Food Safety Goes Hand-in-Hand With Foodservice Growth

As convenience retailers continue to expand their foodservice programs, the importance of food safety cannot be overstated. That was the message NACS President and CEO Frank Gleeson emphasized as he kicked off the 5^th annual NACS Food Safety Forum on April 13 in Chicago.

Gleeson framed safe, high-quality food as foundational to industry growth, consumer confidence and brand reputation across the convenience channel.

His perspective comes from experience. Gleeson has more than 40 years in food retail, starting in his family’s coffee shop and restaurant business. He has launched foodservice programs at convenience retailers in Ireland and led foodservice operations for Aramark’s Northern Europe region.

For retailers, foodservice is not just another category—it is a growth engine that can differentiate stores beyond fuel and from competitors like QSRs.

“What can you be famous for?” Gleeson asked, noting that many top-performing operators are already answering that question with higher-caliber, restaurant-quality programs. “Look at the best and then aspire to be the best.”

Convenience retailers also have a built-in advantage: location. “We’ve got the best locations in every town and city,” Gleeson said. That proximity, combined with store teams who know their customers, helps build loyalty and repeat business. “Food is an emotional connection,” he added.

Ultimately, safe food handling protects both public health and one of retailers’ most valuable assets: their reputation. “Food safety is at the cornerstone of that reputation,” Gleeson said. “It’s not a competitive advantage; it’s table stakes. … If you’re serious about foodservice, you’ve got to be serious about delivering safe food.”

More coverage from the NACS Food Safety Forum will appear in the July 2026 issue of NACS Magazine.

Food safety