After a difficult pandemic-depressed year, the convenience store industry’s single-store owners and small chains are bullish on 2021, but some plan to throw in the towel.
With the coronavirus pandemic first shutting down and then limiting the capacity of bars and restaurants last year, the beer and malt beverages category at convenience stores saw tremendous growth.
Pandemic-driven shifts in shopping, working and social routines prompted extraordinary change for the candy and snack categories at convenience stores.
What will become of the Biden Administration's focus on nicotine levels and flavors remains to be seen, but it is undeniable that cigarettes and other tobacco products are a main reason customers shop the convenience channel.
The foodservice category struggled over the past year, as safety restrictions and changes in consumer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in shrinking sales across all segments.
