In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Senior Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Tom Briant, executive director of the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO), Minneapolis.

Briant discussed the latest in tobacco regulation, from where the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is at in its review of premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) to advice for tobacco category managers at c-stores to what to know about the FDA’s recently published proposed rules that could ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars.

Briant shared information on how retailers can share their opinions on the proposed rules. Anyone wishing to comment can visit www.regulations.gov and search for “FDA-2021-N-1349-0001” to comment on the menthol cigarette rule and “FDA-2021-N-1309-0001” for the flavored cigar rule.

“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 — How do convenience-store retailers feel about foodservice in 2022 and beyond and where are they investing? CSP Content Director Steve Holtz talks with Chuck Ulie, CSP’s foodservice editor, about data from the annual State of the Foodservice retailer survey, in this episode of “At Your Convenience.”

The podcast also touches on segments where retailers expect growth, areas that might be losing their luster and the labor crisis.

“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.

Billy Colemire, director of marketing at Boise, Idaho-based Stinker Stores, talks with CSP Editor Chuck Ulie about trends in dispensed beverages, including supply-chain challenges and making contingency plans, in this episode of “At Your Convenience.”

Colemire, a finalist this year in CSP’s Category Manager of the Year Awards, also discusses how Stinker Stores has taken a more proactive approach to change instead of simply reacting when a new competitor comes along. He also discusses limited-time offers (LTOs), strategic signage, the chain's hot beverage program and how he increased Stinker Stores’ buying power.

In addition, Colemire talks about casting a wider net to attract customers (millennials, women, Gen Z) outside their core group through new, better-for-you messaging and by offering a larger assortment of products.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Jamie Kennedy, category manager at Bosselman's Pump & Pantry, Inc., Grand Island, Neb., about the state of vapor in convenience stores.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Steve Holtz talks through the high and lows of 2021 sales and trends as the industry enters the second quarter of 2022.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Gary Hemphill, managing director and COO of research at New York-based Beverage Marketing Corp., about how categories are blurring in packaged beverages.

Hemphill also gives his take on hard seltzers, which while not growing at the pace they used to, still show potential.

 In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks to Jessica Williams, founder and CEO of Food Forward Thinking, a consultancy for foodservice development and implementation, about her work in the launch of Curby’s, a new c-store in Lubbock, Texas.

The first Curby’s opened Feb. 1, and Williams discusses her work in bringing the menu to life, from creating recipes to sourcing every product and ingredient.

In this episode of “At You Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks to Michael Tirey, a marketing manager at Circle K in New Port Richey, Fla., about trends in convenience-store CBD-product sales: what’s selling, and what’s not, and the trends in cannabidiol products in convenience stores.

Tirey sheds light on the industry, including why chocolate CBD hasn’t sold well, why he thinks the popularity of vape will soar, and where he thinks CBD beverages are headed.

The volatility of oil and gas prices in 2021 might be in the rearview mirror, but what does 2022 hold for fuel retailers?

Tune in for a conversation with Mark Truman, chief revenue officer for London-based EdgePetrol, about the oil and gas market today and what retailers can do to maximize profits in the forecourt.

With more than $56 billion in sales over the past year, cigarettes continue to be an important part of convenience-store product offers. The Behind the Counter Forum in November in Miami examined the tobacco category after a turbulent year of few in-person events.

Join Hannah Hammond, tobacco editor for CSP, as she talks through the major themes from the conference, including identifying the tobacco customer, top sales drivers and more.