Meet the CEO of Invig Consulting: Bassem Nowyhed
How did you get your start in the convenience store industry?
My family got into this industry before I was born, so I grew up in it. However, even though I was born into it, this wasn’t what I envisioned myself doing.
My childhood dream was to be a professional basketball player, but I wasn’t able to play. My dad would pull me away from playing with friends to make me work at the station.
I didn’t want anything to do with it to begin with, but after graduating college and starting my own entrepreneurial ventures, I ended up going back into it and never looked back.
Even though I didn’t want to pursue this career early on, I still learned a lot about it and found that I could develop brands and they would gravitate toward me easily.
What do you enjoy about developing brands?
In developing brands, you work with a lot of cool people. We do lots of marketing and event planning with companies, especially on the social media side. Working with that type of messaging and marketing has always been a passion of mine.
The diversity and broad scheme of ways to work in this industry make the job a lot more enticing versus when you look at it as if you’re working at a gas station.
You can work with huge brands like Pepsi and Gatorade, as well as many up and coming brands, which I love.
When people think of distributing to wholesale supermarkets, they think of stores like Costco and Trader Joes, but often forget about the fast, casual experience of a convenience store.
Convenience stores are convenient and are frequented by the vast majority of the general public. Because of this, your brand is able to get more traction. The product is enjoyable, but also happens to be enticing and exciting for impulse buyers.
You can window shop, but convenience store buyers are impulse buyers and go in with the intention of purchasing something. Creating visual graphics and using social media including Instagram and Tik Tok as a means to engage with the consumer helps not only gain traction, but also customer engagement.
How should convenience stores support customers during this pandemic?
We’re seeing more convenience stores coming to customers versus customers coming to us. Digital platforms like food delivery apps have become larger factors in c-stores successfully going to the customers and supporting them.
We used to depend on people driving to the store. Now, we go to the buyer’s house through apps and online programs. This creates a new avenue for convenience stores to have a digital presence.
We’re taking the store online and allowing purchases and other services through a website or social media platform rather than a physical store.
What inspired you to start Invig Consulting?
I saw that there was an opportunity for brands who wanted to gain experience on how to get into a convenience store. It’s a different market than a traditional supermarket or warehouse.
The means of playing in this distribution model is different, and this is what inspired me to start Invig. I found that with my experience, I could help brands get themselves into various distribution channels successfully.
There’s value in this advice.Bridging the gap between having a vision and making it happen was what I wanted to do.
What services does Invig Consulting provide?
We offer a number of services to brands looking to start their journey into convenience stores. We work with marketing, promotion, product development, pricing, and more to successfully break brands into the convenience store scene.
We also perform thorough market research on the brand and products, making sure that we provide the right services for the needs of the brand.
Through our lifetime of experience, we have been able to create numerous success stories, helping us build trust with brands, convenience stores, and store owners in the industry.
What future trends do you see impacting convenience stores?
Definitely solar and electric vehicles are huge trends that are already impacting convenience stores. You have to take into account that electric cars will become the new normal in the next five to 10 years.
How someone refuels their car won’t be dependent on going to a gas station anymore. People will have the option to be at home or in a parking structure charging their car.
Gas stations will have the opportunity to switch over to offering charging stations in the future, but the infrastructure will be so readily available to charge a car, that society won’t need them much longer.
C-stores will lose traffic flow substantially. To keep c-stores afloat, we’ll need to step into the premise of creating and identifying different avenues of income before it’s too late.
What’s the best piece of advice for others trying to thrive in the convenience store industry?
Connect with as many people as you can in this industry. Networking is important in every industry, so by making trusted connections with store owners, brands, and more, will help anyone stepping into the industry thrive.
I’d also say that to be successful in this industry, you need to have a product or solution that truly solves and aids franchises/retailers that are operators of the business.
If you have a consumer product, don’t just create a new water bottle. If you want to create something, make it beneficial to the needs of the people, whether it be for health or the environment.
- Published in Mobile, Networking
How to Make Healthy Choices at Convenience Stores
In convenience store environments, there is a growing emphasis on fresher, healthier foods, particularly those that are all-natural or organic, high-protein, vegan, gluten-free and produced from vegetable protein sources. According to CSP Daily News, 63% of customers surveyed said they’d like to see more healthy foods offered, while 46% are seeking healthier options than they were just two years ago.
Studies show that consumers would be more likely to visit c-stores if they offered healthier food and drink options. Younger millennials and Generation Z are more attracted to a healthier lifestyle, beginning with their eating habits. All demographics and generations have higher expectations for the quality of the foods they eat. So, how can you find healthy options at convenience stores? Here are a few ways.
Find Alternatives for the Unhealthy Food You’re Craving
While c-stores are typically known for selling junk food, desserts, and quick grab-and-go items, there are healthier alternatives you can choose from if you’re looking in the right place. Some of these foods include pre-packaged nuts, fruit, and pre-made salads.
With c-stores providing grocery items and healthier food options, it not only increases the accessibility of healthier foods and meals, but also hits important food groups including fruits and vegetables. This is especially important for those in low-income areas and food deserts and increases the accessibility of healthier food options.
The way that food is displayed has a big impact on what the consumer will be drawn to as they the c-store. Signs promoting fruits and vegetables, pre-made salads, and other healthy food choices will draw more attention to the store and items customers should look out for.
Read Labels
Oftentimes, something that may seem healthy really isn’t when you look at the ingredients or nutrition information. If you’re trying to make a health-conscious decision, read the label.
All labels and ingredients for products can be found online, so if you question something make sure to research it. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Some of the main ingredients you want to look for in food are fiber, protein, vitamin D, and calcium. Consumers have begun straying away from foods with excessive sugars and hidden chemicals which is what makes reading the ingredients on labels extra important.
Additionally, if there’s an ingredient on a label that you can’t pronounce, it may be better to put it back on the shelf and find an alternative.
Invest in Food Items Specific to Different Eating Habits
As society progresses and develops new eating habits, lifestyles and diets, c-stores must jump ahead of these trends and conform to these new normalities.
Dietary needs, such as lactose intolerance and gluten-free are becoming more normalized in today’s society and people are seeking out products that help them live those lifestyles.
Make sure that when you’re checking ingredients and purchasing products that you know what foods you can and cannot have based on your diet. For example, if you’re on a keto diet, what ingredients are acceptable? These are all things you should know prior to shopping.
Be Strategic About How You Shop
There are different strategies to ensure you are maximizing your healthy shopping experience. It is proven that most stores put the items they want you to buy on the perimeter of the store for easy access.
If you are not finding the healthy options you want, make sure you are looking throughout the middle of the store as well. Reading labels is also important to maximize your experience.
If you don’t have enough time to read the label or are confused, make sure you download Fooducate on the app store. This free app allows you to scan the barcode of any product and gives you a letter grade, the number of calories per serving, and additional relevant health-related information.
With healthy eating habits and lifestyles on the rise in society, c-stores are doing what they can to keep up and provide. By taking advantage of the options available in these stores you will be able to continue your healthy eating at c-store prices.
- Published in Mobile, Technology
How to Strategically Enhance Security Protection Measures In Your C-Store
If you are a convenience store owner, what measures do you take to ensure your location(s) are safe from any potential threats? As more and more customers return to c-stores, now is the time to re-evaluate your store’s security protection system.
Unfortunately, robberies and other types of crimes are bound to happen for even the most modern and security-heavy stores. We can’t always control or be aware of the mischievous plans of unruly individuals looking to cause trouble.
Yet, taking charge of implementing a reliable and sturdy security system in your c-store can assist with preventing misdeeds and loss at your shop. In this case, security-driven technology tools will become your best friend.
In order to protect your c-store from experiencing any type of illegal activity, it’s better to be proactive rather than reactive.
Here are three ways you can build out the security protection system at your c-store:
Install Working and Advanced Cameras that Hit Every Angle
Get ready to smile for the camera and say cheese! Almost every store has a camera system and there’s a significant reason behind this.
Employees can’t always be aware of all of the activity happening in a store at once. Therefore, customers with bad intentions will take advantage of stores and will try to perform sneaky moves, such as stealing or tampering with products.
While we wish this wasn’t a reality, we have to accept that it is. This is where a reliable camera system comes in to save your back.
Have you seen the latest camera offerings for stores? Every year, new types of cameras are made available to the public with the highest quality imaging and features.
Consider visiting your local tech shop, like Best Buy, or browsing through an online retailer to check out the latest camera products. Most likely, you’ll find a camera system that can hit all of the angles in your store.
Soon, you’ll be aware of all the activity, good and bad, happening in your store in real-time.
Protect Yourself Against Underage Product Purchases
Do you remember when you were under 21 years old? Most likely, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the purchase of your first adult beverage.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of eager underage individuals who want to purchase their first bottle of alcohol before they are legally allowed to do so. If you want to prevent any underage customers from purchasing alcohol at your store, consider investing in a device from ID Smart Lock.
ID Smart Lock provides advanced and custom identification locking devices for retail cooler doors and other age-restricted products. Through their devices, you can trust a secure system with verifying the identification of customers attempting to purchase age-restricted goods from your store.
Once your ID Smart Lock system is installed, you’ll know the customers buying age-restricted products from your location are legitimate. Get ready for a load of relief regarding this sensitive and often stressful verification process.
Invest In An Up-to-Date Alarm System
What kind of alarm system do you have in your c-store? When your shop is closed down for the day, your alarm system will be your ultimate defense – invest in one wisely.
While some c-store owners may use their alarm systems more than others, make sure you’re taking charge by always turning on your alarm system when leaving your shop unattended. You’ll never know when you need your alarm system to have your back.
Take time to analyze the current alarm system. Find out if it’s an up-to-date system that can reliably protect your store.
If you see room for improvement with your alarm system, it’s better to install a new one than rely on your outdated one before encountering a situation.
On top of having an advanced alarm system, make sure your staff is trained to understand and use the system. You’ll avoid a future headache of handling an alarm issue when you’re away from your store.
- Published in Technology