At Your Convenience

Patron Points President Erik Ogren and Director of Marketing Heather Webb talk with CSP's Vice President of Content Strategy Abbey Lewis for a special episode of the "At Your Convenience" podcast about their company's involvement in the Outlook Report, sharing insights on customer loyalty in convenience retail.

Inflation has changed consumer behavior, with 35-40% of convenience store purchases now being planned rather than spontaneous. 

"Customers are making deliberate choices on where to go and what to buy," Webb said, requiring retailers to engage through personalized communication at the moment of decision-making.

Both Webb and Ogren highlighted the growing importance of retail media networks for monetizing customer data. Loyalty members show a four-times increase in visits, 20-34% larger basket sizes and three times more likelihood to cross-shop categories.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam (left) talks with Terri Micklin of 7-Eleven, Irving, Texas, about the future of 7-Eleven and its plans to open roughly 1,300 additional New Standard stores by 2030.  

7-Eleven’s New Standard stores were developed from lessons learned through its Evolution stores, which offer in-store restaurants and premium products.

• 7-Eleven is No. 1 on CSP’s 2026 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count. 

Micklin, who serves as senior vice president of store development, facilities and real estate for the company, spoke about her role in overseeing these new store openings across North America. 

She also discussed Seven & i Holdings' plans to remodel at least 7,000 convenience stores in North America by 2030 as part of a broader transformation of its 7-Eleven business.

The convenience-store industry is at a critical inflection point where data infrastructure and artificial intelligence will determine which retailers thrive and which fall behind, according to Thomas Weinandy, economist at Upside.

Weinandy shared these insights during a recent episode of CSP's "At Your Convenience" podcast, recorded live at the Outlook Leadership Conference. The conversation centered on key findings from CSP's Outlook Report, in which Upside participated as a data partner.

One of the most significant shifts Weinandy identified is the rise of cross-shopping behavior: "[It's this] uncommitted customer behavior where consumers are visiting multiple stores, they're involved in many different loyalty programs, they're filling up at multiple gas stations and they're trying to find that value and the loyalty is split across many banners."

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Chuck Ulie talks with Suzanne Kramer, vice president of human resources, and Alan King, director of training, both from Rutter’s, about the convenience-store being a finalist in the 2026 CSP Intouch Insight Mystery Shop audit. 

The three at spoke Aug. 4 at CSP and Informa Connect’s Outlook Leadership event, held in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, the day before Rutter’s was announced as the winner.

Rutter’s had a perfect score in the employees section of the revealed audit of the Mystery Shop contest—and the two discuss why people should want to work at Rutter’s and what the company’s strategy is for retaining that perfect score.

On the podcast, Kramer and King also talk about what makes a management team work together smoothly and successfully with hourly employees, store interior, restrooms, fountain drinks, the importance of employees wearing the proper clothes, and more.

“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.

Convenience-store retailers, suppliers and more traveled to Rancho Palos Verdes, California, for three days to learn and network at CSP and Informa Connect’s Outlook Leadership event.  

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Group Managing Editor Hannah Hammond and CSP Editors Chuck Ulie and Diane Adam sat down at the conference to discuss what they had learned so far. 

They discuss the ways consumers are behaving amid an uncertain economy, how convenience retail is shifting from speed to emotional connection and which c-store chain won CSP and Intouch Insight’s 2026 Mystery Shop. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Group Managing Editor Hannah Hammond talks with Rachel Gignac, conference content manager at Informa, for a preview of the conversations shaping this year’s Outlook Leadership Conference.

On this podcast, recorded ahead of the 2026 Outlook Leadership Conference, which takes place Aug. 4-6, the two discuss the themes emerging across the agenda, including the evolving consumer, the practical applications of AI and the leadership strategies convenience retail executives are using to navigate uncertainty. They also highlight key sessions and what attendees can expect from this year’s gathering.

In this episode of "At Your Convenience," Melissa Vonder Haar, chair of the CSP C-Store Cannabis Board, sits down with two pioneers of the THC beverage industry: Josie Johnson of 36Lyn Refuel Station in Minneapolis and Angus Rittenhouse, co-founder of Wynk Beverages.

Johnson and Rittenhouse share their unique journeys in building the THC beverage category from the ground up—from Wynk's unconventional start with a mobile production facility in a 53-foot tractor trailer to 36Lyn's 35% first-year growth after launching their beverage program.

In this conversation, the industry veterans discuss the customer loyalty driving the category, the need for standardized staff training and practical advice for retailers entering the THC beverage space. They also explore the regulatory evolution in Minnesota and what positive federal regulation could look like for the industry.

Johnson shares her community-focused approach to vendor selection and customer education, while Rittenhouse offers insights from Wynk's expansion into major retailers like Target and Circle K.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Rene Dacosta, vice president for food, beverage and QSR at Brake Time Corner Market (BTCM). 

The Houston-based chain of more than 240 convenience stores was featured on the cover of CSP magazine’s July issue. 

• Brake Time Corner Market is No. 35 on CSP’s 2026 Top 202 ranking of convenience-store chains by U.S. store count. 

BTCM has grown its store count significantly through new builds and acquisitions over the last few years. Now, it’s looking to up its foodservice game with Dacosta’s help. 

In this podcast, Dacosta shares how he got into the convenience-store industry after working at pizza companies, and what consumers’ impressions are of c-store food.  

On a recent edition of the “At Your Convenience” podcast, experts discuss how THC beverages are proving to be a strong performer in convenience stores, with GPM Investments doubling sales after adding dedicated coolers in April. Shane Mabry of GPM, which operates 1,100+ stores across 27 states, says the retailer started cautiously in three states two years ago before expanding to 210 stores with 42 SKUs.

Koby Licciardo of Nowadays notes that c-stores drive critical trial through cold singles, leading to repeat purchases. The consumer base is surprisingly diverse across age and gender, defying initial expectations. Even premium 750ml bottles at $55 are selling well, signaling category maturity as brands and retailers refine merchandising strategies, he says.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” Melissa Vonder Haar, managing director of TradeWorks for iSee Store Innovations and chair of CSP’s C-Store Cannabis Board, talks to Diana Eberlein at the inaugural CSP Cannabis Forum. 

Eberlein is the chair of the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives and chief communications officer for emulsion supplier Vertosa. 

The two discussed the urgent threat facing hemp-derived THC products due to a Nov. 12 federal deadline that could effectively ban most products on the market. They also emphasized the need for convenience retailers to educate consumers and legislators about the category's legitimacy and the industry's desire for proper regulation.

The Cannabis Forum took place March 23-25 in Lombard, Illinois. For more information, visit informaconnect.com/c-store-cannabis-forum/.