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Convenience is King: Five Major Convenience Store Trends from the NACS Show

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GasBuddy has been around for more than 18 years and has noticed the changing landscape of the gas station convenience store industry. It is no longer just about filling up the car, but rather filling up on the array of offerings inside the store as well. Convenience retailers have experienced in-store sales growth for the past fifteen years, and the industry continues to keep pace with the needs of today’s consumers.

Last week the GasBuddy team attended the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Show, an annual event where the industry comes together to showcase what’s planned for 2019. Here are the top five trends from the show:

Trend #1: Favorite Fast Food Brands Showing Up on Shelves

Fast food brands like Cinnabon and White Castle have moved into the refrigerated aisle of c-stores over the past few years, and that trend shows no signs of bucking. Taco Bell’s new sauce-flavored chips debuted in convenience stores this year, with additional flavors to be introduced in 2019. Taco Bell has also expanded into the c-store with Taco Supreme sunflower seeds.

Taco Bell and Dunkin Donuts at NACS

Other popular quick-service restaurant brands that are debuting products in c-stores include Peet’s Coffee and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Trend #2: Breakfast, Truly the Most Important Meal of the Day

With 45 percent of c-store consumers report purchasing breakfast at a convenience store at least once per month, breakfast offerings are going to expand well into 2019. From new flavored hard boiled eggs to spicy sausage and egg breakfast sandwiches and even dairy-free yogurt, consumers should expect to see more fresh, healthy and savory breakfast options than ever before.

NACS Breakfast Options

Trend #3: H2O…ooooh!

Bottled water sales have been pulling ahead of soft drinks since 2016, and this year’s vast product lineup at the NACS Show reveals that convenience stores will be providing even more offerings to stay hydrated.

With caffeinated sparkling water, flavored water infused with vitamins and a plethora of emerging brands in the bottled water space, consumers won’t need to worry about sacrificing sugary taste when purchasing a healthier alternative.

New Water at NACS Show

Trend #4: Unique Ways to Get Caffeinated

Convenience stores will stay ahead of the competition with caffeinated-alternatives next year. Whether it’s nitro cold-brew coffee, iced tea, kombucha, juice shots, candies or chewables, the NACS Show floor was filled with new ‘morning coffee’ equivalents.

New Ways to Energize NACS Show

Notable products include bite-size chocolate energy supplements and energy ‘pouches’. Cold brew was also prevalent at the NACS Show, with brands offering everything from nitro cold brew to spiked cold brew.

New Cold Brew NACS


Trend #5: A Whole New Level of Convenience

Convenience stores are making it even more convenient for consumers to find what they’re looking for. Consumer-packaged-goods (CPGs) are introducing new 2-in-1 flavor combos of popular snacks so consumers won’t waste time making decisions at c-stores next year, with major brands including Hershey, Kellogg’s and Mars-Wrigley.

Hershey and Pop Tarts 2-in-1 Flavors NACS

Packaging innovations will also see big advancements in 2019, with new items including biodegradable coffee cups that eliminate the need for plastic lids and smoothie bowls that include a collapsible spoon and a shelf-stable cup.

Packaging at NACS Show

For budget-minded drivers, GasBuddy is the travel and navigation app that is used by more North American drivers to save money on gas than any other. Unlike fuel retailer apps, as well as newer apps focused on fuel savings, GasBuddy covers 150,000+ gas stations in North America, giving drivers 27 ways to save on fuel. That’s why GasBuddy has been downloaded nearly 90 million times – more than any other travel and navigation app focused on gas savings.