Tag Archives: NACS

Posted on by

Ready Training Online and NACS release convenience store customer service training module, Be Our Guest

​ELIZABETHTOWN, PA, 2018-Feb-13 — /EPR Retail News/ — Ready Training Online (RTO), together with NACS, the association that advances the convenience and fuel retailing industry, is announcing the release of the online training module, Be Our Guest. This convenience store customer service training module is an update to the DVD series previously produced and distributed by NACS.

“Be Our Guest is the ‘Cadillac’ of c-store customer service training, and in this industry, creating a satisfying customer experience is the foundation of success,” said Jeff Kahler, President of RTO. “We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work closely with NACS to update and bring the Be Our Guest training online.”

The new online Be Our Guest training module covers key areas of convenience store customer service, such as greeting and assisting customers, working with customers with disabilities, and prioritizing tasks when the store is busy. The title for the training takes its name from the acronym G.U.E.S.T., which stands for Greet, Understand, Eye Contact, Speed of Service and Thank You, and is used throughout this innovative convenience store customer service training program.

“We’ve made it easy for convenience retailers to gain new skills and learn best practices—right from the computer in a store or office setting. With the Be Our Guest training module, you’ll grow a stronger team to help your business thrive,” said NACS Products and Services Director Doug Spencer.

Be Our Guest is available now to all current RTO subscription customers at no additional cost and is also being offered exclusively through the NACS e-Learning store, along with 40 other training titles, at www.convenience.org/elearning.

About RTO
RTO provides a full-service online training solution targeted specifically at the service and retail industries. The RTO Learning Management System (LMS) is a comprehensive training and reporting tool designed to simplify employee training. The LMS boasts an extensive library full of industry-rich content and real-time tracking and reporting. RTO is led by a team of production and learning design professionals with expertise in the convenience, restaurant, and retail industries. RTO was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Elizabethtown, PA.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

For media interviews/comments contact:

Jeff Lenard

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS: Low gas prices continue to push consumer optimism to high levels

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Dec-13 — /EPR Retail News/ — Low gas prices continue to push consumer optimism to high levels and this optimism will likely translate into more holiday travel and shopping, according to the December 2017 NACS Consumer Fuels Survey.

Low gas prices—which dropped 3 cents per gallon to $2.47—are a big reason for the optimism: 72% of drivers say that gas prices affect their feelings about the economy.

For the third consecutive month, 61% of gas purchasers say they feel optimistic about the economy, tied for the highest level recorded over the past five years of the monthly surveys.  Optimism is largely uniform across regions but there is a significant difference by gender: Men are far likelier than women to say that they are optimistic about the economy (69% vs. 53%).

NACS, which represents the convenience store industry that sells an estimated 80% of the fuel sold in the United States, has conducted monthly surveys related to economic issues since January 2013.

Consumer optimism has been consistent throughout 2017: Optimism stayed between 57% and 61% for 11 of the 12 months of 2017. The only exception was September (54%) following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

Optimism in December 2017 is 10 points higher than December 2015, and 22 points higher than December 2013. This year, the average monthly gas price ranged from $2.22 to $2.59. By contrast, the average price in December 2013 was $3.29.

Consumer optimism may translate to a busy holiday shopping season. More than one in four consumers (27%) say they will drive more this month, led by 43% of those ages 18 to 34. Last month, only 16% of American said they would be driving more.

Consumers also say they may be spending more this month. One in three (33%) say they will be spending more this month, the same percentage as last year but 6 points higher than in December 2015.

“Strong economic optimism is undoubtedly the story of 2017. Low gas prices and high consumer optimism are the best predictors of convenience store sales. Combine these positive indicators with the continued growth of prepared foods and healthy options in convenience stores and it shows why 2017 is shaping up as another record-setting year for in-store sales,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives.

The survey was conducted online by PSB (Penn Schoen Berland); 1,104 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed December 5-8, 2017. Summary results are available at convenience.org/fuelssurvey.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS Consumer Fuels Survey: record number of Americans say they will be driving the same or more this month

​ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Nov-15 — /EPR Retail News/ — With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, a record 93% of Americans say they will be driving the same or more this month, and they anticipate spending more over the same time period, according to the latest NACS Consumer Fuels Survey.

Thanksgiving traffic could be heavy, as a record 93% of American drivers say they will be driving the same or more over the next 30 days. And they also will be shopping this month. Nearly three in four consumers (72%) say they will spend the same or more this upcoming month in stores, led by 79% of Americans age 50+ as well as 77% of those in the Midwest.

NACS, which represents the convenience store industry that sells an estimated 80% of the fuel sold in the United States, has conducted monthly surveys related to economic issues since January 2013.

Consumer confidence regarding the economy is also very high; a record 61% of consumers say they are optimistic about the economy, the same percentage as the month prior and up 11 percentage points compared to November 2015. Consumer optimism is highest in the Northeast (65%) and South (62%), though a solid majority of consumers in the Midwest (59%) and West (57%) report feeling optimistic.

Prices at the pump continue to drive consumer optimism, with three in four (75%) saying that gas prices affect their views of the economy.

“Steady gas prices and high levels of economic optimism are great signs for convenience stores heading into the holidays. Convenience stores expect strong sales for fuel, food and drinks from now through the end of the year,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives.

The survey was conducted online by PSB (Penn Schoen Berland); 1,100 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed November 8-10, 2017. Summary results are available at convenience.org/fuelssurvey.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

William Shatner joins NACS in a special episode of Convenience Matters podcast

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Oct-26 — /EPR Retail News/ — The attributes that define William Shatner’s career also describe the convenience store industry: intellectual curiosity, innovation and a strong work ethic.

So in a special episode of Convenience Matters podcast, “William Shatner’s Take on Convenience Stores,” NACS brought them both together. Shatner and NACS President and CEO Henry Armour joined host Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president strategic industry initiatives, to talk about topics related to convenience retailing.

“Star Trek has an overarching guiding principle known as the ‘prime directive.’ Simply put, you can’t interfere with the internal development of alien civilizations. It was terrific to hear an icon like William Shatner violate that principle in offering both solicited—and unsolicited—advice about our industry,” said Armour.

Shatner also addressed some convenience related questions, such as what a convenience store would look like on the Enterprise and whether cup holders would have been helpful. (Sneak peek: the answer is no, but listen to find out why not!)

Also, Convenience Matters now has a new, user-friendly website, conveniencematters.com. The site features information about the podcasts and the program hosts as well as recent podcast episodes with industry leaders, partner organizations, celebrities, industry experts and convenience store fanatics, plus.

In addition to weekly programs, Convenience Matters also features special episodes on timely topics, such as those focused on the fueling issues related to hurricanes Harvey and Irma, which were shared with reporters across the country.

“We are delighted with the success of the Convenience Matters podcasts and how our members download episodes to hear unique approaches to current challenges facing the industry and inspiring personal stories, as well as best practices, tips and trends,” said NACS Convenience Matters co-host Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives. “The average podcast listener in America consumes five different podcasts a week, and we are honored to be on so many members’ playlists—as well as playlists from listeners in 80-plus other countries.”

The NACS Convenience Matters podcast debuted in 2016 to appeal anyone working in retail, supply products or services, fascinated by the auto industry and the future of fueling and mobility or who simply love convenience.

A new Convenience Matters podcast is released every week focusing on topics related to convenience stores. Episodes of Convenience Matters can be downloaded on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and at conveniencematters.com. Since its launch in February 2016, it has been downloaded in more than 80 countries and listenership has more than doubled over the past 10 months.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

PHA AND NACS launch Healthier Product Calculator to help convenience retailers make healthier food choices more accessible to customers

CHICAGO, 2017-Oct-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which works with the private sector and PHA Honorary Chair Former First Lady Michelle Obama to make healthier choices easier, and NACS, the association representing the nation’s 154,000-plus convenience stores, today announced two new cobranded programs to help NACS members provide more visibility to healthier choices inside their stores.

In addition, the groups announced that two new convenience distributors have signed commitments with PHA: Harold Levinson Associates and S. Abraham & Sons.

The announcements were made at the NACS Show, which is expected to draw more than 22,000 attendees from the convenience store industry. In May, NACS became the first retail trade association to join Partnership for a Healthier America.

The groups announced the launch of a Healthier Product Calculator, an online resource that allows convenience retailers to easily identify items that meet the PHA Healthier Food & Beverage Product Criteria. The online tool will help retailers more confidently develop better-for-you store sets and make healthier food choices more accessible to the 160 million customers who shop at convenience stores every day.

The online calculator is based on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, an evidenced-based set of guidelines crafted by a group of nationally recognized nutrition and medical experts, and released every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. The Healthier Product Calculator is available to all NACS retail, supplier and distributor members at convenience.org/calculator.

“With more than 23.5 million people living where healthy and affordable foods are limited or unavailable, we have a significant opportunity to address one of our nation’s biggest challenges,” said PHA President & CEO Nancy E. Roman. “As PHA continues to work with NACS and the convenience store industry, we’re discovering more opportunities to meaningfully address food access, while supporting each aspect of the supply chain.”

In addition to the online calculator, the organizations announced that NACS is now an official partner of PHA’s Drink Up campaign, which encourages Americans to drink more water, more often. With convenience stores selling approximately 50 percent of the country’s single-serve bottled water, the three-year partnership will give NACS members the opportunity to access Drink Up marketing collateral and point of sale materials through a digital hub to help drive sales of bottled water in stores.

A 2016 study by Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) found that the Drink Up campaign fueled a 5 percent lift in incremental sales of bottled water among those exposed to the online campaign.

Also at the NACS Show, PHA announced that distributors Harold Levinson Associates (HLA) and S. Abraham & Sons (SAS) have each made a three-year commitment to deliver more nutritious options to its convenience retail partners.

Harold Levinson Associates is the fifth largest wholesaler to the convenience store industry serving more than 7,000 convenience store locations. HLA has committed to increasing the availability of affordable, nutritious options to its convenience store partners. It will also implement a healthier food catering guide for corporate meetings and events.

S. Abraham & Sons is one of the nation’s leading wholesale distributors specializing in the food industry that services nearly 4,000 retail stores throughout the Midwest. In addition to increasing the availability of affordable, nutritious options, SAS has committed to modifying its line of sandwiches and salads to meet PHA’s Healthier Food and Beverage Criteria and will introduce SAS-sponsored employee wellness programs.

Core-Mark and McLane, two of the largest convenience store distributors, as well as ESSTAR, a natural food sales, marketing and brokerage company, have also made PHA commitments to ensure that convenience stores across the nation can stock healthier options. Through these collective commitments, more than 75,000 convenience stores across the country can now offer expanded healthier choices and fresh fruit and vegetables to its customers. In addition, eight NACS retailer members, representing more than 2,000 locations in 25 states, also have signed commitments with PHA. Currently, 73 percent of PHA’s convenience store partner locations are in food deserts.

“We are proud to stand with our retailer and distributor members, as well as many of the supplier members, in joining PHA and supporting its programs to make the healthy choice the convenient choice,” said NACS President and CEO Henry O. Armour.

To learn more about the Healthier Product Calculator, Drink Up and distributor commitments visit www.ahealthieramerica.org.

-###-

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

SOURCE: NACS

MEDIA CONTACT
Jeff Lenard

Posted on by

NACS Releases 2017 Ideas 2 Go program

CHICAGO, 2017-Oct-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — The fast-paced Ideas 2 Go program showcases emerging concepts that redefine convenience—as well as quick takeaways that retailers could easily implement at their own stores. Since 1994, Ideas 2 Go has provided a fast-paced video tour of some of the most interesting, creative and potentially profitable ideas in the convenience and fuel retailing industry.

The 50-minute Ideas 2 Go video presentation was shown in today’s NACS Show general session. NACS member companies can order and download the 2017 program (SKU 30088024) for $30 ($60 regular price). Orders can be placed at convenience.org/ideas2go2017.

The eight featured segments are:

Farmer’s Grandson/Lone Oak LLC (Eagan, MN)
Owner Tony Donatell has taken a traditional Shell/Oasis Market and transformed it into a unique food and beverage operation with three concepts around food—sharing the same kitchen in the convenience store with other high-end dining and drinking experiences.

Rutter’s (Annville, PA)
Rutter’s is the oldest vertically integrated food company in the United States, yet embraces modern concepts to deliver high-end foodservice solutions and cutting-edge convenience.

Green Zebra Grocery (Portland, OR)
Green Zebra Grocery is reinventing the convenience store by combining healthy and convenience, and placing a big focus on people.

Migrolino (Zurich, Switzerland)
With small convenience markets with shops at train stations, petrol stations and other well-frequented locations, Migrolino makes every square foot count—especially with innovative daypart marketing in its latest Takeaway c-store concept.

Minit Mart/The Convenience Group LLC (La Center, WA)
The Convenience Group does the opposite of traditional branding, giving every store a unique look and offer. The idea is to customize stores to the specific neighborhood and consumer base while retaining the unique design characteristics of older buildings.

Street Corner/McColla Enterprises (Cincinnati, OH)
Convenience stores are increasingly locating in downtown settings where they can tap into built-in populations. The retailer’s new a “fresh market” is part of an urban mix of include a mix of apartment homes and retailers.

GetGo Café + Market (Verona, PA)
Two big buzzwords in the convenience industry are café and market, and they also are apparent in GetGo’s name and its offer. The company is placing a huge emphasis on food and an even bigger one on convenience.

Aw Shucks Country Store (Glen Allen, VA)
The local community is its number-one priority and Aw Shucks Country Store is the neighborhood gathering place, whether folks are meeting up for a meal, music or community events like yard sales and vintage car shows.

In addition to the eight Ideas 2 Go segments, short Ideas 2 Grow segments examine unique innovations in retail, including Eatsa (Washington, D.C.), and Mini Mini and Food Fight! (Portland, OR).

More than 150 Ideas 2 Go video segments from previous years (2002 to 2016) can be viewed at convenience.org/ideas2go.

The NACS Show is the premier event of the year for the convenience and fuel retailing industry. More than 22,000 attendees from 50-plus countries are at the 2017 NACS Show in Chicago, which features four days of general sessions, more than 50 education sessions and more than 1,200 exhibiting companies in a 420,000 net-square-foot expo. For the most up-to-date news and information on the event, go to nacsshow.com.

-###-

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

SOURCE: NACS

MEDIA CONTACT
Jeff Lenard

Posted on by

Keep America Beautiful and NACS partner for a new guide on trash management

ALEXANDRIA, Va., and STAMFORD, Conn., 2017-Oct-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Keep America Beautiful and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) have partnered to produce the new resource, “Being a Good Neighbor: A Guide to Reducing Litter, Managing Trash and Encouraging Recycling.”

The guide provides quick and easy tips for convenience stores to improve their customers’ experience, help the environment and, ultimately, enhance their reputation and bottom line. It includes information from Keep America Beautiful’s landmark “Litter in America” research from 2009—comprised of the “National Visible Litter Survey” and “Litter Cost Study”—as well as from jointly developed consumer and retailer surveys and audits conducted this year by NACS and Keep America Beautiful.

The guide includes a checklist to examine litter management practices at convenience stores as well as practical tips to help retailers reduce and ultimately eliminate litter in and around their stores. It also provides recommendations for recycling bin and trash receptacle placements to help make proper disposal of packaging items easy and accessible. And retailers also share techniques to engage employees, customers and the greater community.

“With convenience stores comprising 34% of all retailer business, convenience store operators can play an instrumental role in providing customers with convenient trash and recycling containers to lessen litter and improve recycling at their locations,” said Brenda Pulley, Keep America Beautiful’s senior vice president, recycling. “Keep America Beautiful is pleased to team up with the NACS to provide best practices for managing trash and recycling with the new ‘Being a Good Neighbor’ guide.”

According to Keep America Beautiful research, the most people properly dispose of trash in receptacles. But nearly one in five disposals (17%) ends up as litter. Packaging, including fast food, snack, beverage and tobacco packaging, comprises nearly half (47%) of items in the “visible” litter stream, according to Keep America Beautiful research.

Meanwhile, NACS research shows that consumers overwhelmingly say that convenience store appearance is important: 84% of consumers fueling up say cleanliness of the store is an important factor when considering whether they will shop at a particular store. The new resource guide shares best practices that help retailers manage waste to keep their properties clean, including placement and design of trash receptacles.

“Litter impacts how people perceive your brand, even if they litter a cup with your logo on it somewhere else,” said Lisa Dell’Alba, one of the many retailers surveyed for the guide. Dell’Alba is president & CEO of Square One Markets (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) and a member of the NACS Board of Directors.

Convenience stores spend more than $600 per store per month for recycling and trash collection programs—or about $1.3 billion industry-wide on an annual basis. But the payoff is worth the expense: U.S. convenience stores continue to grow their foodservice sales, which climbed 12.9% to $49 billion in 2016, per NACS data.

“Keep America Beautiful has been the nation’s steward for litter prevention for nearly 65 years. We recognize that foodservice and product packaging is a significant part of the litter stream, and we’re pleased to partner on this guide to help convenience stores and their customers reduce litter. It’s good for the environment and good for the community, and ultimately good for business because consumers support businesses that support the communities they serve,” said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard.

To download a copy of “Being a Good Neighbor: A Guide to Reducing Litter, Managing Trash and Encouraging Recycling,” go to www.convenience.org/kab.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

Tyson Foods and NACS team up to donate 36,060 pounds of protein to help fight hunger in the Chicagoland area

Chicago, Ill., 2017-Oct-18 — /EPR Retail News/ — Tyson Foods, Inc. and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) partnered today (Oct. 16, 2017) to donate a truckload of protein totaling 36,060 pounds to the Greater Chicago Food Depository to help fight hunger in the Chicagoland area.

The Food Depository will distribute the donated food, which is equivalent to 144,240 meals,  through its network of partner agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters services across Chicago and Cook County.

“The Greater Chicago Food Depository is grateful to Tyson Foods for its longstanding partnership in the fight against hunger,” said Jill Zimmerman, vice president of development at the Food Depository. “Donations of protein are important to our work of providing nutritious food options for our neighbors in need. We thank Tyson for this generous contribution and its ongoing support of our mission.”

NACS is holding its annual NACS Show at McCormick Place in Chicago this week. More than 20,000 attendees from 50-plus countries are expected to attend the event, which is one of the largest tradeshows in the country. The show features four days of general sessions, more than 50 educational sessions and more than 1,200 exhibiting companies.

“We truly believe that c-store doesn’t just stand for convenience store – it also stands for community store, and we are proud to join Tyson Foods in supporting the Chicagoland community that we call home this week during the NACS Show in Chicago,” said Jeff Lenard, vice president of NACS’ strategic industry initiatives.

Tyson Foods’ “KNOW Hunger” campaign is focused on helping more people understand and join the effort to eliminate hunger in America. The company partners with Feeding America, Share Our Strength and Lift Up America to raise awareness and help feed the hungry across the nation. Since 2000, Tyson Foods has donated more than 100 million pounds of protein in the United States.

In 2015, Tyson Foods announced its renewed commitment to hunger relief by pledging $50 million in cash and in-kind donations by 2020 in the fight against hunger, with a special focus on innovative initiatives at the local level.

“Partnering with organizations like the Greater Chicago Food Depository and NACS is important to us in raising awareness about food insecurity in communities all around the U.S.,” said Mark Purvis, vice president, convenience sales for Tyson Foods. “In this community alone, the Food Depository serves an average 200,000 pounds of food every single day. We’re honored to support those extraordinary efforts.”

To learn more about the Greater Chicago Food Depository and its hunger relief efforts, visit https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS Consumer Fuels Survey: consumers optimistic about the economy as gas prices fall

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Oct-12 — /EPR Retail News/ — Consumers have seen gas prices fall after the temporary supply disruptions caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and they say they are more optimistic about the economy, according to the latest national NACS Consumer Fuels Survey.

Americans say that they have seen gas prices fall 9 cents to $2.50 per gallon over the past month, and one in four (24%) expect prices to continue to fall this month, far higher than the number who normally say gas prices will decrease this time of the year. In October 2016, only 11% of Americans said they thought gas prices would decline that month.

This sentiment is particularly strong in the South, the region most impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. A third (34%) of Southern gas purchasers say they believe prices will drop in the next 30 days.

Lower gas prices have boosted consumer optimism over the economy. Consumer optimism shot up seven points to 61% from September’s reading of 54%, the highest level recorded since March 2017. Men are significantly more optimistic than women (68% vs. 56%) but there are no significant differences by age group. Consumer optimism is strongest in the South (64%) and Northeast (64%), and slightly weaker in the Midwest (59%) and West (58%).

Overall, three in four (76%) consumers say that gas prices impact their feelings about the economy and that is particularly true among younger consumers. Nearly nine in 10 Americans (87%) ages 18 to 34 say that gas prices affect their economic confidence. Similarly, the drop in prices also affects their spending: 37% of this age group say they will drive more this month and 24% say they will spend more this month than last month.

“Sales at convenience stores are directly tied to the economy, fuel prices and the weather. The return of consumer confidence is great news as we start the fourth quarter of 2017,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives.

In preparation for—and in response to—to the hurricane season (defined as June 1 to November 30), NACS continues to work with its partners at the American Red Cross to help collect donations for areas impacted by the hurricanes. NACS also has developed resources to assist retailers and others with disaster recovery and relief.

The survey was conducted online by PSB (Penn Schoen Berland); 1,103 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed October 3-6, 2017. Summary results are available at nacsonline.com/fuelssurvey.

-###-

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

SOURCE: NACS

For media interviews/comments contact Jeff Lenard.

Posted on by

NACS survey: Convenience store food sales grows; retailers optimistic on business prospects for the remainder of 2017

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Oct-12 — /EPR Retail News/ — Convenience store retailers say that in-store sales have performed strong so far this year, and they are optimistic about their business prospects for the remainder of 2017, largely because of the growth in food sales, according to a survey of U.S. retailers released today by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS).

Three in five convenience store retailers (60%) say that in-store sales in the first nine months of 2017 were higher than the same period last year, compared to 20% who say sales thus far were lower. And one in three (35%) say that motor fuels sales were higher compared to the first nine months, compared to 27% who say sales were lower.

Three in four retailers (75%) say they are optimistic about how their business will perform leading into the fourth quarter. While retailers attributed several reasons for both strong sales and optimism, an increased emphasis on fresh food sales was most often cited. Pride C-Stores Inc. (Columbia City, IN) is placing a greater emphasis on prepared foods, Kwik Trip (La Crosse, WI) continues to grow its hot foods program, and Cameron Park Petroleum (Folsom, CA) is experiencing strong sales with its fresh sandwich program.

A robust foodservice program is just part of the overall reimaging program at Landhope Corp. (Kennett Square, PA). As part of its remodeling process, the stores have provided more fueling locations for customers, improved aesthetics with enhanced lighting both inside and outside the store and an expanded foodservice program that has been well-received by customers, noted Dennis McCartney, the company’s director of operations.

Greater consumer confidence also has helped grow store sales, according to the retailers NACS surveyed. Both the economy and consumer confidence was cited as an important factor growing sales at Gate Petroleum Co. (Jacksonville, FL) and Gore’s 66 (Tuttle, OK).

In fact, the survey found that most convenience store retailers are equally optimistic about the overall economy. More than three in four (76%) say that they are optimistic about the economy in the fourth quarter, a significant increase from this time a year ago when only 53% of retailers were optimistic about the economy. Additionally, 73% of retailers say they are optimistic about the convenience store industry’s prospects leading into 2018.

“We are becoming well known for awesome food, clean facilities and great customer service,” said Don Burd with Otter Creek Country Stores Inc., summing up both his company’s and the industry’s prospects.

Despite the overall optimism, retailers did express some concerns, citing high insurance costs, a shrinking labor pool and increased competition from retail disruptors like Amazon, noted Michael Lanman with Lanman Oil Co. (Charleston, IL).

Most survey respondents (60%) also say that they will be attending next week’s NACS Show, October 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Retailers cited finding new ideas and networking as the prime reasons for attending the NACS Show, which annually draws more than 22,000 attendees. Specifically, retailers say they are looking forward to finding new foodservice equipment, hear ideas from their peers that will help drive operational efficiencies and explore new trends that could enhance their businesses.

“I’m going so that I can network and learn from those who are trying to improve their businesses. Remember the law of serendipity: Lady Luck favors those who try,” said Lonnie McQuirter with 36 Lyn Refuel Station (Minneapolis, MN).

The quarterly NACS Retailer Sentiment Survey tracks retailer sentiment related to their businesses, the industry and the economy. A total of 90 member companies, representing a cumulative 1,778 stores, participated in the October 2017 survey.

-###-

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

SOURCE: NACS

For media interviews/comments contact Jeff Lenard.

Posted on by

NACS appoints Brandon Kramer as marketing manager

​ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2017-Oct-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Brandon Kramer has joined NACS as a marketing manager, where he will be jointly responsible for the ongoing evolution and development of marketing vision and strategy for NACS membership, products and services, and events, including one of the nation’s top 40 tradeshows, the NACS Show.

Kramer comes to NACS after having worked at the National Business Group on Health as a marketing analyst. He has also spent time at the Communities in School National Office as well as at Meals on Wheels America.

Kramer holds an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland.  He obtained a B.A. in electronic filmmaking and digital design from Farleigh Dickinson University.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS: Economic optimism among American consumers held steady this month despite rise in gas prices

​ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Aug-08 — /EPR Retail News/ — Economic optimism among American gasoline consumers held steady this month, despite a seven-cent climb in the price of gasoline, according to the latest NACS Consumer Fuels survey.

NACS, which represents the convenience store industry that sells an estimated 80% of the fuel sold in the country, has conducted monthly surveys related to economic issues since January 2013.

Gas consumers report a median gasoline price of $2.29 per gallon, up from $2.22 last month. This price increase has been felt most strongly in the South, with about two in five (42%) saying they noticed gas prices “much higher” or “somewhat higher” than last month. In the West, just a third (32%) of gasoline consumers noticed higher prices.

Despite the uptick in gasoline prices, Americans drivers remain optimistic about the current state of the economy. Three in five (60%) drivers say they are optimistic about the economy, the same proportion that said so last month in July 2017 and 16 points higher than last August when optimism stood at 44%. There are strong demographic variations in optimism; 64% of those age 50 or higher say they are optimistic, compared to 54% of those ages 18-34.

American gasoline consumers also expect gasoline prices to continue to rise. 42% of gasoline consumers say that they expect gasoline prices in 30 days to be higher than they are today. Another 49% say they think gasoline prices will remain about the same as today, and just one in ten (8%) say they believe gas prices will drop in the next 30 days.

Nearly one in four consumers (24%) say that they will drive more this month, the highest percentage recorded over the past five Augusts, and nearly one in five (17%) say they will spend more.

“The convenience store industry is glad to see that consumer optimism remains strong despite the slight rise in gas prices this past month,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives. “Resilient economic optimism is good news as consumers enter the latter half of the summer driving season.”

The survey was conducted online by PSB (Penn Schoen Berland); 1,108 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed August 1-4, 2017. Summary results are available at nacsonline.com/fuelssurvey.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS and DHS Blue Campaign partner to raise public awareness about human trafficking

​ALEXANDRIA, Va, 2017-Jul-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — NACS has announced a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Blue Campaign to help combat human trafficking.

Through this alliance with the DHS Blue Campaign, NACS will provide the DHS Blue Campaign’s training and awareness materials—including posters, handouts and other materials—to members free of charge. Click here for more information on the NACS initiative to combat human trafficking.

The DHS Blue Campaign raises public awareness about human trafficking, leveraging partnerships to educate the public to recognize human trafficking and report suspected instances. The Blue Campaign also offers training to law enforcement and others to increase detection and investigation of human trafficking, and to protect victims and bring suspected traffickers to justice.

“Convenience stores serve 160 million customers a day in every community across the country 24 hours a day. Our industry is well equipped to share important messages with our customers so they can collectively create the equivalent of a neighborhood watch program in their communities. We are proud to work with the Department of Homeland Security on this important issue,” said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard. Lenard also serves as a board member for the National Safe Place Network, which works with companies, including convenience stores, to provide access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need.

The new partnership with the DHS Blue campaign is the latest of several new programs developed by NACS this year to help retailers develop new tools to serve their communities. In June, NACS announced a partnership with the American Red Cross to advance community giving and disaster relief programs for NACS member companies. In May, NACS announced that it signed a commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America to help convenience stores provide more visibility to healthier choices inside their stores. NACS was the first retail-focused association to partner with either of these nationally respected organizations.

“Convenience stores are as closely tied to their local communities as any retail channel. Representing one-third of all retail stores in the United States, convenience stores don’t just sell products and services that people enjoy; they make a difference in their communities and help address important national initiative groups at a local level,” Lenard said.

The Blue Campaign is the unified voice for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to combat human trafficking. Working in collaboration with law enforcement, government, non-governmental and private organizations, the Blue Campaign strives to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human lives to justice. For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/bluecampaign.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS Consumer Fuels Survey: As gas prices decline, Americans more optimistic about the economy

​ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Jul-12 — /EPR Retail News/ — Another decline in gas prices helped fuel Americans’ optimism about the economy to near record levels, according to the latest NACS Consumer Fuels Survey.

The U.S. convenience store industry sells an estimated 80% of the fuel sold in the country, and NACS has conducted monthly surveys related to economic issues since January 2013.

Drivers report a median gas price of $2.22, down 13 cents from $2.35 in June. This month’s prices are the lowest gas prices reported by consumers this year.

As gas prices decline, consumers are feeling more optimistic about the state of the economy. Three in five (60%) American drivers report feeling optimistic about the economy, a two-point increase from last month and a point off the record high recorded in March. Last July, 47% of American drivers expressed optimism related to the economy.

Historically, most consumers say that prices will increase over the next 30 days; however, that perception is changing as gas prices remain low for a sustained period. Only 41% of drivers now say that they expect prices to climb this month, the lowest percentage in 12 months.

The decline in gas price has been felt most strongly in the South, where over half (55%) of consumers say they noticed lower gas prices this month. In contrast, just under a third (29%) of consumers in the West say they noticed this month’s dip in prices. Overall, 43% say they believe gas prices are lower than 30 days ago.

Nearly one in four consumers (24%) say that they will drive more this month and nearly one in five (18%) say they will spend more.

“The cumulative effect of low gas prices over the past three summers is certainly pushing consumer optimism higher,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives. “Low gas prices, warm summer weather and high consumer optimism are the three factors most cited by convenience stores retailers looking to grow their sales and retailers are very optimistic about summer sales.”

In fact, more than four in five convenience store retailers (83%) say they are optimistic about their business prospects for the third quarter of 2017, the highest level recorded in the past eight quarters, according to a NACS retailer optimism survey published in late June.

The NACS Consumer Fuels Survey was conducted online by PSB (Penn Schoen Berland); 1,118 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed July 5-7, 2017. Summary results are available at convenience.org/fuelssurvey.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS to advance its advocacy, events and education with SwiftIQ partnership

​ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2017-Jul-06 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Association for Convenience and Fuel Retailing (NACS) and SwiftIQ, a leading retail insights, execution and measurement platform, have announced a strategic alliance.

The alliance, initially publicized at the NACS State of the Industry Summit in April, will advance NACS advocacy, events and education by bringing significant shopper, merchandising, data integrity and supply chain insights to the convenience marketplace to help retailers and their suppliers enhance food bundles, improve product offerings and gain operational improvements to drive cash flow.

“Swift IQ’s ability to analyze billions of retail transactions on-demand, including basket-level performance, foodservice, promotions, item correlations, size, seasonality and dayparts will bring an unmatched level of granularity and help convenience retailers gain tremendous benchmarks for success,” said Dae Kim, NACS vice president of research about the partnership.

“Considering the pace of the technological change in the industry, the need for basket-level data and continuous measurement of category management, promotions and supply chain initiatives is greater now more than ever. The ability to utilize artificial intelligence applications and basket-level data to optimize merchandising, foodservice and out-of-stocks is more important than ever,” explained Jason Lobel, CEO and Co-Founder of SwiftIQ. “We have worked with several top convenience chains are very excited to further our collaboration with NACS to help the community understand and leverage the power of basket-level data to drive business value.”

SwiftIQ data will complement NACS’s existing suite of data products: CSX, an online database that lets users benchmark and compare financial performance and operating trends against industry averages, and CTP, a program that conducts shopper intercepts on-site at retail locations to capture actionable insights based on customer perception, opportunity gaps and conversion rates for specific categories as well as effective forms of promotion that customers find engaging.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS welcomes Samuel Diarra as web developer

​ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2017-Jul-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Samuel Diarra has joined NACS as a web developer, providing support to NACS’s custom web development and data integration endeavors including custom websites and applications and database scripting.

Diarra comes to NACS after having worked at Infospan, Inc. Diarra obtained a B.S. in electrical engineering with an emphasis in computer science from the University of the District of Columbia.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS welcomes Jayme Gough as research coordinator

​ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2017-Jul-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Jayme Gough has joined NACS as a research coordinator, providing support in a host of different NACS Research initiatives and projects including the NACS State of the Industry Report and the NACS Compensation Report as well as the NACS Convenience Tracking Program.

Gough comes to NACS after having worked at Alexandria City Public Schools.

Gough obtained a B.S. in biochemistry with a minor in sociology from Bates College.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS partners with American Red Cross to advance community giving and disaster relief programs for NACS member companies

​ALEXANDRIA, Va., and WASHINGTON, DC, 2017-Jun-27 — /EPR Retail News/ — The American Red Cross and NACS, the association representing the nation’s 154,000-plus convenience stores, announced that they have developed a partnership to advance community giving and disaster relief programs for NACS member companies. NACS is the first retail-focused association to partner with the American Red Cross on such a program.

The groups are currently focusing on developing resources to facilitate donation collection by convenience store companies nationwide, as well as encourage volunteer assistance programs for Red Cross volunteers around specific local or national events.

Convenience stores contribute nearly $1 billion a year to charitable organizations. Four in five convenience store companies (80%) say they’ve made donations when there was a specific emergency or crisis in the community, according to a 2016 NACS member survey.

The announcement of the partnership is aligned with the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. The Red Cross responds to nearly 64,000 disasters each year, most of which are home fires, and deploys volunteer disaster relief workers to support their efforts. Donations are crucial to the success of their missions and NACS will be working closely with its members to help them achieve their goals.

“NACS and the American Red Cross are closely aligned in how they make a meaningful difference in communities. Convenience stores are in every community in the country and they often are the only retailer open in times of episodic events. This agreement, developed with our NACS Foundation, will help advance the existing programs in which convenience stores provide immediate access to donations as well as food, fuel and beverages for volunteers,” said NACS President and CEO Henry O. Armour.

“We’re extremely excited to partner with NACS and its members as they work with us to provide help and hope to people impacted by disasters,” said Don Herring, chief development officer at the American Red Cross. “Donations through their network of convenience stores and customers will allow the Red Cross to deploy volunteers, respond immediately with food and shelter during a disaster, as well as support disaster survivors through the recovery process.”

NACS and the American Red Cross will develop and disseminate tools and resources for retailers at convenience.org/redcross.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS welcomes Jessica Rowe as Exhibit & Member Services Coordinator

​ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2017-Jun-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — Jessica Rowe has joined NACS as Exhibit & Member Services Coordinator.

She will be responsible for assisting with NACS Show booth sales and logistics as well as helping to deliver an exceptional customer experience for exhibitors at the NACS Show, which annually attracts more than 20,000 attendees from 60-plus countries, and features four days of general sessions, more than 60 education sessions and more than 1,200 exhibiting companies in a roughly 400,000 net-square-foot expo.

Rowe comes to NACS after having worked as a recruiter for The Advisory Board Company in Washington, D.C. She graduated cum laude with a BA in public relations from the University of South Carolina.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS Consumer Fuels survey: Americans much more likely than in past years to hit the roads this summer

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Jun-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — American drivers are much more likely than in years past to be hitting the roads as summer drive season begins, according to the latest NACS Consumer Fuels survey.

Nearly three in ten (29%) consumers say they will drive more in the coming month, an 11-point jump increase from a year ago (18% in June 2016), and a record high for the month of June. NACS, which represents the convenience store industry that sells an estimated 80% of the fuel sold in the country, has conducted monthly surveys related to economic issues since January 2013.

Nearly three in five (58%) of gasoline consumers report feeling optimistic about the U.S. economy this month, down 2 points from last month. Consumer optimism has tracked between 57% and 61% for the past seven months. Consumers in the South are most optimistic (62%), though optimism remains high across all regions.

Relatively low gas prices are fueling both consumer optimism and the anticipated increase in driving. Fully four in five (80%) Americans say that gas prices impact their feelings about the economy.

“Continued strong optimism over the economy and an expected increase in summer driving is great news for convenience stores and other retailers who cater to summer travelers,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives.

However, there are some looming concerns. While the median gas price reported by consumers remained $2.35 for the second month, nearly half of all consumers say that gas prices rose over the past month. Price increases were seen most in the West, where 53% say gas prices are higher than they were last month. By comparison, just 43% of gas consumers in the South report that higher gas prices are this month.

Given concerns over rising prices, consumers are slightly more open to considering behavior. Consumers say that if gas prices increased to $3.40 per gallon, they would try reduce the amount that they drive. This $1.05 difference between current prices and a price that would change behavior is the lowest recorded in more than a year.

The survey was conducted online by PSB (Penn Schoen Berland); 1,100 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed June 6-9, 2017. Summary results are available at nacsonline.com/fuelssurvey.

NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS announces new commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America

WASHINGTON, 2017-May-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today (05.11.17) NACS, the association representing the nation’s 154,000-plus convenience stores, announced a new commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), becoming the first retail-association partner. Through its commitment, NACS will rely on PHA’s resources and expertise to help conveniences stores provide more visibility to healthier choices inside their stores.

Over the next three years, NACS will make available key resources to its members to help determine how they can carry additional healthier choices, as well as provide promotional materials related to Drink Up, PHA’s marketing campaign to encourage water consumption. NACS also will provide healthier catering options at its events, including the NACS Show, one of the 40 largest trade shows in the United States. Specifically, NACS will:

  1. Continue to encourage appropriate NACS members to engage with PHA.
  2. Disseminate a web-based nutrition resource that could help convenience stores identify products as being healthier options and assist them in defining their better-for-you sets.
  3. Continue to engage small-format stores, specifically corner stores, that are often the only food source for residents in highly rural or urban settings.
  4. Develop and disseminate Drink Up marketing materials that encourage convenience store customers to stay hydrated
  5. Emphasize wellness at the NACS office and at its industry-specific events.

“The commitment furthers the goals of NACS and our members to make a positive impact in the communities we serve, whether through charitable giving programs or helping to equip our members to truly make the healthy choice the convenient choice,” said NACS President & CEO Henry Armour.

At the PHA Summit in Washington, D.C., NACS was joined by Northeast convenience store chain Cumberland Farms (Westborough, MA) in announcing commitments at the annual event, joining eight other NACS retail member companies that are already committed to expanding healthier options in their stores.

“Convenience stores serve millions of Americans every day. As NACS and its members know, most of those purchasing decisions are made in seconds,” said Larry Soler, President and CEO of the Partnership for a Healthier America. “Our innovative partnership with NACS is key to ensuring that convenience store customers can be met in the store with healthier options.”

PHA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit led by some of the nation’s most respected health and childhood obesity advocates who are supported in their efforts by Honorary Chair Michelle Obama.

“As an industry, we are committed to making a difference in the lives of the 160 million customers we serve every day, and increasingly that involves providing additional healthier options in stores. We look forward to continuing to work with PHA to celebrate our members’ commitment to the communities that they serve,” said NACS Armour.

In addition to Cumberland Farms, eight NACS retailer members have joined PHA in previously announced commitments: Kwik Trip (La Crosse, WI), Sheetz (Altoona, PA), Loop Neighborhood (Fremont, CA), Twice Daily (Nashville, TN), U-Gas (Fenton, MO; now operated by Wallis Oil Company), enmarket (Savannah, GA), Ricker’s (Anderson, IN) and Aloha Petroleum (Honolulu, HI). Three NACS distributor members also have joined PHA: McLane Company, Core-Mark International and Esstar.

-###-

NACS (nacsonline.com) advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily — half of the U.S. population — and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and food service sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

SOURCE: NACS

For media interviews/comments contact Jeff Lenard.

Posted on by

NACS comments on the Financial Choice Act which would repeal debit swipe fee reform

ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2017-Apr-27 — /EPR Retail News/ — Lyle Beckwith, Senior Vice President of Government Relations of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), today issued the following statement on the House Financial Services Committee hearing on the Financial Choice Act which would repeal debit swipe fee reform:

“NACS strongly opposes the Financial Choice Act as long as it includes a provision to repeal debit swipe fee reform.  Reforms have saved consumers $30 billion and created tens of thousands of jobs.

“The proposed repeal would raise costs for and dampen job-creating investment by small businesses and drive up prices for consumers, while generating even greater profits for the giant banks who already benefit from the highest swipe fees in the world, even with reform in place.

“Here is the simple truth: Repeal of debit reform would take savings out of the hands of consumers and line the pockets of the largest banks and the two network giants—Visa and MasterCard— restoring their monopoly power to price-fix fees. Destroying competition in this way hurts small businesses and consumers—dramatically increasing costs for convenience store owners, for whom swipe fees are already, on average, their fastest-growing expense, and quickly wiping out the $30 billion in savings consumers have experienced thanks to the reform.

“The potential harm to competition, consumers and small business to benefit the credit-card Goliaths is the reason repeated attempts to repeal swipe fee reform have failed.  And it’s why, once again, NACS will keep doing everything in our power to build on the strong opposition to repeal and ensure that Members of Congress recognize the success of this vital reform in establishing competition in the debit-card market.”

Debit swipe fee reform was enacted in 2010 as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform package. The provision ensured competition among debit networks and gave banks incentives to compete on the swipe fees they charge merchants rather than all charging the same price-fixed fees.

According to a report by economist Robert Shapiro, reductions in debit fees driven by swipe fee reform put $6 billion in consumers’ hands through lower prices and created more than 37,000 new jobs in the first year alone that the reforms were in place.  In addition, small merchants have benefited from greater transparency in debit-card transactions.

SOURCE: NACS

Have a media inquiry for NACS?
For media interviews/comments contact Jeff Lenar

-###-

NACS (nacsonline.com) advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily — half of the U.S. population — and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and food service sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

Posted on by

NACS Study: Seven in 10 American drivers say that they use the trash can at the fueling island

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Apr-21 — /EPR Retail News/ — If you’re like most Americans, you probably empty the trash in your car every time you fill up your gas tank at your local convenience store.

Seven in 10 American drivers (70%) say that they use the trash can at the fueling island to dispose of their trash from their cars, according to the results of a national consumer study on attitudes related to trash.

And convenience and fueling retailers concur with consumers: 56% say that most trash in their trash cans at the fueling island is not generated from the store.

Both the consumer and retailer surveys were conducted by NACS, the association that represents the $550 billion convenience store industry that is also responsible for 80% of the fuel purchased in the country. NACS conducted both survey to gauge consumer and retailer perceptions about litter, trash and recycling leading up to Earth Day on April 22.

Consumers overwhelmingly say that store appearance is important when considering where to make a purchase: 84% of consumer fueling up say cleanliness of the store is an important factor when considering whether they go inside the store to make a purchase. And more than 9 in 10 (92%) say that the convenience store they visit the most often tends to be clean, compared to the 85% who say that convenience stores in general tend to be clean.

“Keep your store and yard clean of litter. Your customers will respect your cleanliness and your business will grow,” said Jeff Armbruster, with Armbruster Energy Stores (Grafton, OH).

Retailers report they spend more than $600 per store per month for recycling and trash collection programs – or about $1.3 billion industry-wide on an annual basis.

The payoff is worth the expense, as convenience stores continue to grow their foodservice sales that climbed 12.9% to $49 billion in 2016. The convenience store industry is also working with Keep America Beautiful to provide guidance to its members on best practices for recycling and trash management.

“More than 160 million Americans visit convenience stores every day to address their immediate needs, whether to grab a quick snack, meal or drink or to refuel and clean out their cars. Effective trash and recycling programs area a critical part of how retailers serve on-the-go drivers, whether off the highway or in the neighborhood,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives.

The NACS consumer survey was conducted online by PSB (Penn Schoen Berland); 1,104 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed April 4-7, 2017. The NACS retailer survey featured results from 83 retailer companies and was conducted April 10-19, 2017.

-###-

NACS (nacsonline.com) advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily — half of the U.S. population — and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and food service sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.

SOURCE: NACS

For media interviews/comments contact Jeff Lenard.

Posted on by

NACS welcomes Jeff McQuilkin as exhibit sales and services manager

​ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2017-Apr-04 — /EPR Retail News/ — Jeff McQuilkin has joined NACS as exhibit sales and services manager, with a primary focus on the NACS Show, the premier event for the convenience and fuel retailing industry.

He will be responsible for booth sales and logistics as well as developing relationships with technology, facility operations and foodservice exhibiting suppliers for the NACS Show, which annually attracts more than 20,000 attendees from 60-plus countries, and features four days of general sessions, more than 60 education sessions and more than 1,200 exhibiting companies in a roughly 400,000 net-square-foot expo.

McQuilkin comes to NACS after having worked at various national tradeshows with Nielsen Expositions. Most recently, McQuilkin worked at two Top 100 tradeshows: InfoComm and Solar Power International.

McQuilkin obtained his undergraduate degree in economics from The College of William & Mary.

Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores across the country, conducts 160 million transactions a day, sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the country and had total sales of $575 billion in 2015. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.

Contact:

(703) 684-3600 (phone)
(703) 836-4564 (fax)

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS: Americans seeking out fueling locations based on quality of food and beverages

New National Survey Shows Growing Trend of Consumers Seeking Out High-Quality Food and Beverages as Part of Fueling Experience

ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Mar-30 — /EPR Retail News/ — Americans are increasingly seeking out fueling locations based on the quality of the food associated with the gas station, according to new national survey results released today (3/29/2017) by NACS. The association represents the convenience store industry, which sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the United States.

While survey results show that gas price is still the primary determinant in selecting a station, an increasing percentage of consumers say that the quality of items inside the store dictates where they buy fuel.  In fact, one in seven drivers (16%) say that the in-store offer is driving their fueling decision, a 5-point increase since 2015.

A majority (51%) of American drivers still say that the gas price is the reason that they prefer a specific store or chain, but that is a 6-point drop over the past two years.

Because of the expanded food and beverage offers at stores, fueling customers also are going inside the store more: 42% of those fueling up also went inside the store, a 7-point jump from two years ago. For those going inside, the most popular reasons were to pay for gas at the register (50%), buy a beverage (45%) or buy a snack (36%). More than one in five (22%) say they used the rest room. Overall, 8% say they bought a sandwich or meal, and that percentage jumps to 13% for younger consumers ages 18 to 34.

“The numbers clearly show the growing trend of consumers seeking out food and beverages as part of their fueling experience. While retailers know they need to aggressively compete on gas prices — 67% of Americans say they will drive 5 minutes out of their way to save 5 cents per gallon — it also shows that there are other ways to compete for customers with a quality in-store offer,” said NACS Vice President of Strategic Industry Initiatives Jeff Lenard.

Gasoline demand in 2016 reached a record 9.32 million barrels per day in 2016 but only 33% of American drivers report that they drove more in 2016. For those who say they drove more, 41% cited their job as the main reason, as opposed to only 8% who cited gas prices.

Others findings from the survey results include:

  • 73% of fuel customers pay by debit (37%) or credit (36%) card. Debit cards are most popular with younger consumers ages 18-34 (45%).
  • Evening rush is the most popular time to purchase fuel (36%), significantly more than morning rush (22%).
  • Nearly half (46%) of consumers say they have gotten a discount for their fuel by using a loyalty card or app and 23% have gotten a discount for paying by cash.
  • For those purchasing a sandwich or meal, 56% say they eat in in their car, compared to 34% who eat it once they arrive at their destination and 10% who eat at tables in the store.
  • Drivers expect that gas prices will increase throughout 2017. They predict that prices will be $2.84 at year’s end, a 52-cent increase from prices on January 1.

The survey results were released today as part of the 2016 NACS Retail Fuels Report (www.nacsonline.com/gasprices), which examines conditions and trends that could impact gasoline prices. The online resource is annually published to help demystify the retail fueling industry by exploring, among other topics, how fuel is sold, how prices affect consumer sentiment, why prices historically increase in the spring and which new fuels are likely to gain traction in the marketplace.

The survey was conducted online by Penn Schoen Berland; 1,114 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed January 4-6, 2017.

Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores across the country, conducts 160 million transactions a day, sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the country and had total sales of $575 billion in 2015. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.

Contact:

(703) 684-3600 (phone)
(703) 836-4564 (fax)

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS: Consumer optimism is at an all-time high Despite rising gasoline prices

​ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2017-Mar-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — Despite rising gasoline prices, three in five (61%) gasoline consumers report feeling optimistic about the state of the economy, according to the latest National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Consumer Fuels survey. Consumer optimism is at an all-time high across the four-plus years the national survey has been conducted, surpassing the 58% economic optimism recorded in December 2016 following the presidential election.

A majority of Americans are optimistic across all demographics examined. Older Americans age 50 and older are the most optimistic age group (65% optimistic), compared to 55% of those ages 18-34 who are optimistic. There also are regional differences, with Southerners reporting the highest levels of economic optimism (64%) and Midwesterners reporting the lowest (56%).

Americans also report a 4-cent rise in gas prices in their area. The reported median gas price of $2.29 brings gas prices back up to where they were at the beginning of the year, when gasoline consumers reported a median price of $2.30 (January 2017). Price increases are being felt the most strongly in the West, where a majority (52%) report seeing gas prices higher than they were last month. By comparison, just 41% of gas consumers in the Northeast and the South report seeing higher gas prices this month.

A majority of gasoline consumers expect prices to continue increasing in the next month, a time when gas prices generally face upward pressure as the fuels industry undergoes the annual transition to producing summer-blend fuel. Half (51%) of all Americans say that they expect prices in 30 days to be “much higher” or “somewhat higher” than they are today. Just one in ten (9%) expect prices to drop in the coming month.

Traditionally, rising prices have an inverse effect on consumer optimism. In March 2013, when 85% of Americans said that gas prices had increased, optimism stood at only 41%. However, gas prices also were much higher in March 2013 ($3.58).

The strong optimism may also translate into increased sales for convenience retailers: One in five consumers (22%) say they will drive more this coming month and 19% say they will shop more. More than three in four consumers (76%) say that gas prices have an impact on their optimism.

“The strong consumer optimism is also great news for convenience store retailers, who generally see sales grow when consumers are feel good about the economy, gas prices are low and the weather is nice. It appears that consumers are ready to unleash that optimism with more spending,” said Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives.

And there is one more factor that can help grow sales for convenience stores: This past weekend’s change to Daylight Saving Time, which adds an extra hour of daylight to evening hours.

“With the extra hour people stay out later, and outdoor activities pick up — as do our sales. The time change equates to an immediate 10% lift in sales,” said E-Z Mart Stores CEO Sonja Hubbard (Texarkana, TX).

The survey was conducted online by Penn Schoen Berland; 1,102 U.S. adults who purchase fuel for a vehicle such as a car, truck or van at least once per month were surveyed March 7-9, 2017. Summary results are available at nacsonline.com/fuelssurvey.

-###-

Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores across the country, conducts 160 million transactions a day, sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the country and had total sales of $575 billion in 2015. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.

SOURCE: NACS

For media interviews/comments contact Jeff Lenard.

Posted on by

NACS welcomes the reintroduction of legislation on menu labeling regulations

WASHINGTON, D.C., 2017-Feb-03 — /EPR Retail News/ — The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) today (2/2/2017) applauded the reintroduction of legislation to protect small businesses and their workers from the unreasonable burdens and potential criminal penalties of the Food and Drug Administration’s final menu labeling regulations.

The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act, reintroduced by Representatives Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-WA 5) and Tony Cardenas (D-CA 29) in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 772) and Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Angus King (I-ME) in the U.S. Senate (S. 261), provides a more practical and flexible approach to regulations finalized in 2014 by the FDA. The FDA is due to begin enforcing the current regulations on May 5, 2017.

“We need some common-sense relief to the FDA’s menu labeling requirements so that it is reasonable and achievable for local convenience stores, grocery stores, restaurants, and others that sell food.  Small businesses are already having to spend money trying to comply with difficult and unworkable regulations.  I am pleased to introduce this bill that recognizes the importance of menu labeling, but more importantly recognizes that there needs to be flexibility for businesses so they can provide important nutritional information to customers in the most useful way,” said U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO).

Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05) also weighed in: “Whether you buy food at the local convenience store or eat out at the neighborhood diner, you should have access to important nutritional information. The FDA’s one-size-fits-all approach places additional burdens on the backs of our nation’s small business owners without giving them the flexibility they need to comply with the regulations. How businesses provide that information should be consistent with how their customers actually place orders—including by phone, online or through mobile apps. By bringing this rule into the 21st Century, we can provide relief to our job creators and preserve important nutritional information for American families at the same time.”

NACS has called for rapid action by Congress and the new administration as the May 5 compliance deadline nears. Lyle Beckwith, NACS senior vice president of government relations, stated, “It is critical that Congress and the new administration act quickly before the May 5 compliance deadline to provide for common-sense, simpler menu-labeling regulations that would ensure more nutritional information and choice for consumers—without exposing small businesses to burdensome costs and penalties and their employees to potential felony prosecution for accidentally putting too many pickles in a sandwich.”

The current FDA menu-labeling regulations create rigid requirements that do not take into account the differences in approach to foodservice between big-chain restaurants and convenience stores, grocery stores and delivery operations.  In particular, the FDA regulations added unfair costs and compliance barriers to establishments with offerings that do not appear on a centralized “menu” board and establishments that may have multiple coffee, frozen drink and food islands as opposed to the central ordering point in a traditional fast food restaurant.  The regulations also place a store or restaurant at risk for criminal penalties if it gives some customers larger servings than they expected based on the calorie information provided.

The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act, which passed the House last year by a strong bipartisan vote of 266–144, maintains but modifies FDA’s menu-labeling regulations so businesses may provide nutritional information to customers in a more practical format. The legislation protects small businesses from overly burdensome costs and penalties, while also removing the possibility of criminal penalties.

Convenience store foodservice sales have risen to $42 billion a year—now accounting for nearly 19% of total in-store revenues—as busy customers look for fast and healthier options to go.

Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores across the country, conducts 160 million transactions a day, sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the country and had total sales of $575 billion in 2015. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS announces the appointment of Nidia Reyes as accounting manager

​​​ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2017-Jan-25 — /EPR Retail News/ — Nidia Reyes has joined NACS as an accounting manager.

Reyes comes to NACS from the Cato Institute, where she served as a senior accountant. She also spent several years at the Edison Electric Institute in various accounting roles.  Reyes has developed budgeting, forecasting and reporting tools, trained staff and was instrumental in the budget, financial and audit processes in her previous positions.

Reyes obtained her undergraduate degree in accounting from George Mason University.

Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores across the country, conducts 160 million transactions a day, sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the country and had total sales of $575 billion in 2015. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS appoints Alicia Personne as accounting manager

ALEXANDRIA, VA, 2016-Dec-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — Alicia Personne has joined NACS as an accounting manager.

Personne comes to NACS from Tate & Tryon CPAs and Consultants, where she served as an audit supervisor.  She also spent time at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Citigroup Inc.  She comes to NACS with many years of public accounting experience, working with for-profit and non-profit clients on financial and control audits, as well as M&A analyses and complex business consolidation/divestiture transactions.

Personne obtained her undergraduate degree in and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of Virginia.

Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores across the country, conducts 160 million transactions a day, sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the country and had total sales of $575 billion in 2015. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.

Source: NACS

Posted on by

NACS conducted toy and food collection drives for Volunteer Alexandria’s Community Toy Drive (Virginia) and DC Central Kitchen

​ALEXANDRIA, Va., 2016-Dec-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) conducted toy and food collection drives to help two local community groups: Volunteer Alexandria’s Community Toy Drive (Virginia) and DC Central Kitchen.

NACS staff purchased 120 toys for the Alexandria Community Toy Drive, which will be distributed to children in Alexandria who are below the poverty lines. Families have applied for assistance and have been vetted, meaning that each child who receives a toy through the drive wouldn’t be receiving anything this year if not for these donations. The NACS donations mean that 60 children in the area will receive at least two presents on Christmas Day.

“It is truly amazing to see our community together to help those in need, and NACS is a wonderful example of it. Their contribution was a significant factor in helping us to continue to aid local families and children, and we couldn’t have done it without their support,” said Executive Director of Volunteer Alexandria Marion Brunken.

NACS staff also donated more than 300 pounds of dry beans to DC Central Kitchen (DCCK). Every day DCCK volunteers transform 3,000 pounds of food into 5,000 healthy meals for the community. The group also has a Healthy Corners initiative to provide healthy food access in Washington, DC’s neighborhoods. It distributes fresh produce and healthy snacks to corner stores in DC’s low-income communities, offering produce to corner stores at wholesale prices and in smaller quantities than a conventional distributor. In 2015, DCCK worked with 67 corner stores to help them sell 184,878 units of healthy snacks.

The NACS donations mirror what convenience stores contribute to communities across the country. Convenience stores contributed or collected nearly $990 million to charities over the past year, according to a national survey of retailers released by NACS in October 2016.

Overall, 64% of convenience retailers responding to the survey said they support five or more charities in their communities. And 83% said they’ve have been engaged in community giving for more than a decade.

Nearly nine in 10 (88%) donate to local charities such as church groups, shelters, health-related organizations and other non-sports groups. More than three in four (76%) contribute to youth sports and activities and more than two-thirds (69%) contribute to local schools via the PTAs and other fundraising activities. The median charitable contribution per store was $4,100 in direct contributions and $2,500 in donations collected.

Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores across the country, conducts 160 million transactions a day, sells 80% of the fuel purchased in the country and had total sales of $575 billion in 2015. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,700 supplier member companies, which do business in nearly 50 countries.

Source: NACS