Convenience Matters

Approximately one-third of all Americans are considered obese, and the percentages are increasing. As more consumers look toward diets and other solutions to gain control of their weight, there is another problem, known as "infobesity." Simply put, there is too much information about nutrition and it's becoming more difficult to make the right nutrition choices, especially when there is conflicting information. Like any food product, too much information is unhealthy. We'll talk about what retailers and consumers can do to find the best food information quickly.

Computer hacking has dominated the political discussion for most of the past year, but hacking goes well beyond politics. From data breaches to malware and ransomware, every business—or even every computer—is vulnerable. What can businesses do to best protect themselves from attacks—and what can they do to prepare for broader threats beyond their control?

The hosts talk to Gray Taylor about all of the potential cyberattacks that businesses face—and what they can do to mitigate their risk to their businesses.

With 500-plus stores throughout 6 states, Sheetz is regarded as one of the most successful convenience retailers in the country. From its popular MTO sandwich program to its work with the Partnership for a Healthier America and its recognition as one of the best companies to work for, Sheetz has a lot of things going for it. But at the same time, it's also continually looking to reinvent itself. What are the trends that are driving change and how can retailers take advantage of them?

The hosts talk to Sheetz CEO Joe Sheetz about how the company is continually seeking out new opportunities and addressing challenges that are common to convenience retailers.

Recent challenges with adjusting to a deregulated market in Mexico have led to an unusual sight: Mexicans coming across the border simply to buy fuel for their vehicles. Recent price increases and shortages are part of the growing pains for the Mexican petroleum market that is in the early stages of adjusting to a deregulated market for the first time in nearly 80 years.

The hosts talk to their guest about how the recent challenges facing Mexico's deregulated fuels market affects the United States.

There has been much more focus on the "crumbling infrastructure" related to how vehicles travel on the roads and bridges in the United States. But what about the infrastructure that supplies the 12 million barrels of transportation fuel that is required every day? And what are the critical considerations for any new fuels introduced to the market—especially how they must fit into an existing infrastructure? The podcast examines the research findings in a Fuels Institute report that evaluates the U.S. supply chain, how it works and what limitations/weaknesses exist at each point to accommodate diverse fuel specifications and achiev­ing higher rates of biofuels penetration. Understanding the fundamentals of this complex system is essential for anyone considering introducing a new product into the market or adjusting market dynamics for any reason.

What do stand-out convenience stores around the world have in common? Good locations, great food and superb service. Hear about retailing around the world from NACS European partner and managing director of Insight, Dan Munford. From "foodvenience" to dog washes, find out what makes a store memorable and worth the cross-continental trip to visit.

Host Carolyn Schnare, NACS Director of Strategic Industry Initiatives, talks to Dan about convenience retailing excellence around the world and in the United States.

For fuels retailers and their customers who are used to seeing retail gas prices change a few times a month, Denmark would be quite a shock, with prices changing a dozen or more times a day. That's just one of many insights that Ian Thompson shared from his international travels in studying fuels markets. One thing is certain--fuel retailing is not easy and is getting even more complicated with the impact of increased competition, de-regulation, volume challenges and ever-diminishing margins around the world. Also hear how deregulation is affecting markets in India, Brazil and Morocco, which are in early stages of deregulation. The key for retailers is to focus beyond just pricing strategies and look at other offerings to differentiate from their competition. Co-hosts Stephanie Sikorski and Donovan Woods talk with guest Ian Thompson of Kalibrate about broad trends like competition and deregulation and how it affects the fuels markets around the globe.

Those new "chip" credit card readers that are seen inside some retail stores may not be coming to your local gas station as soon as originally planned—the implementation date to require something known as EMV at gas pumps was extended from October 2017 to October 2020. This announcement is particularly beneficial to the fuel retailing community. What does this implementation date change mean for small and medium-sized retailers that comprise 80% of the convenience and petroleum retail market—and how does this affect your fill-up?

The hosts discuss how the new implementation date for outside EMV affects retailers—and their customers.

The new Amazon Go retail concept is groundbreaking—an 1,800-foot store where customers use an app to continuously check out and never have to wait in lines. Amazon is just the latest in a long line of retail giants testing the convenience space, including Walmart, Tesco, Target and The Home Depot. How might this affect the convenience store industry? And, how does this revolutionize the concept of convenience, both now and over the next few years?

The hosts discuss how the new Amazon Go retail store concept could revolutionize the retail environment—and what retailers can study to consider implementing at their own stores.