CHICAGO — The 2021 NACS Show kicked off in Chicago on Oct. 5 with retailers visibly excited to be back together after the pandemic-forced separation. Although the crowds were smaller than in past years, there was no lack of enthusiasm and willingness to share ideas and ask questions. Here are some of the big ideas that CSP picked up during day one’s educational sessions and events.
Retail Leader of the Year
His wife called themselves “a couple of dumb kids from Iowa.” Alain Bouchard called him a family man and great leader. And on Tuesday night, CSP dubbed him its Retail Leader of the Year for 2021.
Brian Hannasch is president and CEO of Alimentation Couche-Tard, owner and operator of the Circle K and Holiday StationStores retail brands. He joined BP Amoco in 1989, rising over time to vice president of marketing for the company’s U.S. Midwest Business Unit. In 2000, he moved to Indiana and joined fuel marketer/retailer Johnson Oil. As vice president of operations, Hannasch helped guide the company’s 225-unit Bigfoot Food Stores, the chain that in 2001 would become Canada-based Couche-Tard’s first acquisition on American soil. Thirteen years later, Hannasch was tapped to fill the CEO role at Laval, Quebec-based Couche-Tard, filling the shoes of Founder Bouchard, who now serves as executive chairman of the company and was named CSP’s Retail Leader of the Year in 2005.
Upon receiving his award, Hannasch thanked his "two families," his wife Patty and three children, as well as his Couche-Tard colleagues.
“Being a husband and a father and part of a company that grew as fast as we did didn’t always allow me to be home as much as I would have liked,” he said during CSP’s RLOY dinner on Oct. 5 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. “Thank you, Patty, for putting up with that.”
Flexi-Glass?
If you’ve found that the plastic shields you’ve installed at your convenience stores during the pandemic have helped reduce shoplifting, you’re not alone. An audience member at a food-safety roundtable pointed out that his company is going to keep the shields in place long after COVID-19 is gone because of the unintended side effect of cutting down on crime. “It’s cool to see that the plastic shields meant to protect customers have cut down on theft, like taking random sandwiches,” he said.
Partner With Consumers
As more consumers embrace sustainability and the fight against climate change, retailers have an opportunity to make themselves agents of change by enacting sustainable measures and making them known to customers, according to a new report by the Coca-Cola Retailing Research Councils (CCRRC).
“Consumers want to make a difference, but they don’t know how to take action to address climate change,” said Michael Sansolo, a recognized food retailing expert and spokesperson for CCRRC, “so they are counting on you to do it. And if you do, they consider you a partner to make something happen.”
The Best Offense Is …
Any retailer blasted on social media by a customer who claims he or she got sick eating food from a store better have a plan to deal with it ahead of time. In a discussion scenario during a food-safety roundtable, the advice participants shared was to let the public know your store does everything according to local health and safety guidelines, and point out that while there might have been an incident where someone got sick from the store’s food, do not admit any wrongdoing but let the public know you’re investigating and have established protocols and guidelines all are following. Get out in front of the situation, be humble and stress the store has the highest standards and food-safety protocols. Also, it goes a long way to have a good relationship with the health inspector, with him or her knowing you’re trying to do the right thing.
“The last thing you want is to have a conversation with a health inspector for the first time in a scenario like this,” said Nancy Wilson, director of quality assurance, risk and safety at Wawa, Pa.-based Wawa.
Get It in Writing
The family-owned Sheetz c-store chain is often cited for having an enviable culture, one of willingness to innovate and try new things. While proud of that fact, even Chief Culture Officer Travis Sheetz had to admit that reputation wasn’t necessarily something the Altoona, Pa.-based company had officially adopted or put in writing. He set out to change that.
“Our culture was there, it was in Sheetz DNA, but we had to formalize it,” he said during a session about company culture. That high energy, driven-to-win nature is now encapsulated in words like fearlessness and respect.
“Before that it was a feeling you had, but when we formalized it, we had a basis to work from and something you could measure against.”
Tapping Into Tech
Technology adoption in convenience retail is growing rapidly. More than half (58%) of retailers plan to launch mobile apps this year and half of retailers plan to incorporate mobile payments into their new or existing apps, according to Matthew Miller, manager of global solutions for NCR, Atlanta.
Mobile Ordering to Blossom?
When it comes to c-store shoppers’ most desired digital fulfillment services, mobile ordering for curbside pickup and in-store pickup are the most viable near-term, Leroy Kelsey, director of research at Alexandria, Va.-based NACS, said. More than 33% of respondents to a NACS retailer survey this summer said they prefer mobile order for curbside and in-store pickup. That was followed by mobile order for drive-thru pickup (32%), order at the pump for delivery to car (28%) and order at the pump for in-store pickup (25%), according to NACS data.
Self-Checkout Realities
Installing self-checkout stations in stores means store employees will have to expand their training, and not only on how to operate the self-checkout devices. Some customers are bound to ask employees pointed questions about whether or not self-checkout kiosks are taking work away from people in those stores, said Sammy Gupta of Dash In Food Stores, based in La Plata, Md. “Some customers make objections, but it’s all about associate training,” said Gupta. He said that one store testing a self-checkout station recently actually added more people to its store staff.
The Packaged-Beverage Halo
Packaged beverages have more appeal amid COVID-19, and that trend is likely to continue, said Leroy Kelsey, director of research at NACS. Sales in segments like ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee soared as shoppers leaned into packaged beverage over dispensed. Functional beverages are also satisfying the demand for healthier options as people look to get more out of their drinks, he said. Kwik Trip, La Crosse, Wis., saw massive growth in energy drinks over the past year, said Mark Meisner, director of marketing and advertising with Kwik Trip. The category is up about 40%, he said.