2025 Category Excellence in Overall Partnership: Rutter's & Black Buffalo
Rutter's and Black Buffalo have built their partnership as one of mutual commitment to success, avoiding a common pitfall in which a supplier carries out much of the actual in-store execution. Together, the companies pursued a strategy of utilizing Black Buffalo's innovative products to grow overall moist smokeless tobacco/modern oral nicotine category performance.
Starting in 2021, Rutter's Senior Category Manager Adam Long focused on the need to capitalize on products and brands that are growing and the importance of building brand equity, while the Black Buffalo team leveraged the chain’s regional influence and category consistency. This collaboration led to a new product launch across all Rutter's locations, and has continued to develop over the years as both companies explore new ways to grow the category and brand at Rutter's.
Black Buffalo regularly develops custom marketing resources to participate in Rutter’s proprietary retail infrastructure. To facilitate this, Long and Raz Rahman, the supplier's senior vice president of retail, meet monthly to review business performance and identify trends and opportunities that are unique to Rutter's. The Black Buffalo marketing team then develops a plan to support the retailer in product assortment, point-of-sale, promotion and digital market. Black Buffalo also participates in store sales contests to recognize the top-performing Rutter's locations.
These efforts continue to yield positive results, helping Black Buffalo become a leading brand as Rutter's continues to grow the moist smokeless tobacco/modern oral nicotine category. Rutter's was honored as a Black Buffalo Herd Preferred Award winner for being a top seven chain in the country for Black Buffalo CPW performance.
Click here for the full winners' list for the 2025 Convenience Store News Category Excellence Awards.