It is no secret that the retail sector is struggling. From malls to supermarkets, retailers are struggling to retain their market share as consumers continue to look online and the market becomes increasingly saturated. But there is one specific breed of retailers that are thriving in today’s world: Convenience Stores.

The Association of Convenience Stores began surveying local convenience stores back in the UK back in 2012. Every year since then, the sector has grown. Convenience stores are thriving in the U.S., too. For example, Wawa, a 54-year-old family convenience store chain, is now a $10 billion empire with an ambitious expansion plan currently in the works.

Why are convenience stores so successful? Part of the reason is their agility. Big supermarkets tend not to react quickly to evolving consumer demand. They tend to be data driven, and collecting data, analyzing it, and making the appropriate changes in inventory takes time. Conversely, convenience stores have much more flexibility to accommodate the changing needs of their customer base.

“They are very good and adaptable at keeping their costs down,” Chris Noice, ACS head of communications, recently said of convenience stores. “A small independent will react to his customer more by feel – if they see something is needed, they’ll do it.”

The bottom line? The retail market might be struggling, but convenience stores are thriving – and it doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon.

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