ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Five years ago, it was unusual to see fresh fruit in a convenience store. Today, it’s common to see bananas and other healthy items inside stores. Why the shift and what is the profile of the consumer demanding better-for-you options in convenience stores?

Those questions are addressed in the latest NACS Convenience Matters podcast, “How Do You Sell Healthy?”

Hank Cardello, senior fellow and director of the Obesity Solutions Initiative at the Hudson Institute, discusses some of the broad issues affecting health in the United States, and how convenience retailers can find success with the proper marketing and merchandising focus.

Cardello shares some of the key findings from the Hudson Institute report that he co-authored, “Health & Wellness Trends and Strategies for the Convenience Store Sector,” a report commissioned by NACS. He also addresses many of the points made in his book “Stuffed.”

“The Convenience Matters podcast series is about sharing new insights that can help transform our members’ businesses and the industry as a whole. This week’s episode is a perfect example of that objective,” said podcast co-host Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives.

A new Convenience Matters podcast is released every Monday, focusing on topics related to convenience stores. NACS announced the podcasts in late January.