NACS

How does your training program compare to your c-store industry peers? Convenience retailers know that a solid training plan is an important component to better employee engagement, retention, and supporting the growth of their workforce. Did you also know that:   · Full-time sales associates can complete close to 300 hours of training in the first 90 days. · Retailers with 1 to 10 locations spend more time on average training all levels of employees. · Foodservice employees spend 17.8% of their training hours on food safety, compared to 9.1% for non-foodservice employees. The NACS State of the Industry Talent Insights Dashboard (TID) tracks the high-level metrics that all convenience HR professionals need to know. The latest 2024 data (including the most recent data for the above metrics) will be available in March. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/eZPjhxBf Jayme Gough, PMP | Emma Tainter, PMP | Lori Stillman | Christopher Rapanick | Jay Lee | Christopher Wise

The U.S. convenience industry stands at 152,255 stores, a slight decrease of 141 stores (0.1%) compared to the store count last year, according to the 2025 NACS/NIQ TDLinx Convenience Industry Store Count. 

Extended producer responsibility. Did you know there are new and complex regulations in five states, with more to come, that affect retailers who sell private-label packaged products? On Feb. 6, learn more during a free webinar hosted by Doug Kantor, NACS general counsel, and EPR expert Michael P. Washburn, Ph.D. as they discuss current and potential extended producer responsibility laws for packaging, how they work, what they are intended to do, and who is affected. Topics also include how "producer" is defined and the requirements, as well as the role is of government versus the solid waste sector versus the producers. This webinar is hosted by NACS and The National Association of Tobacco Outlets. Save your seat! https://lnkd.in/e6B47Qbx

As we welcome the Year of the Snake, NACS extends warm wishes to our Asian members and their families celebrating Lunar New Year. May this new year bring prosperity, good health, and joy. 新年快乐! (Happy New Year!)

For 13 years, Charlottesville, Va.-based Tiger Fuel Company has brought its "Store Manager of The Year" to The NACS Show. Six times, including this past year, Jackie Johns, manager at Tiger Fuel's flagship The Market store, has been awarded that trip to the Show with the Tiger team. Jackie has been with the company for 14 years and loves exceeding customer expectations and redefining convenience retail excellence at her store. In fact, Jackie's stores have broken many company records for the highest sales. “I’ve broken my own record,” she said with a laugh. “I love trying to break the company sales records.” Read more about Jackie and her love of convenience, as well as her favorite day working in this industry, in "People, Perks and … Puppies" in NACS Magazine. https://lnkd.in/ec2uwvND Maurice Lamarche | Lauren Shanesy | Ben Nussbaum | Jeff Lenard | Leah Ash | Noelle Riddle | Chrissy Blasinsky

This week we're kicking off a new series of "Food Safety Fridays" webinars! These webinars provide additional learning opportunities for our NACS community, as well as build excitement for the upcoming NACS Food Safety Forum on April 8 in Dallas. The first webinar is this Friday, January 31 - "Building a Robust Food Safety Culture: Best Practices and Perspectives" - with convenience and grocery channel experts at McLane Company, Inc. Join us and register today at https://lnkd.in/ecBZagWZ Brandi Mauro, PMP | Chrissy Blasinsky | Terry Levee | Jon Cox MBA | Travis Peterman

A recent Convenience Matters podcast offered unique insights into Japan's evolution of convenience food service. Mark Wohltmann, director of NACS Global, shared how retailers transform routine store visits into culinary experiences by serving 10,000 meals daily with meticulously crafted sandos and bento boxes.   This revolution goes beyond efficiency. Japanese convenience retailers have mastered speed of service and artistry, creating a new standard where grab-and-go meets fresh gourmet—from perfectly wrapped onigiri to seasonal specialties that keep customers coming back, often multiple times a day.   Experience this transformation with your industry peers at the NACS Convenience Summit Asia this February in Tokyo. The walking tours through vibrant neighborhoods offer an intimate look at how convenience innovation unfolds in real-time. More here ➡️https://lnkd.in/gXhUyinY

What makes konbini (convenience stores) in Tokyo so unique? They're the ultimate one-stop shops, and their density in urban areas - literally one or more stores on every block - makes them the only option when everything else is closed. Convenience is a way of life in Japan, which is one key reason why NACS is hosting this year's Convenience Summit Asia in Tokyo. “If you look behind the scenes at how things work and operate, it's amazing how much they [Japanese retailers] think about detail and want to make sure that everything is 100% correct,” said Mark Wohltmann, director of NACS Global in a recent Convenience Matters podcast. "In Tokyo, you have a convenience store on every street corner. There are three or four major brands that split the market," said Wohltmann, adding that when he travels to the city, “I mainly eat convenience store food all the time because it is just so good." Read more on what makes Japanese c-stores so unique... and it's not too late to join your global peers Feb. 25-27 in Tokyo. https://lnkd.in/dhErFrQG George Zheng | Nancy Pappas | Melissa Paul | Henry Armour

What's on the c-store radar? From flavors to ways to use AI, this month in NACS Magazine we're breaking down some of the trends to watch in 2025. https://lnkd.in/erXRx3Fj Lauren Shanesy | Ben Nussbaum | Leah Ash | Noelle Riddle | David Portalatin | Circana | Sanjeev Satturu | Robert Hampton | Delone Wilson | Jerome Rose | John Fieldly | John Frost | Michael Headly | Sean Mccaffrey

Thank you to all our NACS members who helped make 2024 a success. Here's to an even better 2025! Bob Hughes | Nicole Walbe | Jeff McQuilkin | Laura Miller, CEM | Jessica Hayman | Siara Corprew | Leigh Walls