Working to increase diversity within the workforce and in the food and beverage industry isn’t just a goodwill gesture—it’s a good business decision. Today’s convenience store shoppers have never been so diverse, and they are demanding that brands, products, service innovations and shopping experiences be more inclusive. For most, it’s only getting harder.

Those companies that are finding success have all come to recognize one important truth:

For multicultural development efforts to be truly successful, the brands must be exactly that. Representing the communities, demographics, lived experiences and cultures of the consumers they are looking to engage.

“PepsiCo’s history of diversity and equity goes back decades—from the first all-Black sales force in the 1940s and first woman on its board in the 1950s to the Racial Equality Journey commitment in 2020–it’s built into the foundation of who we are and has been a core value from the beginning,” said Kent Montgomery, senior vice president, industry relations and multicultural development at PepsiCo. “Now more than ever, we’re committed to bringing that diversity to our customers and consumers through the power of our brands while supporting the communities we live and work in.”

You can join Kent and Larry Hughes, VP of HR and diversity, equity and inclusion at 7-Eleven, on October 3 at 2:30 p.m. EST for their session “Building a Culture of Diversity and Inclusion Among Customers and the Workforce” at the 2023 NACS Show in Atlanta.

In a discussion hosted by HudsonLake’s Kristen Kelly, Kent and Larry will delve into the journey and initiatives that they are leading to build cultures of inclusion among their customers, communities, consumers and with their associates.

Both will shed light on how PepsiCo and 7-Eleven continue to evolve their diversity, equity and inclusion agenda and how they're using one unique voice to address these topics with their employees and customers.

Join us as we uncover actionable strategies and insights to promote diversity and create a 360 culture where everyone thrives.

If you haven’t already, be sure to register for the NACS Show October 3-6 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. With an estimated 425,000 net square feet of expo ground to cover and more than 1,250 exhibiting companies showcasing their products and industry solutions, there’s no shortage of people to meet and products to try. See you there!