There’s always a moment walking the NACS Show Expo floor when it’s under construction that I think to myself: There’s no way this will be ready in time.

Then, every year like clockwork, the Expo opens and thousands of attendees fill the halls for three days to find what’s new, which exhibitors have the solutions they need, what to eat, what to drink, which celebrity to take a selfie with, and which friends or colleagues they need to catch up with.

This year, it was tougher for me to see the full NACS Show Expo than in the past. Mostly because I kept running into people I’ve known for the past two decades, as well as feeling like a kid in a candy shop seeing things that will hopefully make their way into convenience stores and meeting new friends.


From A to Z, here’s what I noticed at the Expo. 
 
A
Asian-inspired snacks. The spicier the better, IMHO.
 
B
Bold flavors. The more unique, the better.
 
C
Canned beverages. From lattes to protein drinks to soft drinks to you name it. 
 
D
Dirty rice. Seriously, if you make it I will eat it—and this batch was delicious!
 
E
Energy. However it can be consumed, including in pouches.
 
F
Foodservice equipment. Like this condiment station that made me want to fill it with everything required to make a legit Chicago dog!
 
G
Godzilla! This eye-catching costume turned heads and brought out the selfie-seeker in attendees. 
 
H & I
Hydration plus immunity. Health and wellness drinks, powders … may as well get the benefits of both in one sip.
 
J
Jason Mewes of “Clerks”.  One half of the Jay and Silent Bob duo.
 
K
Ketchup. World’s largest bottle? Maybe, maybe not?
 
L
Lemonade. Sometimes you just want a tried-and-true flavor.
 
M
Mats, as in cool eye-catching floor mats.
 
N
Non-alcohol beer. For those who want the taste but not the buzz.
 
O
Ovens. Unox gets the nod for their digital oven system, including the onsite demos that drew a crowd.
 
P
Permission to play. As in play with your food.
 
Q
Quick, quik, qwick: How many ways can c-stores misspell quick? Like my frequent dilemma with the letter X, Q was a tough one to find this year.
 
R
Ramen. This self-serve unit had me craving a spicy hot bowl of ramen.

S
Socks. And you can matchy match with your pet!
 
T
TCH beverages. They’re coming, or in some cases already here.
 
U
Unreal had tasty snacks with real ingredients. And I like the packaging.
 
V
Vibes, as in Perfetti Van Melle USA’s newest gum flavor, Trident Vibes Cotton Candy.
 
W
Washing Cars. Car wash is a leading profit center in the industry.

X
Drum roll please … after three years of writing this article, Mars came through with the X! Thank you team Mars for the XStreme Snickers bar!
 
Y
Yogurt. High in protein and easy to drink.
 
Z
Did anyone see that zebra? Neither did I.