At Your Convenience

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Dr. Thomas Weinandy, principal research economist at Upside.

The two discussed the conflict in Iran and how measures like the Jones Act waiver are aiming to help supply chain disruptions in the oil market. Weinandy also shared how events abroad are affecting U.S. fuel prices—and how consumers are responding at convenience stores and gas stations. 

“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 Chuck Ulie talks with Matt Van Gilder, vice president of omnichannel at Des Moines, Iowa-based consulting firm NexChapter, which helps retailers with loyalty, retail media and digital commerce strategy.

Their discussion focuses on foodservice and e-commerce, including how the digital channel is the new front door of the convenience store and one of the primary ways customers find a business and its offerings.

On this podcast, Van Gilder discusses the advantages the digital channel brings when it comes to communicating and how convenience stores are approaching 30% of transactions for foodservice through digital channels. He also talks about how retailers must do more than just build a digital platform—they must plan to grow it.

This episode of “At Your Convenience” is part two of CSP’s conversations with the 2026 Category Manager of the Year (CMOY) finalists. 

• Listen to part one here.

Finalists were named in seven categories: behind the counter, center store, dispensed beverages, foodservice, loyalty + tech/operations, nonalcohol and alcohol. And winners were announced during CSP’s Convenience Retailing University event, which took place Feb. 24-26 in Austin, Texas. 

At the event, the finalists stopped by CSP’s podcast booth to answer three questions about category management. Here are some of their responses.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Editor Diane Adam talks to Matt Hautau, vice president of merchandising of Core-Mark, a wholesale distributor to the convenience channel based in Westlake, Texas. 

In this podcast, recorded Feb. 11 at the Core-Mark Midwest Expo in Indianapolis, Hautau unpacks the latest in consumer behavior and how Core-Mark works with vendors and suppliers to get the right products to store. He also discusses the importance of data when it comes to what’s a hit or a miss in the c-store channel.

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP talks with the 2026 Category Manager of the Year finalists. 

Finalists were named in seven categories: behind the counter, center store, dispensed beverages, foodservice, loyalty + tech/operations, nonalcohol and alcohol. And winners were announced during CSP’s Convenience Retailing University event, which took place Feb. 24-26 in Austin, Texas. 

At the event, the finalists stopped by CSP’s podcast booth to answer three questions about category management. 

Here are some of their responses. Look out for part two, coming out March 24. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Kevin Smartt, the CEO of Spicewood, Texas-based TXB. The two spoke on Wednesday during CSP’s Convenience Retailing University event in Austin, Texas. 

Smartt talked about how Kwik Chek transformed to TXB, or Texas Born, in 2020, how the chain maintains its brand, how it has expanded its foodservice over the years and more.  

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP Executive Editor Hannah Hammond talks to Annie Gauthier, the CFO and co-CEO of St. Romain Oil Co. and the National Association of Convenience Stores chairman. 

Gauthier is a third-generation co-owner of the Mansura, Louisiana-based company, which operates 15 Y-Not Stop convenience stores. She started her tenure as NACS chairman in October. 

In this podcast, Gauthier shares how her first few months in the role have been as NACS welcomes new CEO Frank Gleeson, as well as her advice to women—or anyone—looking to advance in this industry. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” Parker’s Kitchen Founder and Executive Chairman Greg Parker speaks with CSP Editor Diane Adam about the c-store chain reaching its 50-year milestone in 2026.

Parker reflects on how the Savannah, Georgia-based retailer has grown over the years and outlines plans to expand the Parker’s footprint. 

He also discusses the company’s first-ever name, image and likeness (NIL) partnership with Georgia Southern football standout Davion “Chewy” Rhodes, who shares the same nickname as the convenience-store company’s iconic mascot. 

In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” CSP’s Vice President of Content Strategy Abbey Lewis talks with Jake Kiser, retail general manager at PAR Retail, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping loyalty and customer engagement. Kaiser explains why embedding AI into systems—not bolting it on—is critical for delivering real value. He emphasizes the importance of setting measurable goals such as improving efficiency or accelerating innovation to separate AI hype from reality and ensure tools deliver tangible results.

Kaiser thinks that AI’s biggest initial impact will be in data and insights. Retailers can now interact with massive datasets conversationally, gaining instant answers to questions like, “Which stores performed best last week?” This eliminates the need for complex queries or lengthy reporting, empowering marketers to make faster data-driven decisions that enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency.

The cost of delaying AI adoption is steep, Kaiser said. Platforms that fail to embrace AI risk becoming obsolete while retailers who hesitate will miss opportunities to innovate. To prepare, Kaiser advises pushing teams to use AI tools daily and asking loyalty providers tough questions about their AI capabilities. Acting now will give retailers a competitive edge in an AI-driven future. To hear more, please listen to the entire podcast above. 

“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 Chuck Ulie talks with Philip Santini, senior director of food service and bar strategy at York, Pennsylvania-based Rutter’s. They discuss the importance of limited-time offers in convenience-store foodservice.

On this podcast, Santini talks about the research Rutter’s conducts, the importance of feedback from employees, cross-utilizing products 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.