Top Trends at NACS 2025

Published: November 04, 2025

Each year at the NACS show, convenience and fuel retailing professionals and industry experts gather to share the latest trends, news, products and more. Over four days, the expo showcases five product areas—foodservice, in-store merchandise, technology, facility operations and fuel equipment & services—and also provides education sessions highlighting industry visionaries and influencers. The goal is simple: to give c-store retailers the information they need to overcome challenges, prepare for future opportunities and stay competitive in the industry.

At this year’s show, four big topics dominated the booths and education sessions: exciting flavor trends, customizable and functional beverages, highlighting good value and artificial intelligence. Read on to find key takeaways about each.

1. Exciting Flavor Trends

This year’s flavor trends are far from timid. Trends including sweet & spicy, pickle, hot honey and unique uses of tropical flavors were big at the show. “Maximum” flavors were also notable, with an emphasis on items labeled extra spicy, extra sour or “fully loaded” to indicate an amplified taste experience. At the Tyson Convenience booth, attendees could sample some on-trend flavors in these featured dishes:

Buffalo Chicken Philly Sandwich: A toasted hoagie roll stacked with Original Philly® Fully Cooked Sliced Chicken, melted provolone and tangy, Chicago-style giardiniera.

Spicy Sunrise Breakfast Pizza: A golden pizza crust topped with zesty chile verde, melted mozzarella cheese, scrambled eggs and smoky Hillshire Farm® All Natural* Pork Chorizo Crumbles.

Pickle Pickle Burger: A soft brioche bun stacked with a juicy The PUB^® Burger To Go, fresh lettuce and tomato, zesty pickle ranch and a tangy kick of “pickle de gallo.”

2. Customization Stations and Value-Added Products

Next up: customization. “Customization stations” can be used for beverages, meals and snacks, and can help cater to consumer demand for customization. Stations with sauces, condiments, flavor syrups for drinks and more can help to boost customer satisfaction, and can also help to contribute to social reach, as customers may post their creations on their social media accounts. Many products this year also showcased added value—beverages, gum, candy and bars with added protein, caffeine or other nutrients that can be consumed on-the-go.

Other drink customizations, including functional beverages, are also on the rise. Drinks that provide added benefits such as added protein, vitamins/minerals or an energy boost are all hot with consumers right now.

3. Highlighting Good Value

Consumers’ perception of value is key when it comes to getting them to spend—while shoppers aren’t spending less, they are more intentional with what they’re spending on. When they treat themselves, they want to get a good bang for their buck—they want their purchases to hold value. Part of that includes seeking healthier options. Fifty-eight percent of consumers say healthy nutrition has become more important to them in the last five years,¹ so offering healthier foodservice choices is a great way to highlight value. For instance, featuring foods made with whole grains and lean proteins, such as the Jimmy Dean Delights® Butcher Wrapped Turkey Sausage, Egg White & Cheese Whole Grain Muffin, can entice savvy shoppers. At just 250 calories, this grab-and-go option offers consumers a protein-packed savory choice for breakfast—or any time.

Value, of course, also includes price. Pre-packaged selections such as the Pierre™ Toasted BBQ Pulled Pork Melt or the Pierre™ Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich offer customers a convenient option at a great price that doesn’t require them to sacrifice taste or quality. Convenience retailers can also offer Tyson^® To Go Fully Cooked Homestyle Chicken Breast Chunk Fritters for a delicious, high-value chicken option. This Tyson^® To Go product, in addition to being a good value to the customer, includes packaging to help reduce operator cost and labor.

4. Artificial Intelligence

Not all trends showcased at NACS were centered on food and beverage, of course. Artificial intelligence (AI) is top of mind for industry leaders of all stripes. It offers opportunities for increased efficiencies in security, inventory management and customer service, and can also be customized to meet specific business needs. Experts highlighted the potential for AI to streamline menial tasks or tasks employees dread most—retailers can assess in their businesses where AI will be most valuable. AI also offers a digital eye that can help with everything from consumer engagement to food safety—for instance, it can monitor hot food stations for timely refreshes, which can help to boost customer satisfaction with foodservice freshness. It can also be used to track and manage food storage to optimize shelf-life potential. However c-stores use it, one thing is for sure about AI: it’s generating a lot of buzz.

While NACS highlighted some of the biggest trends in the convenience industry, including flavor trends, customizable beverages, how to provide value and how to leverage AI, there are additional opportunities for education and innovation coming up, too. Tyson will be at some of the top industry tradeshows ready to connect with you and discuss how to best support your business. Check out the list of shows Tyson will be at by clicking here.

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Sources:

^{1) Datassential, 2025 Trends}

^{2) Datassential, SCORES, August 2025}