What Trends Will You Discover at the NACS Show?

Join industry colleagues at the NACS Show next week in Las Vegas, October 6-9, to learn about the current state of the industry and see what’s next.

Are You Using AI—Or Is It Using You?

There are fantastic real-life use cases of AI happening right now in convenience retail—and plenty of false starts and investments that haven’t shown return. Other companies are still in the dip-a-toe-in-the-water phase.

AI will be everywhere at the NACS Show Expo, while Education Sessions give operators everything from food for thought to practical tips.

Want to separate AI hype from retail reality? There’s an Education Session on that specific theme. Other sessions cover how to shop for AI without breaking the bank and how to implement agentic AI. 

Sales Driven by Viral Social Media Trends

Trendy snack foods, emerging flavors, customer-generated secret menu combos and new products garner attention faster than you can say “squishy butter.” The value of jumping on trends at the right time isn’t going away: More than half of Gen Z say they would rather use social media, like TikTok, to find products than search engines.

What’s going to follow in 2027? The NACS Show is the place to find out. More than 100 companies display their products in the New Exhibitor Area, while the Cool New Products Preview Room has hundreds of trending items.

CPGs Cater to Gen Z

Younger shoppers, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are driving changes in the snacking landscape. They’re buying snacks less frequently and choosing smaller pack sizes. More so than other generations, they are looking for functional ingredients. And they are into novelty and social media-worthiness.

Want to better understand this consumer? Attend the Education Session “What’s Convenient Now? Gen Z and Gen Alpha Weigh In,” on Wednesday, October 7, where experts explore how the younger generations define convenience.

Continue reading “Stay Ahead of Trends at the 2026 NACS Show” in the August 2026 issue of NACS Magazine.