The Convenience Leaders Vision Group (CLVG) held its virtual quarterly meeting on April 24, 2026. The session was facilitated by Myra Kressner, co-founder of Vision Group Network (VGN) and CEO of Kressner Strategy Group, and featured Frank Gleeson, the new president and CEO of NACS. Gleeson shared his vision for U.S. convenience retail over the next three to five years and included feedback and thoughts from members and guests.
With so much to discuss and not enough time before the meeting concluded, Gleeson provided additional comments on several topics.
Foodservice and Centralized Production
Fresh Strategy
“What we’re really talking about is the industrialization of fresh. The industry historically treated fresh as artisanal at store level, but at scale, that’s fundamentally inefficient and inconsistent.”
Shift From ‘Store Execution’ to ‘Network Optimization’
“The winning model is not store-by-store excellence, it’s network-level optimization. Central kitchens allow you to standardize inputs and let stores focus on the last 10%, which is where customer perception of freshness is actually created.”
Labor Reality
“Labor availability and skill level are also a constraint. Centralization allows you to move skilled production into controlled environments and reduce the dependency on highly trained labor in every store.”
Shrink and Waste Reduction
“There’s also a significant waste benefit. When you centralize preparation, you dramatically improve yield and reduce spoilage, which is becoming increasingly important from both a cost and sustainability standpoint.”
Scalability Advantage (Large vs. Small Operators)
“Scale players will accelerate here. Smaller operators may need to collaborate, partner, or consider buying into shared production models to stay competitive.”
Future-Facing View
“Over time, I expect a hybrid model, centralized production for core items, with localized finishing and limited customization in-store. That’s the sweet spot between efficiency and relevance.”
E-commerce, Delivery & Drones
“I don’t see e-commerce as a threat; I see it as table stakes. The real question is who delivers fastest, most efficiently, and most profitably.”
Convenience Stores as Last-Mile Hubs
“Convenience retail is uniquely positioned because we already have dense, distributed infrastructure. We’re closer to the consumer than almost anyone, that’s a structural advantage in a delivery economy.”
Economics vs. QSR and Grocery
“We can fulfill food, grocery top-ups, and immediate needs from one location. That basket flexibility creates a stronger economic model than single-category players.”
Automation as Inevitability
“Whether it’s drones, autonomous vehicles, or robotics, it’s less a question of ‘if’ and more ‘when and where first.’ The use cases are already proving out in dense, time-sensitive missions.”
Speed as a Competitive Weapon
“Consistent delivery in under 5–10 minutes fundamentally changes consumer behavior. At that point, you’re not competing with stores, you’re competing with the consumer’s decision to leave their home at all.”
Dark Kitchens vs. Proximity
“Dark kitchens will grow, but they’re optimized for menu depth, not proximity. Convenience retail is optimized for proximity, and in a world where speed wins, proximity matters more.”
Tech Stack and Partnerships
“The key is not building everything ourselves, but integrating with the right platforms, delivery aggregators, logistics tech, and emerging autonomous solutions.”
Final Reflection
“Both of these trends, central production and automated delivery, are about removing inefficiencies from the system and reallocating effort to the moments that actually matter to the customer. That’s where the industry is heading.”
Read the full Vision Report, “Fuel, Food, Legislation and the Future: A Conversation With NACS President and CEO Frank Gleeson,” from the CLVG April meeting.
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