Discover territory that remains unaltered in the wilderness of the Central Florida Everglades with a thrilling airboat ride to start your day. View the amazing wildlife Florida has to offer. Experienced captains take you into the breathtaking beauty of nature, including wetlands and wildlife. See alligators, turtles, birds and more in their natural environment. After your trip, stop by the Native American Village to learn about how they survived in this beautiful wetland.

7:00am - 7:30am - Check-in and Breakfast
7:30am - Bus Departure
8:15am - Airboat Tour
8:45am - Village Tour
11:00am- Arrive at Rosen Centre

What better way to see the latest innovations in c-store design and merchandising than to visit the stores themselves? CRU’s Store Tours Program takes attendees along on a curated agenda of store visits to see what some of the area’s top operators are doing. Participants will veiw strategies in action within key categories and experience signature features of each location. The consumer and retail space is evolving rapidly, and you can’t afford to miss out on this competitive learning opportunity.

8:00am - 8:30am - Check-in and Breakfast
8:30am - Bus Departure
8:30am - 11:30am - Store Tours
12:00pm - Arrive at Rosen Centre

Sign-up to enjoy a morning of some friendly competition with fellow attendees and try your hand at axe throwing. Axecelsior Axe Throwing will have their experienced coaches guiding you as you compete head to head with attendees to determine the best thrower!

7:30am - 8:00am - Check-in and Breakfast
8:00am - Bus Departure
8:30am - 11:30am - Axe Throwing
12:00pm - Arrive at Rosen Centre

How to Future-Proof Your Business and Win in a Remarkable New World! As we emerge from the most challenging business environment in modern history, the winners today are often those who have become remarkably easy to do business with. Being better tuned-in to the increasingly unique wants and needs of your customers and clients allows you to create better experiences and increase loyalty. In this timely, actionable and very entertaining presentation, popular Customer Experience expert David Avrin, CSP shines a light on the profound shift in customer expectation, while showing your team everyone’s role in eliminating barriers, engaging prospects and creating customer experiences worth sharing.

The pandemic accelerated digital transformation, migration to the cloud, and handing off tasks to technology thus propelling us forward into a new world of work where employees and customers have unprecedented power. Collectively this triggered “The Great Reset”, forcing a re-calibration of every aspect of our lives, perhaps most significantly the nature and act of work. Certainly, nearly two years of remote work has questioned the future of where work will take place for many, but more broadly, the past 23 months have also questioned: who works, what we do for work, how we work and how we measure that work, where we work, and, perhaps most acutely, why we work. From an examination of these shifts we stand on the precipice of the Human Capital Era, where the greatest investment we can make is in human potential. It is up to us to make the most of this tremendous opportunity.

Addressing underage access is a shared responsibility for manufacturers and retailers of age-restricted products. Technology can assist retailers with complying with federal ageverification laws and policies that aim to restrict underage access at the point-of-sale.

In this presentation, retailers will explore ways to incorporate technologically-based solutions to restrict underage access, and learn more about the growing momentum across retailers, trade associations, and legislation to improve retailer compliance and change how age-restricted products are sold.

You’ve worked hard to perfect your forecourt. It’s bright and beautiful, with modern fuel pumps and eye-catching advertising. But is a great first impression enough to entice shoppers to go out of their way to pull into your parking lot? Convenience store operators are increasingly finding themselves in competition with quick-serve restaurants and other retailers, all vying for the attention of a consumer that expects an effortless experience and personalized rewards. To earn lasting loyalty, brands need to think beyond the forecourt and the backcourt to reach consumers on any device, at any time, with messaging and offers that hit the mark. Join this session to learn how the same digital technologies that help restaurants and retailers win raving fans can take your marketing strategy from hunch to homerun.

Today’s consumers demand everything delivered fast, from great food to everyday items like ice cream, and household needs. And they demand it in 15 minutes or less. This offers a great opportunity for c-stores to add value and develop strong one-to one relationships, but to get there you must offer a unique value proposition. It’s not enough to deliver staple goods through a third-party aggregator.  How does a brand know when it’s ready to tackle this kind of challenge? In this talk, Paytronix CRO Charles Gray will address several key questions, including:  

•   Are third-party aggregators already leveraging your retail stock?  
•   What are the advantages to first or third-party ordering and delivery?  
•   How do you create a brand offering that’s right for the digital ordering channel?  
•   Who do you need to hire to meet the operational challenges inherent in order and delivery? 

Countless convenience operators are scaling back their foodservice offerings, eager to cut costs due to labor shortages and higher costs. But will cutting alone drive a customer-pleasing program?  We explore the dual approach of cutting where it makes sense, and investing to drive a distinctive offering that draws more customers and greater spend.

Offering craveable items, assuring consistency of preparation and ingredients, maintaining safety, and developing menus and packaging for delivery and curbside pick-up are some of the many things retailers juggle in energizing their foodservice programs in 2022. And how are labor and supply chain continuing to affect c-store operations? Resilient retailers come together to learn, share challenges and seek solutions. 

As one of the strongest traffic drivers for convenience stores, today’s consumer wants innovation and variety. Are concerns about sugar still top of mind? Are ingredients like CBD and CoQ10 still resonating with consumers? What’s packed inside the cold vault is ever-changing, from beer and chilled wine to waters of all sorts, carbonated soft drinks, teas, energy drinks and milk. We’ll talk with this years CMOY Finalists on trends and how they vary by demographics and geography. 

Local, state and federal regulations, combined with new taxes and health warnings, add pressure to c-store tobacco and nicotine sales in 2022. Where is the FDA in its process to assess/approve/deny applications for new products? Are tax increases driving your customers across state lines? Is CBD steady, growing or declining? Cannabis has been in the wings, as regulation varies from state to state and awaits federal action. Uncertainty still reigns in this category that remains the top sales and profit generator in the c-store channel.

Dispensed beverages recovered from the steep declines suffered in 2020, but safety concerns have generated changes in equipment for hot, cold and frozen beverages. Touchless dispensers, staff-served beverages and a focus on condiments have driven up costs as retailers struggle to maintain sales momentum. Quality beverages in the foodservice segment have a “treat” appeal that can draw customers in the doors. We’ll look at what influences consumers to stop in your stores for a fast and fresh drink.

The future of fuels at c-stores is the trillion-dollar question. Is gasoline here to stay, even if demand declines? Where do ethanol fuels fit into the equation? How soon and how many electric charging stations are needed? How does a retailer charge for electricity? Come learn what educated prognosticators are saying to help you draft a plan for your chain’s fuel future.

Are robots the answer to retail’s labor woes? What innovations in technology are most important to successful operations at a c-store? How can an operator separate solution from headache? There’s no question that technology has a critical role, and retailers need education and information to spend limited resources on solutions with the best return.

Find out what flavor-forward innovations are certain to make a splash in the center store  (Snacks/Candy/GM/HBC) with this panel that discuss unique trends and merchandising best practices.

C-stores are managing customer relationships with digital loyalty programs, encouraging and rewarding shoppers with discounts and rewards in a frictionless app that often also encompasses payment options. As new tools help retailers learn more about their guests, they also provide a means of giving each shopper individual attention. Share and learn how these advances help reach customers wherever they are and offer a marketing lift to your stores.

Innovating in the Foodservice space looks different these days.  Operations and processes are continually refined and retailers are driven to make changes across their menus and adapt to ongoing supply chain challenges.  Technology plays a key role as drive-thru, catering, delivery, and self-check come together to ensure the customer has access to their favorite menu items however they choose to shop.

As one of the strongest traffic drivers for convenience stores, today’s consumer wants innovation and variety. Are concerns about sugar still top of mind? Are ingredients like CBD and CoQ10 still resonating with consumers? What’s packed inside the cold vault is ever-changing, from beer and chilled wine to waters of all sorts, carbonated soft drinks, teas, energy drinks and milk. We’ll look at trends and how they vary by demographics and geography.

Local, state and federal regulations, combined with new taxes and health warnings, add pressure to c-store tobacco and nicotine sales in 2022. Where is the FDA in its process to assess/approve/deny applications for new products? Are tax increases driving your customers across state lines? Will the FDA or other governmental authorities ban flavored tobacco products?  How will other FDA regulations impact the category?  Uncertainty still reigns in this category that remains the top sales and profit generator in the c-store channel

The dispensed beverage customer has changed. However, disruptions in trends and dispensed consumer continuity hold opportunities—and some surprises—for retailers. Understanding the evolving needs and behaviors of dispensed beverage users will help c-stores as they bravely face numerous daily challenges in every aspect of their foodservice business. This session will leverage Technomic data and insights designed to help entice consumers to rekindle their relationship with self-serve hot, cold and frozen drinks.

The future of fuels at c-stores is the trillion-dollar question. Is gasoline here to stay, even if demand declines? Where do ethanol fuels fit into the equation? How soon and how many electric charging stations are needed? How does a retailer charge for electricity? Come learn what educated prognosticators are saying to help you draft a plan for your chain’s fuel future.

Are you busy analyzing your past or are you ready to analyze your future? Explore the world of data analytics in a retail environment and how to take it to the next level. We'll look on building the right team, focusing on the right problems, and finding the right solutions in this dynamic session. 

The Convenience channel’s importance in driving center store sales is amplified by the magnitude of units and dollars driven by this segment of the channel. As US consumers begin to return to a post-Covid normal, the lineup of products available to quench thirst, fuel snacking needs and provide a hassle-free quick trip, make this portion of our stores vitally important to drive growth, and more importantly, to partner with consumers to fill their needs while navigating their lives.

Join IRI’s Larry Levin as he brings to life the impact driving growth in center sales and the impact it has on the channel and the impact innovation plays to enhance sales potential

The COVID pandemic has changed the way customers make their shopping destination choices.  A loyalty programs is one of the factors you can use to help your customers spend more money with your brand, but is no longer just about giving away free stuff!  Join us to hear about a different perspective on loyalty program strategies and examples of what industry leading (and innovative) companies are doing to increase transaction numbers and basket size.