Posts by theo@aacs.org.au

Everyday acts of kindness deliver life-changing support across Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. The APCO Foundation has once again proven that small acts of kindness can make a big difference, with the 2026 Kindness Month campaign raising an incredible $238,011.17 to support individuals, families and community projects experiencing hardship. Held throughout July across all 30 APCO Service Station locations, Kindness Month brought together generous matching partners, dedicated APCO store teams, suppliers and thousands of customers in a shared mission to help those who need it most. Through the purchase of Kindness Hearts, Cups of Kindness, Foundation products and donations made both in-store and online, communities rallied behind the campaign to achieve this outstanding result. Every in-store donation was doubled by the Foundation’s generous matching partners, helping kindness go even further and ensuring more people can access support when they need it most. Behind the celebration is a simple…

The Handmade Food Co has appointed Ken Hartley as CEO as the food manufacturer looks to build on more than two decades of growth. Hartley joins the business with previous chief executive experience in the food industry and will work with the company’s team, customers and supplier partners as it focuses on growth, innovation and customer relationships. The founder and owner of The Handmade Food Co said Hartley’s appointment marked an important step for the business. “Ken has a proven track record of leadership in our industry and understands the critical role that strong customer partnerships play in long-term success. As we look to the future, I am confident his experience, values and customer-focused approach make him the right person to lead The Handmade Food Co through its next phase of growth.” Hartley said he was looking forward to leading the company at a key point in its development. “I…

Although he’s new to leading the organization, Frank Gleeson has been connected to NACS for over two decades, from attending a NACS Executive Education program in 2005 to becoming the 2018-2019 NACS Chairman, to his current role as president and CEO as of January 1, 2026. For the latest episode of Convenience Matters, I asked him what he’s learned so far at NACS headquarters and how it operates behind the scenes. The Story So Far “It’s been an incredible six months,” he said. “There has been so much learning and so many interactions. I’ve been around NACS for 20 years, but until you’re in the Alexandria office day to day, you don’t fully appreciate the quality, commitment and passion of the people working here. …I can honestly say NACS is a great organization with great people who represent our industry strongly.” With the NACS Show in Las Vegas approaching, Gleeson…

Exhibitor bookings are now open for the Convenience & Impulse Retailing Expo, returning to Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre on 16–17 March 2027. Unlike other industry events, C&I Expo welcomes suppliers from every category, not just association members or preferred partners. That’s why it brings together the broadest cross-section of products, services and solutions, and the retailers actively looking for them. With bookings now open and demand expected to build as the campaign rolls out, now is the ideal time to secure your preferred stand location. Book your stand by 31 August to receive $3,430 in promotional value, including: This is the only early booking offer for the C&I Expo 2027 and it won’t be extended beyond August. Request your exhibitor prospectus, floor plan, pricing and audience snapshot by clicking below or emailing exhibition@c-store.com.au. EXHIBITOR ENQUIRIES

Saturday 16 May saw Calder Park Raceway transformed into the ultimate Bowser Bean experience – the smell of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the roar of race-prepped V8 Mustangs. It doesn’t get much better than that! Eighteen loyal Bowser Bean customers were awarded with a racetrack experience, each getting strapped into a high-performance Ford Mustang, piloted by some seriously talented drivers. Nervous anticipation gave way fast – within seconds, the “yee-hahs”, “whoo-hoos”, massive grins and thumbs-up said it all. The Hot Laps campaign – built around Bowsr Bean’s in-store food and coffee specials – was a huge success. Bowser Bean Marketing Manager, Claire Hatty, put it perfectly, “The Hot Laps campaign has resonated with both our customers and our team, with uplift in sales and nearly 5,000 entries! The delight of the winners after their hot laps is the icing on the cake.” Keeping everyone fuelled on track was the Bowser Bean coffee van, deployed by…

Right now, based on market share, organised crime effectively is Big Tobacco in Australia. Last week, new data were released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) suggesting daily smoking prevalence has dropped to a record low of 5.6% in 2025 – down from 8.3% in 2022-23. Taken at face value, this is the best news in the history of tobacco control in Australia. But there are reasons for caution. The figures come from a self-report survey, and as the AIHW has previously acknowledged, respondents “tend to underestimate actual consumption levels”, with illicit use particularly undercounted. When the previous survey ran in 2022–23, most tobacco was still bought legally. But in 2025, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates 80% of all nicotine products were illicit. So, the steepest fall in reported smoking in the survey’s history was recorded over exactly the period in which smoking moved underground and became harder to accurately…