How do you define the big takeaways of the NACS Show in a little more than 2,000 words? Well, for one, you write a short intro and get to the point, sharing some of the big themes that we saw—and heard.
—Jeff Lenard, guest editor

During the NACS Show, the legendary Tropicana Las Vegas was razed in a planned implosion during the early morning hours of October 9, waking up light sleepers across the city. The Tropicana wasn’t the only thing demolished in Las Vegas during the NACS Show. The four-day event set new records for attendance (26,124) and Expo size (437,500 net square feet), and while it can’t be quantified, it also arguably set the record for most positive vibes to come out of a NACS Show. Here are some of the big trends that I saw.

1. C-Store Stands for Culinary Store

At the 2017 NACS Show, then NACS Chairman Rahim Budhwani said, “C-store doesn’t just stand for convenience store. It also stands for community store,” reflecting how much the industry has embraced working with local and national organizations to better communities. That community spirit is just as strong now, but with the rapid acceleration of foodservice, which now accounts for more than 26% of in-store sales, it might be time to modify that quote: “C-store doesn’t just stand for convenience store. It also stands for culinary store.”

But to truly operate as a culinary store, you have to be a fanatic about quality. Restaurant owner and founder of the popular “Gas Station Tailgate Review” video series Stafford Shurden says that he focuses on grandma as a target audience at his restaurant. A sign above the kitchen notes, “Treat everybody who walks in here like your grandma.” In particular that extends to making sure that ingredients are fresh and tasty. In the Education Session “Transforming Your Menu like a Restaurant,” Shurden said he has a simple question to staff considering new menu items and ingredients: “Would you serve that to your grandma?”

Food safety also is critical to growing foodservice sales, and that was the focus during the co-located NACS Food Safety Forum. More than 70 attendees discussed cultivating organizational behaviors that can enhance and protect their teams, customers and brand, as well as collaborative solutions that address safe food-handling challenges.

The sights (and smells) on the Expo floor also made the industry’s culinary focus clear, and that’s something celebrity chefs David Chang and Andrew Zimmern also experienced. More on that later.

2. AI Is A1

Ninety-seven percent of executives say that artificial intelligence will fundamentally change business over the next five years, noted Brian Gray, global mobility retail lead at Accenture, during a NACS Show General Session. According to Gray, we’ve entered the third phase of AI. Phase 1 began in the 1950s when machines could replicate tasks faster than humans; phase 2 began in the early 2000s when machines could learn faster than humans. Phase 3, which started a decade ago, is when machines can generate content faster than humans—which is why it’s now known as generative AI.

Gen AI is advancing at an unbelievable pace … and it’s just getting started, noted Gray. And that may explain why AI was the focus of multiple Education Sessions as well, which looked at simple use cases—from recognizing out of stocks, to safety, to employee feedback to predicting the personality and needs of a driver based on cues that go way beyond just the make and model of the vehicle.

AI won’t replace human functions. Instead, it will allow people to spend more time on the things that they want to do at work, said Gray. His top piece of advice to retailers: Get started, and at least test it out and learn more about it.

Meanwhile, fellow General Session speaker Victor Paterno, president and CEO of Philippine Seven Corp. and 2023-24 NACS Chairman, told retailers to invest in their people. “Unless you’re a really weird guy, you’re not going to have a relationship with an AI. … Tech companies already know more about your customers than you do.” But tech companies don’t have that personal relationship that you have with your customers—and they crave that. His other advice to retailers: Define the problem you want to solve. Then find the technology that best does that. “If you know what problem you want to solve, there is a solution out there,” said Paterno.

3. Did I Just Tout ‘Artificial?’ I Meant I Wanted ‘Real’

Artificial was the big word in intelligence, but with ingredients the opposite was true. An increasing number of products touted “real” and “natural” ingredients on the Expo floor. Countless beverages featured natural flavors, colors and, if caffeinated, naturally sourced caffeine. If a product had flavoring, it was often from fruit juice or pulp.

Snacks similarly touted natural flavors and colors, and descriptors like “better for you,” “plant-based” and “no added sugars” were common on packaging. There were too many to list here, so I won’t.

4. Taking a Bite Out of Crime

In April, NACS Magazine reported on the results of a national consumer survey conducted by NACS that found that consumers were concerned about crime and these concerns could significantly change their shopping behavior (“What Consumers Say About Prices, Crime and C-Store Jobs”). Six months later, it’s clear that the industry has taken note. One Education Session focused on creating a safe store environment for employees and guests, while another looked at how to defend against cyberattacks. On the Expo floor, a slew of loss prevention tools were on display, from solutions to minimize loss to how AI can help predict potential threats before they even happen.

In addition, security was a focus in committee meetings throughout the week, including the Joint Session for State Association Executives, in which attendees shared their strategies. In Arizona, Proposition 312 (yesprop312.com) is on the ballot, which would allow property owners to request a refund equal to their property tax liability for any expenses incurred for illegal camping, littering and other nuisances. Meanwhile, last year Florida tightened penalties for retail fuel theft with SB 1150. NACS recently hosted a webinar on de-escalation techniques for retailers (convenience.org/webinars) and has a Loss Prevention & Safety Symposium scheduled for December 3-4 in Dallas.

5. Pickles Are Ballers

A quick search on the NACS Show app found more than a dozen exhibitors that featured pickles. But it was even more astonishing to see how many traditional items now have pickle flavoring. Bolthouse Fresh introduced packaged carrots that include a dill pickle seasoning pack, essentially changing the taste from one vegetable to another. And Heinz somewhat did the same, showcasing a new pickle-flavored tomato ketchup.

Pickle juice also was flowing in the Expo. The company Pickle Juice displayed pickle juice shots that aide with workout recovery and stop muscle cramps. And Van Holten’s offered Pickleback Mixer that can be used in cocktails and beers. The company also highlighted a line of pickle pouches that featured unique partnerships (“Rick and Morty,” a TV show) and flavors (Warheads Extreme Sour).

The most creative pickle partnership might be Vlasic’s Pickle Balls, dill-flavored puff balls whose name also aligns with one of the fastest growing recreational sports in the country. And, that alignment goes beyond a clever name: One of the stops on the Association of Pickleball Players tour is called the Vlasic Classic.

Pickles, as a sticker handed out in one booth noted, truly are “a big dill.”

6. One Plus One Is More Than That

The average shopping time in convenience stores is under four minutes. For most customers, that means quickly finding a couple products to solve their problems, usually related to hunger or thirst. But what if one product served multiple purposes? A few years ago, energy was the rage, whether in beverages, candy or even sunflower seeds. Energy is still the rage, with energy drinks, punches and even V8 Plus Sparkling Energy, which came in a variety of flavors, but, shockingly, not pickle.

Protein was also huge, and booths showcased, of course, protein bars and also protein cheese crackers (Quest), popcorn (Kudo) and Reese’s One, a take on the traditional peanut butter cup that has extra protein.

One plus one also meant brands were leveraging their names into new directions. Hawaiian Punch isn’t just a beverage; it’s also a candy chew. Beermaker Guiness had its name on Guiness Steak Cuts jerky. And if there’s a beverage manufacturer with jerky, there should be a jerky maker with a beverage, right? Well, look over there—it’s Jack Link’s Bloody Mary mix. Among the three flavor options, naturally, was dill pickle.

7. Freeze It and They Will Come

What’s every kid’s favorite memory of visiting a Smithsonian Institution location in Washington, D.C.? No, it’s not the history; it’s the freeze-dried ice cream in the gift shop. Someone finally took note and decided candy would taste better if it were freeze-dried. Visiting stores this summer for Ideas 2 Go video shoots, we could see the trend already taking off, and it’s exploded (as freeze-dried stuff naturally does) into a much bigger trend. Exhibitors said kids (and adults) love it because it’s fun. I’m not going to argue with that. It’s also no longer a fad and appears to be a sustainable trend. One booth was taking seasonal orders that included freeze-dried marshmallow treats for Easter.

8. Great Vibes and Sharing Stories

Getting back to foodservice, chefs Andrew Zimmern and David Chang celebrated the role that food in convenience stores plays in everyday life in the October 10 General Session. They also visited the Expo floor the day prior to learn more about the event. And that’s where the magic happened on social media.

Zimmern recorded an Instagram video with Chang in which they noted the NACS Show was the “best convention in Vegas … ever.” Chang added that the Expo was “a place that made him intensely happy.” Chang wasn’t done with the props. Two days later he was still raving about the NACS Show, this time on an episode of his popular podcast, “The Dave Chang Show.” He said, “(The NACS Show) was glorious. I’ve been to a ton of these kinds of food conventions—and conventions in general—but this was one of my most favorite events I’ve ever attended.”

There’s More Where That Came From

Do you think David Chang has a competitive streak? He showed up 20 minutes early for rehearsals to do an extra practice round because he wanted to beat chef Andrew Zimmern in the friendly cook-off. Even though we explained that, just like David Letterman’s Stupid Pet Tricks bit, “This is not a competition. Please, no wagering.” But it’s Vegas, so all bets are off. (Or is it “on”?)
—Jeff Lenard, guest editor

There were so many other trends that were visible on the Expo floor and in sessions. If you’re going to offer foodservice, you better have a focus on cleanliness, and products showcased how to clean kitchens and bathrooms alike. (Special props to the booth demonstrating urinal guards with a fully functioning Manneken Pis replica.)

Bubble teas, which are almost as fun as freeze-dried candy, are now available in RTD cans. Other global flavors also were big: Tajin, baos and variations of hot were commonplace.

I didn’t even mention all the action in the fuels equipment and services area … I’m usually never out of words, but I am out of my word count.

Finally, if you have never attended the NACS Show and this piqued your interest, think about attending next year. Roughly half of all attendees in the October 8 General Session noted that they took that step this year and attended their first NACS Show. And from the buzz throughout the event, it’s likely they felt they made a wise decision.

This NACS Show marked our 17th time in Las Vegas. Unlike common wisdom for blackjack that dictates that you hold on 17, we’ll be back in Las Vegas in two years for the 18th time. But before that, plan on being in Chicago for the 2025 NACS Show, which takes place October 14-17. Don’t wait till the NACS Show to engage with your industry peers through NACS. We have more than a dozen other meetings scheduled over the coming year (convenience.org/events).