ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Convenience stores have long been a leader in beer sales. Not only do they sell more than half of the beer purchased in the United States, they are also leading the movement toward more local beers and growler programs. And there are some significant opportunities for retailers to continue to grow sales, with new concepts emerging, such as crowlers.

In the latest NACS Convenience Matters podcast, co-hosts Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of strategic industry initiatives, and John Eichberger, executive director of the Fuels Institute, talk about how beer sales are evolving at convenience stores, including the growth of local craft brands and growlers.

“As consumers increasingly seek out upscale food offers in convenience stores, they are also looking to pair it with a beverage and beer sales reflect this interest. We’ll also showcase these trends in Ideas 2 Go, which will debut October 20 at the NACS Show,” Lenard said.

The program can be downloaded on iTunes by searching for Convenience Matters. It also is available at nacsonline.com/podcasts. A new podcast is released every week, focusing on topics related to convenience stores.