Australia’s convenience and impulse retail sector will converge in Sydney in March as suppliers, retailers and service providers look to respond to shifting shopper behaviour, margin pressure and operational complexity.
The Convenience & Impulse Retailing Expo (C&I Expo), taking place on March 17–18 at the ICC Sydney, brings together decision makers from petrol and convenience, roadside retail, independent grocery, impulse and the route trade. The event arrives at a time when the channel continues to generate scale – exceeding $10 billion in revenue in 2024 – while facing increasing pressure to improve efficiency, store performance and customer experience.
According to Safa de Valois, group publisher and commercial director at C&I Media, the sector’s growth has sharpened the focus on differentiation and execution at store level.
“Shoppers are still prioritising convenience and value, but that doesn’t remove the operational strain retailers are under,” de Valois says. “To stay relevant, operators need visibility over new products, technology, systems and formats that can help increase footfall, dwell time and basket spend.”
An established platform for the channel
C&I Expo is the longest-running trade event serving Australia’s petrol, convenience and independent grocery sectors. Unlike banner-specific forums or closed supplier showcases, the exhibition is open to all retail groups and brands, creating a central marketplace for product discovery and business development.
That independence, de Valois says, has helped position the event as a practical working environment rather than a purely promotional showcase.
“It’s one of the few places where retailers across different banners, formats and business sizes can see the same range of suppliers at the same time,” he says. “That creates a broader view of what’s happening in the market and where investment is going.”
This year’s event will feature more than 120 exhibitors from across Asia Pacific, spanning food and beverage, impulse categories, equipment, technology, services and in-store systems. Suppliers will be demonstrating and sampling products, as well as showcasing store infrastructure solutions, such as shelving, refrigeration, foodservice equipment, ATMs and vending machines.
“For some retailers, it genuinely functions as a one-stop environment,” de Valois says. “You can review everything from product ranges to fit-outs and operational tools in one place.”
Focus on education and practical insight
A central feature of the Expo program is the series of category-focused Power Sessions, which run throughout both days and are free to attend. These sessions are designed to provide retailers with actionable insights rather than sales presentations.
Speakers already confirmed include Matt Dodson, GM of out-of-home at Patties Foods, and Michael Brick, owner and director of Meris Food Equipment. Additional sessions will cover topics such as retail crime, payments technology and fuel pricing systems.
“The intent is education, not promotion,” de Valois says. “If we’re talking about foodservice, for example, the discussion is about having the right equipment, the right strategy, and the right approach to waste reduction. It’s practical information retailers can apply immediately.”
With labour availability tightening and compliance requirements increasing, many operators are seeking clearer guidance on how to improve store performance without significantly increasing overheads.
“Retailers are under pressure to do more with less,” de Valois says. “That’s why these sessions focus on operational improvements and smarter systems rather than theoretical trends.”
Face-to-face engagement remains critical
While digital procurement and remote sales channels continue to expand, in-person engagement remains a core feature of the convenience and impulse sector.
“Face-to-face interaction still matters in this channel,” de Valois says. “This is where many long-term supplier relationships are formed, and where a lot of commercial conversations take place.”
The event attracts a mix of petrol and convenience operators, independent grocers such as IGA, Foodworks, Spar and Happy Grocer, as well as newsagents and smaller specialty retailers that carry impulse food and beverage ranges.
Entry is free for retailers and buyers, a structure designed to encourage participation from small and independent operators who may not have the resources to attend multiple industry events throughout the year.
“For single-store or multi-store operators, taking time away from the shop isn’t easy,” de Valois says. “Being able to attend for a day and meet a wide range of suppliers in one location can have a commercial impact that extends well beyond the event itself.”
A launchpad for emerging brands
C&I Expo has also become a platform for new and emerging FMCG brands looking to enter the petrol and convenience channel. Start-ups and challenger brands often use the exhibition as a first point of direct engagement with national and regional buyers.
“There are a number of well-known examples of brands that first gained traction here,” de Valois says. “It gives smaller suppliers visibility alongside established manufacturers, which helps level the playing field.”
At the same time, major FMCG players continue to use the event to present new product ranges and category strategies to retail partners.
“We see a consistent mix of innovation and scale,” de Valois says. “That combination is important for a channel that relies on both established volume drivers and new product rotation.”
Co-location with AACS Connect 26
For the first time, C&I Expo will be co-located with AACS Connect 26, the Australian Association of Convenience Stores’ annual education summit and awards program. While the two events will operate under separate registrations, the overlapping schedules allow interstate and regional visitors to attend both while reducing travel and accommodation costs.
“The industry asked for closer alignment between the two events,” de Valois says. “There’s a shared audience of retailers and suppliers, and bringing them together over the same dates makes commercial sense.”
Attendance at C&I Expo is expected to range between 1200 and 1800 visitors across the two days, with organisers reporting that the majority of attendees are store owners, senior managers and purchasing decision makers rather than frontline staff.
“The objective is to create a central meeting point for the sector,” de Valois says. “At a time when the convenience channel is evolving quickly, having a shared forum for learning, discussion and business development is more important than ever.”
