Harry Milloff explains what it takes to be an amazing foodvenience store
As convenience retailers around the world push further into food, the conversation keeps circling back to one idea. Foodservice is no longer a side category, it must become the engine of the entire store. In this week’s episode of The Future of Convenience podcast, Moseley Group CEO Harry Milloff joins hosts Dan Munford and Carolyn Schnare to dig into what convenience operators can steal from QSR brands when it comes to nailing consistency and owning a hero product. Along the way, Milloff makes the case that convenience stores already have a secret weapon QSRs envy which is genuine hospitality, and explains what happens when operators finally combine the two.
Munford kicked off the episode referencing a comment made by the Brian Donaldson, CEO of Ireland’s Maxol and the 2026 winner of the NACS European Store of the Year award. Donaldson said: “For operators like us, foodservice is no longer one category amongst many; It is the business.”
Milloff’s consultancy works across more than 300 global restaurant and convenience brands, and he explained why food has overtaken packaged beverage and tobacco as the category where operators can actually stand out. Commoditized products make loyalty hard to build. Prepared food creates a deeper connection, and that connection keeps customers coming back more often.
“When a convenience operator gets that right and finds something that really connects with their customers, it becomes the business,” said Milloff.
The conversation also turned to what convenience operators can borrow from QSR brands. Milloff pointed to consistency, a clear hero product and operational discipline as the traits that separate top performers from the pack, and the discipline to execute that one thing the same way at every store.
He asserted that convenience stores already hold an edge in hospitality. Staff know regulars by name and remember details most retailers never bother to track. Milloff sees that warmth as an asset food-focused QSR brands work hard to create and pairing it with foodservice rigor is where standout convenience reign supreme.
The Future of Convenience Podcast is available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, with new episodes featuring global convenience retail leaders released every other Tuesday.
In search of the best foodvenience store in the world
The episode closed with a look ahead to the ‘Best Foodvenience Store in the World’ competition, now in its third year, which is now open for entry.
Insight Research, co-hosts NACS, knowledge partner The Moseley Group and sponsor Deliverect are proud to announce that the 2026 edition of the internationally recognised ‘Best Foodvenience Store in the World’ competition are now accepting entries through 8 September. We will announce the winner and runners up both online and live on stage at the The Retail Marketeers’ Convenience Leaders Convention in Hamburg, Germany on 12 November.
Now firmly established as one of the convenience retail industry’s leading global recognition platforms, the competition celebrates excellence and innovation in foodvenience through a unique combination of customer experience, operational excellence, and commercial performance. The search for the 2026 ‘Best Foodvenience Store in the World’ winner will be the third event since it was founded in 2024. Previous winners include Applegreen in Ireland and Rutters in the USA.
To learn more about the competition and how to enter, click here.
