to Neha Nayyar, senior director of loyalty, personalization and shopper marketing at 7-Eleven, and Mario Mijares, vice president of marketing, loyalty and monetization platforms at the Irving, Texas-based chain.

The conversation about 7-Eleven’s retail media network took place in April at CSP’s Retail Media Network Forum in Dallas. Nayyar and Mijares discuss the convenience-store chain's ad channels, retail media partnerships, personalization and more.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Kathy Williams, senior category leader at Minuteman Food Mart, Elizabethtown, North Carolina, owned by Campbell Oil Co., from CSP’s Cold Vault Forum in Lombard, Illinois, in May.

Williams, a CSP 2025 Category Manager of the Year winner for center store, small chain, talks about the importance of watching trends, Minuteman’s love of innovation, the importance of leveraging vendors to get insight on consumers and more.

The tobacco industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by scientific research and innovation in non-combustible alternatives. With more than 1 billion adult smokers globally and nearly 30 million in the United States alone, understanding the principles of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) has become increasingly important for both industry stakeholders and consumers. In a recent "At Your Convenience" podcast, we explore the science behind potentially reduced-risk tobacco products and their role in public health.

Joining us was Tim Nestor, Executive Vice President of Scientific Research & Development at the Reynolds American Organization. He shared insights from his extensive experience leading cutting-edge research in tobacco harm reduction. Nestor breaks down the scientific framework known as the "risk continuum," and explains the rigorous research behind non-combustible alternatives.

"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.

There has been an explosion in THC beverages in the past six months, and Melissa Vonder Haar, managing director of TradeWorks for St. Louis-based display solutions firm iSEE Store Innovations, said convenience retailers must capitalize on this emerging segment so they don’t get left behind. 

But, to do that, retailers must educate themselves and their consumers about cannabis, while also lobbying for clearer regulations within the industry, Vonder Haar said during the latest episode of CSP podcast “At Your Convenience.”

Vonder Haar is assisting CSP with its efforts to bring convenience retailers up to speed in the cannabis space through the launch of the CSP C-Store Cannabis Board. Vonder Haar will serve as the board’s inaugural chairwoman. Retailers and suppliers interested in participating in the board should fill out this form. 

CSP will launch the C-Store Cannabis Forum in 2026

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks with Peter Rasmussen, who is an industry advocate, convenience and energy veteran, and CEO and founder of Convenience and Energy Advisors.

The two spoke in May during CSP’s Cold Vault Forum in Lombard, Illinois.

Rasmussen shares how retailers can unlock digital’s potential to drive packaged beverage profit. He also discusses the importance of in-store signage and how c-store shoppers notice 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 Rachel Gignac talks to Whitney Johnson, senior vice president of marketing at EG America, Westborough, Massachusetts, about her involvement in launching both a retail media network and a new loyalty program in the first few months of the year.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Josh Campbell, dispensed beverage category manager at La Plata, Maryland-based Dash In, owned by the Wills Group.

The two spoke in April during CSP’s Dispensed Beverages Forum in Lombard, Illinois.

Campbell, a CSP 2025 Category Manager of the Year winner for dispensed beverages, small chain, talks about finding a way to have a dispensed beverage not only work as a complement to a food program but be able to stand on its own, processes, trends, inflation and his go-to dispensed beverage.

In this special edition episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Rachel Gignac talks to Helena Yasmine, director of sales for convenience and retail at coffee equipment company SEB Professional, and Joy Landis, senior customer business manager at snacks and candy manufacturer Mars Wrigley. 

Yasmine and Landis are on a Convenience-Store Women (CSW) power team, an ongoing initiative of the CSW event where groups of convenience-store industry women meet throughout the year to address root causes of issues and help create paths forward.

The pair's power team is focused on mental health this year, and they share results of a survey they conducted. One notable stat: 68% of respondents said they did not receive any mental health training or education over the last year.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks with Taylor Bromley (pictured third from right), senior manager third party implementation at Altria, and Christine Loukota, director of emerging technologies at Alimentation Couche-Tard/Circle K, regarding the annual 2025 Women’s Leadership Summit. Navigating the evolving landscape of leadership in today’s business climate was the topic of discussion Feb. 28 at the annual 2025 Women’s Leadership Summit hosted by Richmond, Virginia-based tobacco company Altria and the Trulaske Business School’s Career Services Department at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.

Bromley and Loukota discussed the challenges of navigating the evolving landscape of leadership in today’s business climate, the strengths of Gen Z and finding the right work method that aligns with individual preferences and career goals.