In an effort to pump up confectionery sales in convenience stores, three key associations announced a new study during the All Candy Expo held in Chicago last month. Jim Corcoran, vice president of trade relations at the National Confectioners Association (NCA); Robert Pignato, vice president of marketing, membership and industry affairs at the American Wholesale Marketers Association (AWMA); and Dae U. Kim, vice president of research at the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), announced the groups have joined together to create a study to drive the confectionery category in convenience stores.

Although there are 15,000 SKUs in convenience stores, only 300 of them drive 80% of sales and 2,500 are new products. This creates a large opportunity to grow in the category by improving multiple product performance.

“Our task is to identify those factors and opportunities and provide recommendations for action that can benefit manufacturers, distributors and retailers alike,” Dietz added. The study will be completed in time for the NACS show in Chicago from October 4-7.