Posts by theo@aacs.org.au

NACS released the latest State of the Industry data, showing foodservice led inside sales. Foodservice and merchandise sales for the U.S. convenience retail industry reached $341.2 billion in 2025, a 1.7% increase over 2024. It marked the 23rd consecutive year of inside sales growth, according to newly released State of the Industry data from the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). Total convenience industry sales, including in-store and fuel, were $817.5 billion. The industry’s 2025 performance was shared during the NACS State of the Industry Summit, the premier event for analysis, performance insights and trends shaping the year ahead. NACS has produced this annual dataset since 1970. Foodservice Leads Inside Sales. Foodservice once again led in-store sales, accounting for 28.5% of the total. The category has grown significantly over the past two decades, up from 11.9% in 2005. Its impact on profitability is even greater, contributing 38.9% of in-store gross…

To grow in the future convenience operators are becoming restaurants which not only compete but also win in the QSR space with improved quality and expanded offers becoming the main reason customer visit. In our 2025 search for the convenience retailer which epitomises that sector ambition, Dan Munford and Harry Milloff visited the location which came through as the winner of our ‘Best Foodvenience Store in the World’ – Rutter’s 106 in Milton, Pennsylvania, USA. The team at Rutter’s has set a new benchmark for what modern consumers expect from a convenience destination and created a whole new conversation around hospitality. This ‘winner’s video’ exclusive production is their chance to tell their story. WATCH

Viva Energy has gone into a trading halt following an out-of-control fire at one of the Australian’s two remaining oil refineries. The Viva Energy oil refinery in Corio near Geelong went up in flames overnight, with reports of multiple explosions following an equipment failure. In a brief statement to the ASX, the energy refiner, importer and distributor of fuel announced it was temporarily halting trading of its shares. Viva Energy has gone into a trading halt after a major fire at its Geelong refinery. Picture: Supplied “The company requests that the trading halt remain in place until the earlier of announcement by the company and the open of trade on Monday 20 April 2026,” it said. Shares in Viva have surged 21.63 per cent over the past month as the conflict in the Middle East disrupts the global oil supply. Viva Energy chief executive Scott Wyatt on Thursday told a…

Snacking is a bedrock of convenience retail and a resilient category even amid economic headwinds and changing shopper behavior. “Snacking is certainly an area that continues to grow,” said Chris Costagli, NIQ vice president of thought leadership and lead for food and non-alcoholic beverage insights. “As we see year-over-year price increases, we see shoppers making changes.” Younger shoppers—Gen Z and Gen Alpha—in particular are driving those changes. They’re buying snacks less frequently, choosing smaller pack sizes and wanting more from the products they purchase, focusing on cleaner ingredients, better-for-you options and higher expectations around functionality. For younger generations of snack shoppers, the decision is now about more than taste, and retailers are rethinking their assortment to meet these evolving needs. Are Clean Ingredients the New Default? The most consequential shift may be unfolding with Generation Alpha. Among parents buying snacks for those households, 35% prioritize natural ingredients and 34% seek…

The company also delayed its North American IPO to the fiscal year 2027. Japanese company Seven & i Holdings, parent company of 7-Eleven, expects to close 645 convenience locations across North America during fiscal year 2026 (from March 1, 2026, to February 28, 2027) according to a document from a fourth-quarter earnings report. In the document, the company discloses that the closings include the conversion to wholesale fuel stores for some sites. In 2024, former 7-Eleven President and CEO Joe DePinto announced that the company would close over 400 underperforming stores and pivot its approach to what it provides on its shelves and self-service areas, with a focus on foodservice. Also in the fourth quarter earnings report, the company said its possible initial public offering (IPO) of its North American c-store business has been delayed, and that it will instead list the business in the fiscal year starting next March…

Banks have taken decisive action to disrupt the financial flows underpinning Australia’s illicit tobacco trade, strengthening oversight to more effectively cut off criminal cash flows. Australia’s illicit tobacco market presents a serious organised financial crime problem, generating significant criminal profits and driving violence, tax evasion and community harm. In late 2025, AUSTRAC and the Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarette (ITEC) Commissioner wrote to the banking sector, warning of the growing risks linked to tobacco retailers and convenience stores using cash, private ATMs and EFTPOS terminals to move and disguise illicit tobacco proceeds. Banks were asked to strengthen monitoring and reporting under their existing AML/CTF obligations. AUSTRAC Chief Executive Officer Brendan Thomas said the response from the banking sector had been strong and constructive. “We asked banks to refocus their attention on high-risk transactions linked to tobacco retailers, including cash deposits and EFTPOS activity, because these channels can be used to pay…