9 minute read
The Vape Waiting Game Continues
THE MOST AWAITED C-STORE EVENT OF THE YEAR!
SUNDAY, MARCH 27
8:00 AM NAG Golf Outing at Torrey Pines 1:00 PM – 7:30 PM Registration 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM NAG Hospitality Suite 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM NAG/YEO Board Meeting 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM NAG Networking Reception 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM NAG Opening Night Dinner 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM NAG Hospitality Suite
MONDAY, MARCH 28
7:00 AM – 1:30 PM Registration/Info Desk Open 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Breakfast 8:00 AM – 8:15 AM Welcome/Conference Overview, NAG Executive Director John Lofstock and NAG Board Chairman Doug Galli, Reid Stores Inc./Crosby's
8:15 AM – 9:15 AM GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #1: Culture as a Competitive Advantage
Culture is at the core of many businesses no matter how large they are. There are common traits in winning businesses that contribute to their unique nature: clear values. Caring, loyalty, humility and deep commitment to community are just a few of them. These characteristics often directly a ect decision-making in the company and the way it treats its employees, customers and suppliers. Many businesses quite rightly view a values-based culture as a competitive advantage and, as such, it is fi ercely guarded. Hear how leading c-store chains are building their winning culture.
Moderator: John Lofstock, Executive Director, NAG
Speakers:
• Tony El-Nemr, Founder & CEO, Nouria Energy Corp. • Tom Robinson, Chairman & CEO, Robinson Oil Corp. • David Simendinger, President, Champlain Farms
Save the date for the LIVE event! March 27-30, 2022 -30, 2022 LA JOLLA
CALIFORNIA
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #2: Loading Up for Breakfast
As more commuters return to the o ce, the breakfast business continues to rise and shine at restaurants. With consumers typically rushed at breakfast time, it’s no wonder that quick-service restaurants and grab-andgo c-store items accounted for more than 80% of total restaurant morning meals pre-pandemic, according to NPD. Recapturing a strong breakfast business requires great food and outstanding service, but it’s important to conduct a cost-benefi t analysis to make sure investing in the morning daypart makes sense for your brand and your customer base.
Moderator: Jessica Williams, Founder CEO, Food Forward Thinking LLC
Speakers:
• Jerome Hunsinger, Fresh Food Marketing Brand Manager, Wawa, Inc. • Brian Scantland, Vice President, Fresh Food Operations and Business Planning & Analytics, Thorntons • Tony Sparks, Head of Customer Wow!, Curby’s Express Market
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM Information Exchanges Part 1 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Lunch 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Free Time/YEO Networking/Store Tour 1:30 PM – 6:30 PM NAG Retail Store Tours 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM Dinner on Your Own to Explore La Jolla 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM NAG Hospitality Suite
TUESDAY, MARCH 29
7:00 AM – 4:00 PM Registration/Info Desk Open 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #3: It's All About Business Outcomes
Learn from leading convenience and fuel retailers about their approach to creating loyal customer behavior and the investments that drive targeted business outcomes. NAG has partnered with Stuzo to survey convenience store chains and convenience store customers to fi nd out what is driving sales at convenience stores. Topics covered include: • Loyalty, Payment and Cross-Channel Customer Experience Campaigns • Onsite and O site Engagement • CPG-Funded O ers • Security and Privacy
Moderators: John Lofstock, Executive Director, The National Advisory Group (NAG) and Steve O’Toole, Vice President of Sales and Business Development, Stuzo
Speakers:
• Sorin Hilgen, Group Chief Digital O cer and Chief Information O cer, EG Group • Rachel Puepke, Vice President of Marketing, CEFCO
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #4: Lessons from COVID: How the Industry Is Recovering from a Pandemic
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the retail sector and the nation's supply chains are still unfolding. Retail has experienced massive labor shortages, supply disruptions and price increases. It's impossible to predict the next pandemic, but retailers have learned quite a few lessons on how to deal with the next catastrophe. Hear from three convenience store retailers that embraced the unique challenges of the COVID pandemic, and learn about the leadership and stability they provided to guide their companies through those di cult days.
Moderator: Erin Del Conte, Executive Editor, CStore Decisions
Speakers:
• Derek Gaskins, Chief Marketing O cer, Yesway • Colin Dornish, Director of Operations, Coen Oil Co.
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Information Exchanges Part 2 1) The Rise of Electric Vehicles: What This
Means for Convenience Stores
2) HR: Unleashing the Power of Mobile Apps for Sta ng Moderator: Laura Varn, Vice President, People & Culture and Communications, Parkland USA 3) What's Next for Tobacco, CBD and Cannabis 4) Foodservice: How to Cut the Partnership on Delivery Moderator: Brad Chivington, Senior Vice President, High's of Baltimore 5) How to Build a Private Label Business 6) The Business of Co ee: Is Bean to Cup for You? Moderator: Joy Almekies, Senior Director of Food Services at Global Partners/Alltown 7) Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin: What C-Stores
Need to Know 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #5: Human Resources: Sta ng, Recruiting and Retaining Personnel in a Labor Shortage
A labor shortage exists, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. The reality that it coincides with a growing skills gap makes for a very challenging time for retail executives and hiring managers. Experts recommend that HR leaders look to and build relationships with universities, recruiters and search fi rms, allow current sta to take part in external professional activities to help attract new talent, and look for potential employees on job boards and other social media outlets. Hear how top quartile chains are winning the labor battle.
Moderator: Jayson Council, Associate Faculty, Columbia University
Speakers:
• Peter Rasmussen, Director of Operations, Neon Marketplace • Laura Varn, Vice President, People & Culture and Communications, Parkland USA
2:15 PM – 2:45 PM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM YEO BREAKOUT SESSION: Understanding the Future of Retail Payment Systems
Online shopping has become easier through mobile and digital payments, but retailers are slow to see the benefi ts in brick-and-mortar stores. How can c-stores join the consumer demand for frictionless payment? In this session, experts on payments will discuss where digital payments are going and how the convenience industry can abandon cards for digital currencies.
Moderator: Jeremie Myhren, Chief Information O cer, Road Ranger
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM NAG Networking Reception 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM Dinner & Awards Ceremony 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM NAG Hospitality Suite
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30
7:30 AM – 12:00 PM Registration/Info Desk Open
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM WORKING BREAKFAST: NAG Custom Research: What Drives Consumer Behavior for Delivery Services?
Third-party delivery has expanded signifi cantly, but is it here to stay? What is driving consumers’ evolving behaviors and expectations, particularly in relation to convenience stores? How can convenience operators profi tably compete with other channels o ering delivery? Utilizing custom research fi elded for the NAG audience, we will explore consumer needs and desired interaction with convenience locations for food and grocery products. Our retailer panel will then explore various data points, uncovering how they are adapting or plan to adapt to customer expectations.
Moderator: John Lofstock, Executive Director, NAG
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM GENERAL SESSION: BURNING ISSUE #6: How to Build Customer Loyalty Through Engagement
Convenience store loyalty programs are evolving, and they can present a treasure trove of information. Plus, new subscription-based models can help chains grow repeated sales from a captive audience. But as companies gather information on their customers, they must also be mindful of emerging data privacy laws. Learn how leading c-store chains are growing sales through loyalty engagement, while carefully navigating privacy regulations.
Moderator: Patrick Raycroft, Associate Director, W. Capra Consulting Group
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM Break/Visit Sponsor Tables
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM IDEAS BOOT CAMP
Best practices and a conference wrap-up with John Lofstock, Executive Director, NAG; Brad Chivington, Senior Vice President, High's of Baltimore; Joy Almekies, Senior Director of Food Services at Global Partners/Alltown.
All but one of the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) decisions on millions of premarket tobacco applications (PMTAs) for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and e-liquids thus far have resulted in marketing denial orders (MDOs).
“The number of denial orders was anticipated back in 2014 when Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association (CASAA) and other experts warned the FDA that subjecting new nicotine products to the same authorization hurdles for cigarettes would exclude 98% of manufacturers,” said Alex Clark, executive director, CASAA.
It wasn’t until mid-October that the agency announced its first PMTA approval, permitting ongoing sales of R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co.’s Vuse Solo, a closed system e-cigarette, and two of its tobacco-flavored replacement pods. However, the FDA rejected applications for 10 flavored Vuse Solo cartridges, but failed to identify them publicly. The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) joined other retail industry organizations decrying this oversight, especially because MDOs demand items be immediately pulled from store shelves.
“Our members do not need any confidential or detailed information about the products, they simply need to know the names of the products, so that they can be identified and taken off the market,” the NACS letter stated.
As of early November, the FDA still hadn’t released PMTA decisions for other big-name vape brands, such as JUUL.
Despite all the segment shifting over the past few months, it’s been business as usual for the 80-plus Crosby’s convenience stores in New York and Pennsylvania.
“The category has always had a little uncertainty, but because we didn’t carry those MDO products, it hasn’t impacted our vape category. If anything, the flavor ban a couple months ago took a bigger bite out of the business,” said Doug Galli, former vice president/general manager for the c-store chain, part of Reid Petroleum, based in Lockport, N.Y. He has since moved on to a special projects position.
Vape Trajectory
Despite challenges from federal, state and local regulations, the vape category continues to post positive earnings year after year.
DESCRIPTION DOLLAR SALES 1-YEAR % CHANGE
52 Weeks Ending 10/26/19 52 Weeks Ending 10/24/20 52 Weeks Ending 10/23/21
Tobacco Alternatives
93.8%
95.0%
95.1% 14.0%
14.0%
14.0%
TOTAL U.S. CONVENIENCE STORES & OTHER RETAILERS
Tobacco Alternatives 62.1% 5.9%
Tobacco Alternatives Vapor 93.0% 8.1%
Electronic Cigarettes 93.0% 8.1% 13.7%
13.8%
13.8%
10.4%
13.4%
13.4%
