Cover Story _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Michelle Weckstein
Connecting convenience
Michelle Weckstein , Director of Food and Beverage Brands , tells us more about the products SWGO delivers both within its flagship SunStop stores and its Eat ’ s Southern Cookin ’ ( Eat ’ s ) delis . “ Unlike other convenience stores , we run a genuine southern kitchen where our recipes are made from scratch . When customers come into our stores , they get real , fresh food without processed ingredients from our Eat ’ s delis . We are best known for our chicken tenders and , believe it or not , our gizzards , which are an integral part of southern cuisine . Our customers also particularly love our homemade meatloaf , baked fish , and fried chicken . These are some of our core menu items which set us apart from the competition . In addition , we have recently introduced flatbreads and toasted hoagies – offering pepperoni flatbreads for guests looking for something traditional , but also incorporating more trendy options like Baja Chicken , Pesto Chicken and Chicken Bacon Ranch . When it comes to the retail side of the business , our SunStop stores provide essential convenience items across every single category . Beyond the basics , we also ensure that we offer items that are on trend . Our retail marketing team does a brilliant job of identifying trendy products , allowing us to be among the first to offer some of them and appeal to customers ,” she elaborates . With SWGO expected to attend the next National Association of Convenience Stores ( NACS ) event in October , Michelle sheds light on what the company will be doing at the show . “ This is my second year participating in the Supplier Session : Convenience Connect at the NACS Show , and I feel honored to be part of it . I find the experience very rewarding because it offers us a first-hand opportunity to interact with new suppliers and vendors , many of whom have never attended
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