Armin Hadziomerovic, category manager for merchandising strategies/data-driven decision-making at Houchens Food Group, was a finalist for nonalcohol beverages, small chain, in CSP’s 2025 Category Manager of the Year (CMOY) awards.
This year's CMOY awards featured 14 winners across seven categories. Winners from both small (99 or fewer stores) and large chains (100 stores or more) were selected for the first time in each category.
With a background as a career coach, Hadziomerovic (pictured above) has been category manager at Houchens Food Group for more than five years, with certified expertise in advanced category management, optimizing product lineups and enhancing profitability.
Houchens Industries operates Houchens Food group, which operates 44 convenience stores and small-format convenience/grocery hybrid stores. Its store brands include Crossroads IGA and Crossroads Express.
- Houchens Industries was No. 150 on CSP’s2024 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.
Hadziomerovic shares what beverages performed well in 2024, the challenges the category faces and more.
What specific nonalcohol beverage segments performed well in 2024?
In 2024, energy drinks maintained their growth, with brands such as Celsius, Ghost and Alani Nu gaining significant momentum. These brands are capitalizing on clean ingredients, health-focused messaging and vibrant flavors to attract consumers seeking functional energy drinks that align with their active, health-conscious lifestyles.
What aspects of this category do you appreciate most?
The energy drink sector is incredibly interesting, particularly because of how dynamic it is. What I find most impressive is how brands consistently innovate, offering everything from unique flavor profiles to clean ingredients that align with wellness trends. This industry is constantly evolving.
What have been some of your most vexing challenges in 2024 and into this year pertaining to the category?
One of the biggest challenges for nonalcohol beverages has been ensuring a reliable supply chain as demand continues to rise. As distribution at scale becomes more complicated, maintaining timely delivery to both retail partners and direct consumers while balancing operational efficiency has proven difficult. Labor shortages and fluctuating fuel prices have added pressure by increasing transportation costs. Companies are being pushed to optimize their logistics and re-think inventory management to avoid backorders and meet service-level agreements.
What impactful consumer purchasing trends from 2024 are you looking to take advantage of even further in 2025?
Flavor innovation is a major trend we plan to build on. With growing interest in unique and bold flavor profiles, especially those featuring exotic and global influences, 2025 presents an opportunity to further explore flavors that align with evolving taste preferences and cultural trends.
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