Skip to main content

Change for the Better

4/12/2010
The winds of change transforming the convenience store industry have also been sweeping through the publishing and media sector. From consumer magazines and network television, to the business and trade press, the media landscape is changing at an unprecedented rate. We're no exception.

Last month, Stagnito Media acquired Convenience Store News, Convenience Store News for the Single Store Owner, all our related information products, and the entire Retail Food Group from Nielsen Business Media.

We are truly excited about this change in ownership. While we benefited greatly over the years from our synergies with the Nielsen data companies, it had become clear in the past several months that Nielsen's top management was more interested in driving its research and trade show business than its media properties. Our new owners are seasoned entrepreneurial media professionals who have previously owned and launched brands in the food retailing industries. They understand the dynamics of the media information business and the need to evolve the business model through constant innovation in print, digital, event/conferences, custom and niche media products.

Included in the acquisition are Progressive Grocer and The Gourmet Retailer -- two of the oldest media brands in the grocery industry, the Trade Dimensions Directory of Convenience Stores, and the Grocery, Drug and Mass Merchant Marketing Guidebook print and electronic products, which are the leading databases of chain retailers serving the convenience, grocery, drug and mass merchandising retailing segments in the U.S.

Just as important, the acquisition agreement maintains the best part of our former relationship with The Nielsen Co. Convenience Store News and CSNews for the Single Store Owner will continue to have access to and use of Nielsen convenience store data that forms the backbone of our renowned annual Industry Report, the only convenience industry Forecast Study, and the host of other category research insights we publish.

The same editorial staff that has won more editorial excellence awards -- including the most prestigious award in business journalism, the Jesse Neal Award -- than any other industry publication over the past four years, will continue to bring you the most thoughtful and analytical information available online and in print.

Convenience Store News will also continue to bring leadership and innovation to the industry, with such special programs as:

-- The only full-day industry virtual conference;
-- The only multi-channel retail conference aimed at helping retailers target the growing Hispanic consumer segment;
-- The only magazine targeted to the huge single-store owner segment of the convenience business;
-- The only digital newsletters that highlight the key topics of new products, Hispanic marketing, foodservice and retail technology in the convenience industry;
-- The industry's only Convenience Hall of Fame;
-- The industry's only convenience store design and technology award programs; and,
-- Our newest event, the CSNews Spirit Awards for Community Service.

We believe the entrepreneurial focus of our new owners will actually allow us to increase the rate of innovation you've come to expect from Convenience Store News -- enabling us to produce even more integrated quality information products for our retailer community.

Our entire editorial staff is looking forward to serving you even better in the years ahead.
X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds