Weigel’s new president and CEO is looking toward the future.
Doug Yawberry has been with the Powell, Tennessee-based chain for 18 years, and he has been fulfilling the CEO duties since his predecessor Kenneth McMullen died in 2021.
But in May, the company decided to make his title change official to support its succession plans. Eventually, Weigel’s will hire a new president, and they need Yawberry in the CEO role to make that work, he said.
The family-owned company opened its dairy in 1931 and opened the first Weigel’s Farm Store in 1958 in Knoxville, Tennessee. At 87 years old, owner Bill Weigel is still an active member of the company—he even went to the 2025 NACS Show in Chicago, Yawberry said.
Yawberry said he’s most proud of the company’s history and their people- and family-oriented culture: “We care about what we do, how we do it, the folks that work for us—all those things.”
He hopes his mark on Weigel’s will be taking it to the next level—and that journey has already started.
- Weigel's is No. 79 on CSP’s 2024 Top 202 ranking of convenience store chains by store count.
The 87-store chain is on target to reach its goal of opening 100 stores by 2027. It launched its retail media network Milk Crate Retail Media in October. It opened its first Auto Spa car wash in July. And it is upping its foodservice game, building its first-ever commissary and introducing the now trademarked Knoxville Hot Dippin’ Chicken to its menu.
“We’re driving initiatives fast just to make sure we're relevant,” Yawberry said. “The retail media network is the next big thing for us… but we like to stay ahead of the curve a little bit. We like to try and fight a little bit above our weight class.”
Keeping the business relevant and competing with some of the bigger players in the industry that are expanding into Tennessee, the only state in which Weigel’s operates, is a challenge, he said. That, plus declining fuel purchases, has led Weigel’s to lean into food.
The 110,000-square-foot commissary will help support this goal. Weigel’s makes a lot in store, from cold sandwiches to puddings to pizza, and they wanted to simplify that, Yawberry said. The commissary lifts some of those food-making duties off the in-store employees, freeing them up to wait on customers, he said.
The retail media network will also be a game-changer, Yawberry said.
“One of our initiatives this year is to become more guest-centric in what we do, which entails getting more feedback from our guests, from our teams, and then also delivering a great experience,” he says. “And I think retail media network is a big initiative this year that will help us do that.”
Weigel’s growth strategy
Over the past few years, Weigel’s has grown its management team along with its store count.
“It used to be a small handful of us that did everything, and we've expanded that because we know we need that talent, that management team to drive forward at the pace we want to,” Yawberry said. “And over the last four years we have put that team together, and now, it’s paying dividends.”
He’s been able to build that team through having a “people first” strategy, he says. They’ve changed their pay program, so employees all the way down to the hourly level, can earn quarterly bonuses. They’ve also added a tuition reimbursement program and 401K and benefit improvements, “just so we can put our money where our mouth is,” Yawberry said.
The chain also continues an ambitious growth plan. It opened seven new stores this year, and it is planning for another eight next year.
If it keeps up with this pace, it’ll reach its 100-store goal by 2027, he said. And while Weigels prefers to grow through new builds, it wouldn’t throw out the opportunity for an acquisition if the right opportunity comes up.
“Our plan is to continue that growth, so we’ll build well beyond 100 stores within our 10-year plan,” Yawberry said.
It’s amazing to see how Weigel’s has picked up the pace of business, he said.
“And I think that's where I look at my role as kind of ‘the game changer,’ to some degree, and getting us to a different level that we can operate at that different level and continue to grow,” Yawberry said.
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