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The 2022 category Management Handbook

CStore Decisions examines data and emerging trends across 38 core c-store categories.

A CStore Decisions Staff Report

After two full years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent omicron variant surge, uncertainty along with supply chain issues and labor shortages remain, yet convenience store retailers are cautiously optimistic about what 2022 has in store.

A number of categories have recovered from pandemic lows, while some that enjoyed a robust pandemic boost — like alcoholic beverages — have stabilized.

Customer preferences are shifting as Generation Z comes of age, and c-stores are incorporating growing trends like fl avored and plant-based milks and functional beverages, while continuing to execute on traditional c-store products.

On the food front, retailers are expanding menus with help from chicken’s versatility and healthier items, including wraps as sandwich carriers to appeal to carb-counting customers.

As COVID-19 lingers, retailers continue to put sanitary precautions into place, including at the dispensed beverage section, with items such as tissues and gloves for customers to make self-serve safer, along with additional cleaning protocols.

As out-of-stocks continue for many categories, retailers are plugging new and ancillary products into open spots, giving new brands and products an opportunity to wow customers.

The salty snacks segment is among product categories that have rebounded. After salty snack dollar sales fell 6.1% in 2020, they increased 12.1% for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 26, 2021, per IRI. Smokeless tobacco also trended well for the same 52 weeks, up 5.9%, led by spitless tobacco, which grew 42.3%. And despite category upheaval in the form of Food and Drug Administration marketing denial orders, dollar sales of electronic smoking devices grew 17.9% in convenience stores for the same 52-week period.

C-stores are continuing to implement new technology, including self-checkout kiosks, mobile payment and frictionless payment options.

The pages that follow detail emerging trends, recent data and examples of how retailers are raising the bar across 38 key categories to help you put your best foot forward in 2022.