NexChapter

A huge round of applause to Art S. from NexChapter and keynote speaker Dr. Randy Ross from Remarkable! Their inspirational speeches informed #CRU25 on the game changing technology in the convenience retail space and motivated us to become Remarkable leaders. Amanda Buehner #Nashville #convenience #categorymanager

Last week Matt R. led an Innovation Session at CSP's CRU conference and talked about how a great employee experience unlocks the ability to deliver an amazing customer experience. He shared insights from our recent Labor and Ops Tech Study and covered five key areas: 1?? Operations Management Systems 2?? Learning Management Systems 3?? Predictive Scheduling 4?? Kitchen Management Systems 5?? AI-Enabled Hardware His call-to-action: ?? Reflect on your area of responsibility and how it connects to your store employee experience. Determine the biggest opportunity for growth! ?? Connect with other leaders (Store Managers, District Managers, Operations Leadership) in your company and partner to identify opportunities that enable you to capture this opportunity. ?? Collaborate with a cross-functional team (Marketing + Merchandising + Store Operations + IT) to improve employee experience and drive customer experience! Reach out if this is an area you are thinking about tackling in 2025!

What a week in Nashville! We are filled with gratitude for the opportunity to share our insights from the main stage and innovation sessions with the CSP CRU audience. It's been a week of learning, networking, and fun! Thank you to the entire CSP Daily News and Informa Connect Foodservice Teams for pulling together another great event. Cheers to an amazing 2025 for the convenience retail industry!

Several interesting conversations with retailers and tech companies sparked these thoughts. Connected TV (CTV) is changing how brands engage consumers—and retailers should pay attention. Think about it: ?? 88% of U.S. households now stream content via CTV, meaning traditional cable is fading fast. ?? CTV ad spending is projected to hit $40 billion by 2027, doubling in just a few years. ?? Targeted CTV ads drive 3-5x higher engagement than traditional TV spots. And here’s the kicker—younger consumers are leading the shift. Gen Z and Millennials aren’t just watching; they shop based on what they see. Now, look at the big moves being made: ?? Amazon integrates Prime Video with retail media, blending entertainment and commerce. ?? Walmart’s acquisition of Vizio gives them direct access to millions of streaming households. If retailers don’t get into the game, the big players will control the screen—and the shopping journey. So, what can you do? ?? Retail media networks (RMNs) can extend into CTV, unlocking new revenue streams. ?? Unified customer data + CTV = targeted, measurable ads that drive store visits. ?? Omnichannel influence means brands can connect with shoppers before they even leave the couch. For brands, this is a chance to reach shoppers where they’re already engaged. For retailers, it’s an opportunity to compete, not just watch from the sidelines. At NexChapter, we’re helping retailers take action. Let’s talk about how CTV fits into your strategy. Art S., Mike Templeton ????, Jeff Baskin, Matt R. #CTV #RetailMedia #ConvenienceRetail #GenZShopping #OmnichannelMarketing #DemandSidePlatform #DataManagementPlatform #CustomerDataPlatform

Unified Commerce: The Next Big Buzzword or Retail’s Missing Piece? Retail loves its buzzwords—remember “omnichannel,” “phygital,” and “seamless experience”? Now, “Unified Commerce” is making waves. In a recent Supermarket News article, NexChapter’s own Jeff Baskin breaks it down: Unified Commerce isn’t just another jargon-filled trend—it’s the real deal. It’s about ditching the silos, syncing up all your systems, and finally making tech work for your customers instead of against them. Whether it’s curbside pickup, loyalty programs, or personalized offers, this is how retailers create actual seamless experiences. At NexChapter, we help convenience and grocery retailers, CPGs, and tech companies turn big ideas like this into action. If you’re wondering how to bring Unified Commerce to life—without drowning in complexity—let’s chat. ?? Drop a comment or shoot us a message. No buzzwords required. #Retail #UnifiedCommerce #GroceryTech #RetailInnovation #NexChapter Chloe Riley, Timothy Inklebarger, Amanda Buehner, Jeanie Hornung

? In this episode of “At Your Convenience,” guest host Art S., founder of NexChapter, sits down with Renee Caceres, head of retail media at StackAdapt, for a discussion on the evolution of retail media networks. ?? Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. ??? CSP’s 2025 Retail Media Network Forum will take place April 28-30 in Dallas. ??? Request an invitation to the event here: https://lnkd.in/gvnDABYi

2024 witnessed a significant surge in M&A activity within the Convenience Retail sector, a trend that shows no signs of slowing. Kevin McIntyre's article in CStore Decisions dives into this phenomenon. According to Matt R., "Consolidation helps to drive scale, and scale becomes increasingly important for investing in things like digital capabilities and also competing with other retail channels." For small to mid-size retailers, enhancing capabilities and emphasizing differentiation are crucial strategies to attract customers. Whether small or large, retailers must gear up for their next chapter! Read more about this acquisition trend reshaping the market here: https://lnkd.in/gEvXzbnW

I really enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to Kevin McIntyre's recent article on how acquisitions are changing the C-Store ecosystem. Scale and consolidation will continue as bigger operators increasingly compete with QSR, drug and grocery, but there's still significant opportunity for independent operators who make strategic investments and leverage their unique strengths – from exceptional foodservice to deep community relationships. ?? Link below if you want to read more of my thoughts on the industry's transformation CStore Decisions NexChapter #PrivateEquity #Retail #RetailStrategy #Convenience

The 2025 digital trends are calling…and these industry leaders are answering. ???? Hear what they have to say about some of the biggest trends for 2025—signal loss, connected TV, retail media networks, and curation. ?? Are you listening? ?? The signal is strong. To hear more from our partners on the biggest trends for 2025, download our 2025 Digital trends and predictions report now. ?? https://lnkd.in/gfv7pqqB Art S., NextChapter Inc. Mathieu Roche, ID5.io Scott Ensign, Butler/Till Travis Scoles, Paramount Advertising #Digitaltrends2025 #ExperianMarketingServices #NextChapterInc #ID5 #ButlerTill #ParamountAdvertising