Gama spoke to Jeff Lenard, Vice President of NACS Media & Strategic Communications, ahead of the latest edition of the NACS Show.
What are your primary goals and expectations for the NACS Show 2026 in Las Vegas?
Our goal every year is largely the same: we want to show attendees the future. This means developing dynamic Education Sessions and a robust exhibit hall that not only looks at what is happening today, but how it will affect consumers and convenience retailing over the coming years. Las Vegas is always a fun destination for attendees, but it’s equally important for us to deliver a quantifiable return on investment to attendees that can help them stay ahead of the curve and meet evolving consumer definitions of convenience.
Convenience stores are increasingly becoming ‘food destinations’. How is this evolution being reflected on the show floor this year?
We have seen a rapid increase in foodservice sales in our industry. Foodservice sales in 2024 were 28% of in-store sales, more than double the 12% only 20 years earlier. Our industry has embraced foodservice but competing channels have noticed and are trying to capture back market share. The expo showcases foodservice solutions, but as importantly it also highlights merchandising concepts that allow attendees to enhance the customer experience. And, of course, you can find other new products that can make stores stand out from traditional quick-service restaurants and their limited menus.
Read this Tradeshow Look Ahead in the next issue of Gama News.
The Cool New Products Preview Room is a perennial highlight. What makes this year’s showcase particularly unique for discovering ‘the next big thing’?
The Cool New Products Preview Room allows retailers to quickly access in a small footprint some of the big trends that are seen in the larger expo. It is a perfect way to quickly explore ideas and establish a game plan for what you want to see in the larger hall. And we provide a customized map and other information to help you conveniently explore the expo.
What is your number one piece of advice for international attendees looking to navigate such a massive showcase of global innovation?
Former NACS President and CEO Henry Armour’s favourite quote is by futurist William Gibson: “The future is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed”. Great ideas are not limited by borders. The NACS Show brings together incredibly insightful retailers from more than 70 countries. The NACS Show presents an opportunity to in four days see how the retailers are redefining convenience and the customer experience without having to get 70-plus stamps in your passport.
About the NACS Show
Every year, the NACS Show brings together convenience and fuel retailing industry professionals for four days of learning, buying and selling, networking and fun — all designed to help participants grow their bottom line. As convenience and fuel retailing’s premier industry event, the NACS Show attracts more than 23,500 industry stakeholders from around the world. Buyers and sellers come together to conduct business and learn from one another — all in an environment rich with new ideas and partnerships. The NACS Show is the place to network and connect with convenience and fuel retailing industry peers and experts.
