Almost immediately after the 2018 Farm Bill was enacted, legalizing retail sales of cannabis-derived products, there was a deluge of cannabidiol (CBD) products. Today, CBD-curious consumers have plenty of options, as do c-stores looking to add the category. In fact, IBIS World stated CBD manufacturing in the U.S. grew an annual average of more than…
Investing in HBA Diversity
The health and beauty aids (HBA) category offers something for everyone. Of course, there’s the convenience of picking up emergency pain relievers, first aid items or cold medicine. People also grab makeup products for last-minute touchups or buy haircare products on the way home after a busy day. That breadth of the HBA product selection…
Vape Fights for Footing
The regulatory saga for vape and e-cigarettes just keeps rolling along, leaving convenience stores waiting to operate under clear, concise and consistent rules once and for all. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved fewer than 25 tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes and vaping devices for legal retail sales. By the end of 2023, FDA still hadn’t…
Sizing Up Smokeless
Smokeless continues to shine in the tobacco category, outpacing other segments in dollar sales growth and unit sales increases. Nearly two-thirds of the 67,000 retailers, including convenience stores, responding to the Goldman Sachs 2023 Q4 “Nicotine Nuggets” survey noticed an uptick in promotional efforts from nicotine pouch manufacturers late last year. That marketing investment plus…
Rolling With a Changing Environment
There is an interesting dynamic affecting the roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco segment for convenience stores. On the one hand, the smoking population continues to shrink, so the customer base that likes to roll their own cigarettes, which is already a niche group, keeps dwindling, too. At the same time, an expanding market for legalized cannabis offers…
Variety Adds Promise to Tobacco Accessories
Globally speaking, the tobacco accessories market is poised for expansion, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 6.5% for the current decade, according to an analysis by Allied Market Research. The projection accounts for large smoking populations worldwide, like Southeast Asia. Research recently published in JAMA, however, shows the American smoking public is contracting…
Cigars React to Market Conditions
Cigars are feeling the lingering heat of inflation. According to Circana, the price of large mass cigars in U.S. convenience stores last year rose by 5.5%, and the price tag of little cigars, such as cigarillos, also climbed by 5%. The cost of premium cigars was on par with a jump of 4.3%. Prices, however,…
Category Mixology
In mid-December, Empirical Spirits captured headlines and people’s curiosity with the debut of Doritos Vodka. The limited-edition 84-proof novelty spirit purports to smell and taste like the top-selling nacho chip. It is sold in select New York and California markets as well as online at a retail price of $65 for a 750-milliliter bottle. While…
Cards on Deck
As the world becomes increasingly digital, prepaid cards are providing a crucial service, not only for unbanked and underbanked customers, but also for everyday shoppers seeking a convenient gift or budgeting tool. Case in point: Shareholders who dialed in for the August monthly earnings call for Yum Brands Inc., which owns quick-service restaurant (QSR) chains…
Counting on Confections
The pumpkin spice latte hails the unofficial onset of fall, but Halloween kicks off the holiday season, and convenience stores are in a prime position to gain sweet profits from the candy segment this time of year. While some customers might not view c-stores as the go-to channel for seasonal treats, the opportunity for convenience…