Harry Milloff interviews ADNOC Chief Operating Officer Klaas Mantel

Recorded live at the NACS Show in Chicago, this episode of The Future of Convenience brings together global leaders who are redefining what it means to be a modern convenience retailer. Joining hosts Carolyn Schnare and Harry Milloff, CEO of The Moseley Group, was Klaas Mantel, chief operating officer of ADNOC Distribution, to explore the shifting boundaries between energy, foodservice, and customer experience.

With decades of international retail and mobility expertise, Mantel offers a rare look into ADNOC’s transformation across its 500-plus locations.

Under his operational leadership, ADNOC has evolved beyond the traditional fuel stop to create lifestyle hubs tailored to the modern consumer. The company’s Oasis 2.0 concept showcases how tech-enabled convenience and quality food can coexist seamlessly. “We want to become the destination for quality food and beverage on the move,” Mantel said. His team has looked beyond foundational items, “taking it to the next level…more options – fresher, better, tech-enabled – and most of all, customers like it.”

Milloff, who has spent years studying foodservice innovation globally, reflected on the dynamic intersection of quick-service and convenience formats. “In the United States, there’s a bubbling competition between convenience stores and QSRs,” he noted. “Whereas convenience stores evolve their food programs, you’re seeing competition of belly share around breakfast, dayparts, lunch, and even dinner at times,” he continued

Mantel also shared how ADNOC is embracing the shift toward electric mobility, highlighting how charging infrastructure creates new customer moments. By designing mega-hubs along the Dubai to Abu Dhabi corridor and integrating EV charging with QSRs and smart retail, ADNOC is shaping the next chapter of mobility and retail together.

NACS Show foodvenience shines

From international insights to tech-driven transformation, this year’s NACS Show conversation underscored how leading brands are blending tradition, innovation, and hospitality, ensuring that the convenience store remains not just relevant, but essential.

“It’s always just such a melting pot of cultures, of innovation,” Mantel said of the event. “Technology, a lot of AI enablement really, I think, is now coming to fruition.”

Listen to the full conversation and be sure to subscribe to The Future of Convenience on your favorite podcast platform. New episodes air every other Tuesday and are available on major podcast platforms.

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