ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Each year more than 30,000 new products enter the market, giving convenience retailers ample opportunities to surprise and delight their customers with the hottest flavor and packaging trends. And with innovation representing about 20% of a convenience store’s set, new products can help drive sales and build excitement in your stores.

NACS is excited to launch the Cool New Products Discovery Center, an online resource that streamlines everything retailers need to know about what’s cool and new for our industry. The Discovery Center builds upon our NACS Cool New Products value proposition as a trusted c-store industry resource for nearly two decades.

The Discovery Center is home to several resources:

• On-demand Cool New Products webinars: In 20 minutes, catch up on the latest industry trends.
• Cool New Products: From A to Z, search our library of products and services found at the NACS Show, in NACS Magazine and NACS Daily, that capitalize on new packaging solutions, merchandising displays, technology, product designs and exciting new flavors.

And finally, the Discovery Center is where retailers can subscribe to our new Cool New Products Innovations Box. These curated collections of relevant and unique in-store products—in categories identified by retailers—are essential for building excitement. Each subscription box is mailed to your doorstep.

This month, the Discovery Center is aptly themed “Let’s Celebrate” to kick off summertime. The 13 weeks of summer traditionally see in-store transactions and fuel volumes increase from Memorial Day through Labor Day, although retailers start to see the signs of what’s to come in May. NACS State of the Industry data show that in-store transaction counts increase approximately 10% per store/per month in May versus April—a precursor to more customers relying on convenience stores during their summertime road trips.

It’s also a time when your customers are celebrating graduations, Memorial Day, Independence Day, impromptu get togethers, or hanging out with family and friends at backyard barbecues. Whatever the celebration may be, we’re helping you maximize higher foot traffic in your stores with products that deliver summertime excitement.

Here are the Cool New Products you can find in this month’s Discovery Center:

• Hydration Multiplier by Liquid I.V., a great tasting, non-GMO electrolyte drink mix
• Colorado Mix by Colorado Jack Popcorn, a sweet and salty blend of caramel and white cheddar jalapeño
• Get Outside, GO! Rebound Ball by Toysmith, a fun and challenging target game
• American-themed Sillies Socks by DSD Express
• Electrolit Zero Berry Blast by Electrolit USA, a hydration and recovery drink
• Addall XR Shot by Capital Sales Company, designed to help increase focus, concentration and energy