2025 Category Excellence in Overall Partnership: The Spinx Co. & Swisher
This winning collaboration between The Spinx Co. and Swisher was built on a combination of shared values and shared practical insights. Through a foundation of partnership, innovation and data-driven decisions, the two companies became one true team and achieved significant business results in the other tobacco products (OTP) category.
Their efforts were driven by three core strategies: a thorough reevaluation of the backbar to optimize product offerings; the deployment of innovative racking and point-of-sale to showcase leading brands and categories; and a digital loyalty initiative designed to enhance consumer engagement. After analyzing market trends and consumer preferences, the team refined product offerings to focus on high-potential and in-demand offerings. This resulted in double-digit growth of OTP dollar sales in 2024 for Spinx.
The Spinx Xtras loyalty program offers on Swisher brands proved to be a standout achievement. Through app push notifications, email communications and digital presence, the retailer effectively informed consumers about targeted offers available at its stores, leading to an open rate two to four times higher than the industry standard. The high engagement rate successfully translated into increased in-store traffic. Swisher’s Rogue products achieved a particularly impressive 60% loyalty penetration rate. This strong performance fueled consistent double-digit unit and dollar growth each month throughout 2024.
The companies also saw success from the development and implementation of innovative racking solutions and market-exclusive POS materials, such as the "Made in the Carolinas" display to highlight the Rogue brand being manufactured in the area. Custom-designed displays improved product visibility and accessibility, and created a more engaging and efficient experience. As a result, Rogue saw a 121% increase in dollar sales and an 85% increase in units sold last year at Spinx stores.
Click here for the full winners' list for the 2025 Convenience Store News Category Excellence Awards.