Nearly 36% of in-store sales was generated by tobacco products in 2014, according to NACS, with foodservice supplying more than 19%. Categories in the center store—candy, salty snacks, general merchandise—all saw growth in c-store dollar sales.
By gross margin, foodservice was the top earner for c-stores in 2014, supplying more than one-third of in-store gross-profit dollars.
In-Store Sales Contribution
| Category | Share |
| Tobacco | 35.9% |
| Foodservice | 19.4% |
| Packaged beverages | 15.4% |
| Center store | 10.6% |
| Beer | 7.3% |
| Other | 11.4% |
Source: NACS; preliminary data. Final data to appear in the NACS® State of the Industry Report of 2014 Data.
Leaders in Merchandise Sales
| Category | Sales dollars* | PCYA** |
| Cigarettes | $48,479 | 0.1% |
| Packaged beverages | $22,824 | 6.5% |
| Beer | $15,432 | 3.5% |
| OTP | $7,373 | 4.9% |
| Salty snacks | $6,499 | 8.5% |
| Candy | $4,792 | 4.0% |
| Packaged sweet snacks | $3,108 | 3.3% |
| General merchandise | $2,257 | 16.4% |
| Milk | $2,101 | 3.8% |
| Ice cream and novelties | $1,750 | 0.2% |
* Per store per month
** Percent change from a year ago
Source: NACS; preliminary data. Final data to appear in the NACS® State of the Industry Report of 2014 Data.
In-Store Gross-Profit-Dollar Contribution
| Category | Share |
| Foodservice | 33.5% |
| Packaged beverages | 18.5% |
| Tobacco | 17.3% |
| Center store | 12.8% |
| Beer | 3.9% |
| Other | 14.0% |
Source: NACS; preliminary data. Final data to appear in the NACS® State of the Industry Report of 2014 Data.
Top Gross-Margin Earners
| Category | Margin dollars* | Gross-margin percentage | Margin % change |
| Packaged beverages | $9,083 | 39.8% | 5.9% |
| Cigarettes | $6,562 | 13.5% | -2.6% |
| Beer** | $2,944 | 19.1% | 5.6% |
| Salty snacks | $2,528 | 38.9% | 11.2% |
| Candy | $2,315 | 48.3% | 7.1% |
| OTP | $2,157 | 29.2% | 1.3% |
| Packaged sweet snacks | $1,093 | 35.2% | 2.3% |
| General merchandise | $910 | 40.3% | 17.3% |
| Ice cream and novelties | $788 | 45.0% | -1.2% |
| Milk | $604 | 28.7% | -0.9% |
* Per store per month
** In stores that sell beer
Source: NACS; preliminary data. Final data to appear in the NACS® State of the Industry Report of 2014 Data.
CONTINUED: Closeup on Cigarettes
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