Convenience Catalyst is a unique opportunity for NACS most influential Retail Members to meet virtually with the newest Supplier Members ahead of the NACS Show allowing for a first look at the latest product innovations while fostering new peer-to-peer business relationships.
The NACS Show welcomes 300+ new exhibiting companies each year and buyer attendees often share that it is nearly impossible to visit them all. To help make the most of the NACS Show, for the buyers and the new exhibitors, the NACS team works with the entire network of industry suppliers to streamline the discovery process by identifying CPG products on the rise and making sure the right buyers are brought to the table first.
Convenience Catalyst is a unique opportunity for NACS members to kick start the buying season by connecting virtually ahead of the NACS Show for a first look at the latest product innovations while fostering new peer-to-peer business relationships.
Invited retailers will have the chance to request 20-minute discovery meetings from a list of curated first time NACS Show exhibitors who have new, innovative products to introduce to our industry. All participants will save time and money by allowing NACS to do the heavy lifting: as our Convenience Catalyst format is designed to drive business partnerships, inspire new ideas and stimulate innovations while reducing the stress of scheduling multiple meetings.
Retailer Registration: By Invitation Only*
Retailer Registration Fee: $0.00
Registration Deadline: Friday, August 19, 2022
[Member Only] Retailer attendees are extended an invitation to participate at no-cost when they meet the requirements below:
- Work for a NACS retail member company in good standing with 50+ stores
- Be responsible for recommending and/or buying CPG products or beverages for a convenience store
- Available for a minimum of two 20-minute meetings on September 7th and/or September 8th.
* Formal invitations to participate will be sent via email on/near July 18, 2022. Invitation emails will include your personalized registration link to participate (NACS log-in required). If you’re eager to commit to the event early, or if you do not receive an invitation and wish to request one, please complete the form below:
Below is a quick summary of how the Convenience Catalyst meetings come together for retailer participants. For more detailed information, please visit our FAQ page, or contact Allison Dean, adean@convenience.org.
- Participating retailers must commit by completing their invitation/registration form no later than Thursday, August 18, 2022.
- Once you’re registered you will receive the detailed information on each participating supplier and the product(s) they are marketing as well as a meeting request form. Meeting request forms must be submitted by COB Friday, August 19, 2022. (Retailers who fail to submit meeting requests risk their registration being cancelled.)
- NACS will compile all meeting requests and create a custom schedule just for you. Your personalized meeting schedule will be communicated before August 31, 2022 and will be accessible via our virtual event system called Whova.
- All 20-minute Convenience Catalyst meetings will take place Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8, 2022. And will be scheduled only between 10:00am and 4:00pm eastern, with a break for lunch from 12:00pm – 1:00pm eastern.
- Each meeting will be hosted by the supplier and links to each specific virtual meeting will be posted to your Whova schedule. (Specific meeting links will vary based on the host suppliers system abilities and may include Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet.)
NACS is excited to announce the launch of a new virtual meeting forum—Convenience Catalyst— accelerating peer-to-peer business meetings that will shape the future of convenience by matching convenience retailers and first time NACS Show supplier exhibitors to drive business partnerships, inspire new ideas and stimulate innovations while reducing the stress of scheduling multiple meetings.
To qualify your supplier company must:
- Be a current NACS supplier member in good standing
- Be a confirmed, first-time exhibitor at the NACS Show 2022
- Be a supplier of consumer-packaged goods and/or beverages
- Retail companies must have 50+ stores to participate
- Select buyers from relevant buying categories will be invited
- Retail companies participating will be announced in August 2022
- Submit your company application by June 13th
- All applications will be reviewed by the NACS Trends Council in June
- Selected supplier companies will be contacted by July 5th
- Selected supplier companies must accept/decline invitation to be in the meeting pool and register by July 15 ($1,500 fee to participate)
- Retailers will indicate which supplier companies they want to meet with from the finalists
- Meeting pairings between retailers and suppliers will be communicated in late August
- Convenience Catalyst meetings will take place September 7-8
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