Better insight drives better decisions. Stay tuned for details about our NACS Show Education Sessions. Equip your cross-functional team with the actionable market intelligence and expert strategies needed to navigate the evolving convenience retail landscape.
Schedules are subject to change.
Every year, new legislation and regulations impact the convenience industry. As the saying goes, “if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” How do some businesses always come out on top? Join industry CEOs as they share how political engagement, relationship building and a culture of advocacy have helped them protect their interests and strengthen the industry.
Ballroom E/F/G
Hear how real career journeys into leadership roles within the convenience industry often begin at the store level. Through personal stories and practical examples, attendees will explore how to identify internal talent, create visible career pathways and help frontline employees see convenience retail as a long-term profession with meaningful opportunities for growth and leadership.
Pavilion 10/11
As EV adoption accelerates, many convenience retailers are deciding whether they should own their charging infrastructure or simply host it at their stores. This panel brings together a convenience retailer and an EV charging provider to walk through real-word case studies of deploying charging infrastructure at convenience stores. With a focus on practical insights, the discussion will cover key considerations for convenience retailers, as well as how to align charging investments with business goals and measure success. By sharing both successes and lessons learned, this session will
Ballroom C
Convenience Connect is an exclusive opportunity for NACS supplier members to hear directly from convenience retailers about how they discover new products and maximize their time at the NACS Show. During this 90-minute session, a panel of retail leaders will share what they look for in new products, how they evaluate potential supplier partners, and tips for making meaningful connections. The session concludes with 30 minutes of networking over light refreshments, giving you the chance to continue the conversation and build valuable relationships. Don't miss this unique supplier opportunity
Pavilion 9
Chris Everson, Webb Roberts +8 more
The back bar is evolving as nicotine pouches and alternative consumables compete for limited space. Hear about strategically allocating back bar space across inhalable products, oral nicotine, traditional tobacco, and emerging categories. Gain practical insights on merchandising, balancing profitability with security concerns, and preparing for what the future of the category could look like.
Pavilion 3/4
Using insights from the State of the Industry (SOI) report, this session takes a deeper look at consumer spending patterns, operational variables, and what separates the top quartile from the bottom quartile within the data.
Pavilion 1/2
How real-time reporting uncovers missed age verifications before they become violations.
NACS Future of Convenience Booth
Category deep dive. What's next in cold, hot, and specialty beverages, and what customers will pay for.
Ballroom B
What does convenience mean to the next generation of shoppers? In this interactive session, we explore how Gen Z and Gen Alpha define convenience with street-style interviews and real-world examples. Attendees will gain fresh perspective on emerging trends, technology expectations, and how younger consumers influence merchandising, branding and experience.
Ballroom B
Frank Gleeson, Crystal Maggelet +1 more
As foodservice drives growth in convenience retail, competition with quick-service restaurants intensifies. Learn how to elevate food offerings through menu innovation, kitchen design, and digital integration to meet evolving consumer demands.
Pavilion 1/2
Liquid fuels will dominate transportation for decades to come, but competition for gasoline customers will become more intense as vehicle efficiency improves. Winning those customers and capitalizing on their visits is critical to the long-term profitability of your business. What will it take to become the fueling destination of choice and how can you get the most value from each customer? This session will explore options for generating customer loyalty and leveraging your forecourt to boost the profitability of your operations.
Pavilion 10/11
What makes certain leaders energizing to be around, and how can you become one of them? In this session, Emma Seppälä, faculty director of Yale’s Women’s Leadership Program, explores the science and practice of positively energizing leadership. She’ll share practical strategies to build resilience, strengthen relationships and elevate team performance in today’s demanding workplace.
Pavilion 3/4
Hemp-derived THC beverages create an opportunity for growth in convenience stores as an emerging category. Industry experts will explore what retailers need to know about selling these age-restricted products responsibly, how the category fits into convenience retail, and the future of the these products as federal and state legislation and regulations develop.
Ballroom E/F/G
Drawing from extensive research beyond the industry's confines, the 2026 Conexxus Technology Roadmap outlines the technological and cultural shifts that continue to shape the retail landscape. The roadmap will help you navigate and thrive within the constantly changing technology landscape. Don't miss this opportunity to prepare today for the future.
Ballroom C
Gray Taylor, Donald Emery +2 more
Explore the key findings from the NACS Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council’s latest study on trip drivers in convenience retail. Find out what motivates consumers to visit stores, what influences their purchasing decisions, and how these behaviors are evolving. The discussion will highlight actionable strategies retailers can use to align with shopper needs and increase trip frequency and basket size.
Ballroom A
Michael Sansolo, Richard Bode +3 more
See how mobile driver's licenses and digital IDs are changing in-store verification—and what retailers need to do next.
NACS Future of Convenience Booth
Retail media networks are becoming a powerful revenue and marketing tool for retailers. In this session, experts will share real-world case studies showing how retailers are using these platforms to create value for their brands and stores. Learn strategies for launching or participating in a network, including how smaller operators can get started and ensure their media offerings deliver measurable ROI.
Ballroom A
Joell Robinson, Tommy Greenberg +1 more
What if your store managers could spend less time on paperwork and more time leading people? This session highlights practical ways to lighten the load, including centralized recruiting models and streamlined administrative processes that cut hours of daily work. Hear how companies like Casey's and TXB are redesigning responsibilities so managers can focus on hiring decisions, team development and culture—not redundant tasks.
Pavilion 9
The NACS Leadership for Success Program brings the brightest industry supervisors together to develop their personal leadership skills and become better leaders. For the past five months, participants have been working on reducing turnover, increasing employee engagement, and developing store managers by creating plans, setting goals, and tracking their progress. They are ready to share the results! Hear what worked (and what didn’t) as they sought to develop and strengthen their teams.
Pavilion 3/4
Among the most profitable customer segments of the convenience industry are the small fleet operators like the construction and landscape companies and the local and regional trucking companies. These fleets refuel several times each week and stock up on provisions from your stores. They also buy a lot of diesel fuel, which in 2025 generated average margins of 52 cents per gallon. How can you leverage your diesel fuel offer and gain the loyalty of these companies and their employees? It’s time to make diesel sexy again and capitalize on the profit opportunity.
Ballroom B
Make sure your AI investment doesn’t create more complexity than value. This session equips retail leaders with a practical guide to evaluating and purchasing AI solutions and how to avoid costly traps. Explore common pitfalls such as hidden fees, usage-based pricing, subscription sprawl and integration challenges that can undermine ROI. The discussion will break down total cost of ownership across on-prem and SaaS models while highlighting the key questions to ask before making an investment.
Pavilion 1/2
Residential embedded convenience retail is a new category where convenience is the amenity. Hear from leaders at Urban Value Corner Store as they share how their business model rethinks traditional assumptions around traffic patterns, customer engagement and retail placement by operating inside multifamily, mixed-use, student housing, and master-planned communities.
Ballroom E/F/G
This session explores how to market a foodservice program in a way that builds trust, reinforces brand credibility, and drives long-term customer behavior—not just short-term traffic. Participants will learn how to evaluate whether their marketing is truly working, align messaging with operational reality, and design foodservice offers that resonate with their core customers.
Ballroom C
Branded merchandise is a powerful way for retailers to build loyalty, extend their brand and create new revenue streams. In this session, industry leaders will explore how c-store brands like 7-Eleven have turned store merchandise into must-have items through effective merchandising, brand storytelling and social buzz.
Pavilion 10/11
