NACS Makes New Commitment to the Partnership for a Healthier America

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) has gained another convenience industry advocate in NACS, the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing.

Through its commitment, NACS has become the first retail-association partner for PHA, and will rely on PHA’s resources to help c-stores provide more visibility to healthier choices in-store.

Over the next three years, NACS will make key resources available to its members to help determine how they can carry additional healthier choices, in addition to providing promotional materials related to PHA’s marketing campaign Drink Up, which encourages water consumption.

The association will also provide healthier catering options at its events, including the annual NACS Show, one of the 40 largest trade shows in the United States.

NACS outlined five specific elements of its commitment to PHA:

1. Continue to encourage appropriate NACS members to engage with PHA.
2. Disseminate a web-based nutrition resource that could help c-stores identify products as being healthier options and assist them in defining their better-for-you sets.
3. Continue to engage small-format stores —specifically corner stores — that are often the only food source for residents in highly rural or urban settings.
4. Develop and disseminate Drink Up marketing materials that encourage c-store customers to stay hydrated.
5. Emphasize wellness at the NACS office and at its industry-specific events.

“The commitment furthers the goals of NACS and our members to make a positive impact in the communities we serve, whether through charitable giving programs or helping to equip our members to truly make the healthy choice the convenient choice," said NACS President & CEO Henry Armour.

NACS and Westborough, Mass.-based Cumberland Farms announced their partnerships with PHA at the annual PHA Summit in Washington, D.C. They joined eight other NACS retail member companies that are already partners.

“As an industry, we are committed to making a difference in the lives of the 160 million customers we serve every day, and increasingly that involves providing additional healthier options in stores,” Armour commented. “We look forward to continuing to work with PHA to celebrate our members' commitment to the communities that they serve.”

The Partnership for a Healthier America is a nonpartisan, nonprofit led by health and childhood obesity advocates supported by Honorary Chair Michelle Obama.

"Convenience stores serve millions of Americans every day. As NACS and its members know, most of those purchasing decisions are made in seconds," said PHA President and CEO Larry Soler. "Our innovative partnership with NACS is key to ensuring that convenience store customers can be met in the store with healthier options."

In addition to Cumberland Farms, eight NACS retailer members have joined PHA in previously announced commitments: La Crosse, Wis.-based Kwik Trip; Sheetz in Altoona, Pa.; Loop Neighborhood of Fremont, Calif.; Twice Daily in Nashville, Tenn.; Fenton, Mo.-based U-Gas; Savannah, Ga.’s enmarket; Ricker’s of Anderson, Ind.; and Honolulu-based Aloha Petroleum. Three NACS distributor members also have joined PHA: McLane Co., Core-Mark International and Esstar.

Alexandria-based NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily and has sales that are 10.8 percent of total U.S. retail and food service sales. 

NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.