AACS REAFFIRMS CONFIDENCE IN CONVENIENCE

Jeff Rogut
September 1, 2015
AACS

Jeff Rogut FAIM MAICD,Chief Executive Officer, Australasian Association of Convenience Stores Limited (AACS)

With some recent headlines surrounding select convenience stores in Australia and around the world, the Australasian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) reinforces its confidence in convenience and its optimism in what the future holds for our dynamic industry.
There’s been a focus on a small percentage of operators in our industry over the last few days. The reports do not reflect what the vast majority of us know: that the convenience industry in Australia is overwhelmingly populated by talented, bright and innovative professionals.
Our industry in Australia stands side-by-side with some of the leading convenience operators on the international stage.
As CEO of AACS, and someone who’s worked in the industry for the past 25 years, I have seen first-hand the continuing evolution of our industry in ever-changing times. Challenges remain and there are opportunities for the retailers and suppliers in our industry to capitalise upon.
But underpinning this is the fact that we have every reason to be confident and optimistic about the future.
The convenience industry in Australia is on a growth trajectory. Our latest State of the Industry report shows that in 2014, our channel outpaced the growth of the grocery channel for the third year running.
This strong performance owes everything to the professional, innovative, customer-focused approach of our operators. It reinforces the commitment to best practice that the vast majority of convenience professionals – those of us who live and breathe this industry – share.
Our industry continues to offer positive employment opportunities to thousands of hard working people, who in turn are able to serve millions of Australians every day. We have been a fixture in local communities for decades and we will be for decades to come.
We should never lose sight of the importance of best practice as we build businesses of which convenience store owners, operators, employees and the community can be proud. Nor should we lose sight of the bright future that awaits.
Jeff Rogut FAIM MAICD
Chief Executive Officer
Australasian Association of Convenience Stores Limited
ACN: 156 638 023