ALEXANDRIA, Va. – NACS CAFÉ, the convenience store industry’s source for foodservice education, recently expanded its training portfolio to include a series of foodservice webinars for convenience store operators. This announcement comes as new data from the latest NACS State of the Industry Report^® shows that foodservice provides one of the highest margin opportunities for convenience store retailers. For the average operator, this category represents nearly 29% of in-store gross margins. 

To help convenience retailers capitalize on this growing trend, NACS CAFÉ webinars will address how to build food sales using the existing beverage offer, improve food supply chain strategies, and optimize food packaging in order to drive sales and earn repeat business. The distance learning format allows companies to control training costs by having members of their teams participate in training that is accessible anywhere, any time.

Webinars will be conducted as facilitated conference calls, led by business experts, restaurateurs and top convenience operators. The one-hour sessions will be held at 1 pm EDT to allow attendees on both the east and west coasts to participate. An agenda and dial-in/web information will be provided upon registration.

The first webinar, Beverage Role in Foodservice, will be held next Friday, June 27, at 1 pm EDT. Perfectly timed to the summer drive season, participants will hear how top convenience operators are combining their food and beverage offer to drive inside sales. Presenters include Femi Cole, food operations design/fresh food mergers and acquisitions for 7-Eleven Inc.; Stephanie Kowitz, consumer insights senior manager, convenience, for Coca-Cola Refreshments; and Mendy Meriwether, category manager – fresh beverages, for Wawa Inc.

To register for a webinar or to explore the complete list of upcoming foodservice programs, including face-to-face sessions, visit nacscafe.com.