Packed Agenda of Retailers & Experts Lined Up for 2023 Convenience Foodservice Exchange

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Casey’s Chief Merchandising Officer Tom Brennan, TXB CEO Kevin Smartt and Kwik Trip's Retail Foodservice Director Paul Servais will headline a packed agenda of retailers and foodservice experts at the 2023 Convenience Store News Convenience Foodservice Exchange (CFX) event, being held May 4-5 in Nashville.

The theme of this year’s event is "Making Foodservice the Centerpiece of Your Convenience Store Business." A distinctive, high-quality foodservice program is no longer a want-to-have for a convenience store operator, it's a must-have. Foodservice is the focal point of a modern, successful convenience store.

The eighth-annual Convenience Foodservice Exchange will explore how c-stores across the United States are working to make a statement with their foodservice operations. The agenda will tackle several key issues in educational sessions, such as:

Making Foodservice No. 1 — Brennan, who leads merchandising for last year's CSNews Foodservice Innovator of the Year winner, Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey's General Stores Inc., will talk about the importance of foodservice to your overall business and brand, and how to develop innovative new menu items that meet the needs of your customers.

How to Define/Refine/Hone Your Identity in a Competitive Market — A panel of forward-looking convenience foodservice executives, including Stinker Stores Director of Marketing Billy Colemire, will share real-life case studies in this moderated session.

Distinguishing Your Store Through Constant Menu Innovation — Hear from Smartt, who leads TXB, previously Kwik Chek Food Stores Inc., a chain of 52 convenience stores across Texas and Oklahoma that offers unique, fresh-made food. TXB was honored as last year's Prepared Foods Innovator of the Year in CSNews' annual Foodservice Innovators Awards program.  

Building & Maintaining a Foodservice Culture in Your Stores — CSNews' Editorial Director Emeritus Don Longo will conduct a fireside chat with Servais focused on the importance of establishing a foodservice culture. La Crosse, Wis.-based Kwik Trip Inc. is a two-time Foodservice Innovator of the Year award winner.

The New American Convenience Retailer Panel — This annual panel features companies that are redefining the c-store shopping experience for customers today and tomorrow. This year's panelists will include Tony Sparks, head of Customer Wow! at Curby's Express Market in Lubbock, Texas, and Mike Fogarty, founder and CEO of Choice Market in Denver.

Developing Your Multichannel Foodservice Brand Experience — Peter Rasmussen, a former Sheetz Inc. and Wawa Inc. executive who cofounded New England-based Neon Marketplace, will explain how a convenience retailer's in-store experience must be replicated through ordering from the brand's app, website or through a third party. Customers expect a consistent and personalized experience in every shopping journey.

Critical Store Management Drivers for Customer Food Loyalty Growth — Tom Bandy, founder of BandyWorks, has spent the last 10 years working with c-store owners and operators to improve store operations. In this session, he will discuss how making food the centerpiece of the store means refocusing on customers' food loyalty, which requires new management skills and additional metrics for operations support and coaching.

As in previous years, CFX 2023 will also include the highly praised Power Hour of one-on-one business meetings among attendees, and the presentation of CSNews' Foodservice Innovators Awards. In addition, this year's event will feature a guided food and retail tour exploring Music City's most delicious and innovative restaurants, food shops and markets.

Attendance is by invitation only. Convenience store retailers may request an invite from Longo at [email protected].

Sponsorships are available for suppliers, wholesalers and solution providers. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact CSNews Vice President and Brand Director Paula Lashinsky at [email protected] or (917) 446-4117.

For more information on CFX 2023, visit events.csnews.com/cfx2023.