At Your Convenience

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Jillian Fusco (pictured center), human resources business partner at Global Partners, and Ashley Gockstetter (pictured left), vice president, customer experience at Love’s Travel Stops, at the C-Store Women’s Event, held in November in Charleston.

The three talk about their learnings from the CSW power teams, which were groups of CSW attendees who worked throughout 2024 to solve a problem that women in leadership face. Fusco and Gockstetter shared how their companies invest in leadership development and how they’ve taken CSW learnings back to their convenience-store chains. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Rachel Toner, founder and technical director of Taste Strategy, Chalfont, Pennsylvania.

The theme of this episode is seasonal classics in foodservice, and Toner talks about what defines such offerings and how convenience stores can leverage seasonality to drive foodservice innovation.

Toner also explains how a foodservice offering can capture the sensory components of what makes a seasonal classic—and discusses a few memorable c-store items.

“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 Diane Adam talks with Hayley Thrift, director of public relations at Spinx. The podcast was recorded inside the retailer’s new c-store concept Spinx Market & Eatery in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. Topics include the new store’s features, including made-to-order gourmet food items, bakery items and Spinx’s fried chicken. 

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.