Day or Night, the Express Keeps the Benefit Relevant

Wherever service members go, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service goes with them—morning, noon and night. Through its Express stores, the Exchange keeps its “We Go Where You Go” promise, bringing a taste of home no matter the hour.

With more than 550 convenience stores worldwide, the convenience channel represented 35% of the Exchange’s $8.5 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024. Leaders with the Merchandising Directorate’s Consumables team are committed to keeping up with trends, driving new business and ensuring associates in Express stores have the tools they need to support Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and the broader military community.

“The convenience channel supports the military community by meeting varied needs,” said Danielle Pelland, Consumables vice president. “Active-duty service members depend on fast access to morning staples; retirees enjoy a community-centered environment with personal service; and overseas customers appreciate trusted American brands that provide comfort and a connection to home.”

Military families, too, count on the Express, said Dennis Robertson, divisional merchandise manager. Young dependents, for example, want trending snacks and drink, while military spouses rely on the Express for quick meals to manage busy schedules and families value one-stop access to gas and essentials.

Hot to go … and grow

In 2025, Snack Avenue and Express restaurants are performing strong, up 14% over last year.

Express restaurants, including Hunt Brothers Pizza, Chopz, Eddie Pepper’s Tacos to Go, Hot Stuff Kitchen, Paavo’s Pizza and Express Kitchen, are driving growth as well. In 2024, 45 restaurants opened at Expresses worldwide, serving up $54 million in sales, a 35% increase from prior year.

“The Express has become a destination for prepared meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said Division Merchandise Manager David Arens. “Our offerings are big drivers, drawing customers in.”

The Express Kitchen concept is innovating with bakery items made in-house, Arens said. The program, which is piloting at Fort Cavazos and Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, offers croissants, pastries, cookies and more.

Beverage and snack innovation

Constant innovation is driving growth in the non-alcoholic beverage category, which is up 9% over 2024.

“Energy and isotonic drinks, which replace electrolytes after exercise, continue to see strong demand,” Robertson said. Energy/protein drinks are up 16% over prior year, and both isotonic drinks and bottled water are up 6% compared to 2024.

Fresh flavors and products from known brands like Red Bull and Monster will keep the category trending, he said.

For snacks, Express stores should expect customers to get excited about:

• New trail mixes from Kar’s.
• Continued innovation from Frito-Lay and Mars.
• Shaq-a-licious XL gummy candy from Army brat and NBA great Shaquille O’Neal.
• Updated sandwiches, including a Cuban, from Deli Express.
• Wow Bao dumplings and potstickers.

The convenience channel continues to flex its BE FIT 360 muscle, bringing better-for-you meals and snacks to the military community.

“The BE FIT assortment—from fresh fruit, nuts, meat snacks and more—has never been more relevant, especially for fueling Warfighters, Pelland said.

Power of promotions

The convenience channel is leaning into promotions this summer to make stopping by the Express even sweeter. Star-Spangled Sips, a MILITARY STAR beverage promotion, is running through Labor Day.

“The team is leveraging the Exchange’s milestone 130^th anniversary in July to create excitement and drive sales all weekend long,” Pelland said.

To help Express associates be more knowledgeable about promotional items, the Consumables team recently launched an updated set-sell planner via OneDrive. Before the change, store associates kept up to date on promotions through email messages—one email for each promotion. Now, associates have a one-stop shop for all Express promotions, seeing the totality of what is offered throughout the month.

“It’s intuitive,” Pelland said. “Associates can see the full list of items on promotion and how we’re promoting it. There are tabs for each category, and the new planner helps them prepare for the month.”

An evergreen signing program is launching as well, making it easier for stores to execute promotions.

Merchandising strategies

The Merchandising Directorate is focused on ensuring Express stores have a strong understanding of inventory and sales and their effect on gross margin return on investment (GMROI). Teams will be taking a close look at inventory, Pelland said, and assortment decisions need to start with sales instead of space. Stores will be arranged into clusters and will be receiving merchandise that sells accordingly.

“We want the stores to be merchants again,” Pelland said. “We need to move from an old way of thinking—like filling space on shelves—and shift to a performance-based assortment.”

Tips for success

As the Express business continues to grow, Robertson offers valuable tips success:

• Program alignment: Follow established merchandising, pricing and promotional strategies—these are data-driven and designed to maximize sales and operational efficiency.
• Clear value communication: Maintain clear and attractive pricing and signage to help customers easily recognize savings and value, building trust and encouraging purchases.
• Engage and share insights: The frontline perspective is valuable. Share ideas to improve performance, reduce waste or enhance customer experience—feedback helps drive continuous improvement across the business.

“Express stores deliver the Exchange benefit by having the right products for Warfighters when they need it,” Pelland said. “The Express teams fuel the Exchange mission—and we have so much to look forward to.”