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Q A with Derek Gaskins
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Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Procurement for Yesway
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How did you come into the world of private brands? When I left the consumer packaged goods world with Procter & Gamble and entered retail with Giant Eagle. Giant Eagle, like other retailers, was committed to developing own brands. I helped launch multiple retail formats such as GetGo, Market District and Giant Eagle Express, and private label was central to those brand plans. I continued to refine my focus as I transitioned to other retailers such as Circle K, Rutter’s and now Yesway. Yesway, in many ways, is a startup in the convenience retail space, so we have a commitment to develop the brand first, and private label and our loyalty platforms are strong engines to do so. Derek Gaskins (left), with Yesway Chairman and CEO Thomas Nicholas Trkla, believes private brands equate to opportunity.
Describe the private brands industry in one word. Opportunity. What do you like most about the industry? The diversity of categories, products and services that can become opportunities for growth. At Yesway, we’re looking at a broad spectrum, and it helps fuel my passion because the opportunities are so vast. Everything from snacks, candy, beverages, home and beauty aids, general merchandise, etc., are potential areas of opportunity for own brands development. What do you dislike most about the industry? Fragmentation. Convenience and small-
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format operators are challenged to find manufacturers flexible enough or willing to engage. What one great thing does the industry have going for it? Consumers have voted with their dollars, and have a clear affinity for retail brands and private label programs that deliver them value, quality or a differentiated experience. I like that different regions of the globe are also in different life stages, as one can quickly learn or see what’s coming by looking and thinking globally. What is the industry’s biggest challenge? Shifting the paradigm to create opportunities beyond the few really big retail brands. Regional, local and small-format channel brands resonate with consumers, and if more suppliers could work with them the growth would be exponential. Who is your hero and why? My father. He instilled a passion in me for continuous improvement, and a commitment to excellence in all that I do. That has served me well academically and professionally as I have continued to achieve and grow.
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What trait in yourself do you attribute most to your success? Passion. I have a determination to make things happen, and that has served me well in all facets of life. What is the biggest obstacle you have ever overcome? The death of my mother. I am still working to fully surmount it. She was my chief encourager, motivator and of course nurturer. She believed in me before I even did, and always had a way of making me feel I could
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Store Brands / August 2019 / www.storebrands.com
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