Convenience Store News Selected as Finalist in 2023 Azbee Awards

CHICAGO — Convenience Store News, the leading media brand of the convenience store industry, is being recognized among the best in business-to-business publishing.

The EnsembleIQ-owned brand is a finalist in two categories in the 2023 Azbee Awards of Excellence competition, sponsored by the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE). This annual program is one of the most competitive there is for business-to-business, trade, association and professional publications. The awards recognize outstanding work by magazines and digital media. The top entries nationwide receive national awards across 63 categories. Entries also compete against others in their own regions for regional awards.

Three of CSNews' proprietary, annual research studies — Forecast Study, Realities of the Aisle Study, and Industry Report — are a national finalist in the Data Journalism category, as well as a regional finalist in the same category for the Upper Midwest region.

The Forecast Study, published every January, is based on a survey of convenience store retailers, distributors and suppliers, and looks at the expected business conditions the industry will face in the year ahead. The Realities of the Aisle Study, published every April, analyzes the shopping behavior of current convenience store shoppers, and highlights where the channel is satisfying customer needs and where it is lacking. The Industry Report, published every June, is the longest-running and most complete analysis of all the key product categories in the convenience store industry, including motor fuels, tobacco, foodservice and more.

CSNews' March 2022 cover story, "The DEI Imperative," is a regional finalist in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion category. This in-depth feature examined why a diverse, equitable and inclusive convenience store industry is more important than ever.

"The DEI Imperative" is already an award-winning piece. It took home gold in the 2022 Folio: Eddie and Ozzie Awards competition, winning the Eddie Award for best B2B, Retail, Single Article. CSNews last year also claimed the Eddie Award for best B2B, Food & Beverage, Series of Articles for its October 2021 "Overcoming the Labor Crisis" cover story.

This year's regional Azbee Awards winners will be announced at regional banquets held in April. National winners will be announced at the National Azbee Awards Banquet in May.

CSNews is owned by Chicago-based EnsembleIQ, a global business media company with more than 20 storied brands spanning print, digital, social, virtual and live events that play a vital role in shaping the future of retail, hospitality and health care.