FAQs

The CSP Tobacco+ Forum is an annual industry event that brings together convenience store retailers and suppliers to focus on tobacco category management, OTP, and alternative sectors, including CBD, hemp, and kratom. The forum features expert speakers, regulatory updates, consumer trend analysis, and innovative approaches to merchandising and compliance to help retailers optimize their tobacco and nicotine category performance.

The 2026 CSP Tobacco+ Forum will take place from Wednesday, September 16, through Friday, September 18 at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center in Oak Brook, IL.

The forum is ideal for convenience retailers, category managers, foodservice directors, operations executives, and anyone responsible for beverage strategy and sales. Suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and service providers in the dispensed beverage industry will also benefit from attending to connect with retail decision-makers and showcase their solutions.

The top convenience retailers, category managers, foodservice directors, operations executives, and anyone responsible for cannabis or alternative strategy and sales alongside suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and service providers will attend the CSP Tobacco+ Forum. Click the button below for a comprehensive view of the past attendees.

Retailer:
An individual who works, manages or owns a retail outlet in the convenience and petroleum industry.

Registration fees are complimentary for those who have received an invitation, thanks to the support of our sponsors. Please contact Mike Marino at michael.marino@informa.com for more information.

Sponsor:
An individual who works for a company that is a sponsor of the conference.

If you are not yet a sponsor and would like additional information, please contact Brandy Mulcahy at fssponsorrelations@informa.com.

View the CSP Tobacco+ Forum Agenda at the button below.

Tobacco Category Insights: The total U.S. nicotine market is expected to reach roughly $67 billion in revenues by 2035, solidifying the tobacco category as a cornerstone of convenience store sales.
Regulatory Landscape: Stay informed on the latest regulations impacting tobacco and alternative products to navigate compliance challenges.
Product Innovation: Explore new product developments, merchandising strategies, and technologies that enhance category performance and how consumer preferences, including the rise of smokeless tobacco, vaping, and nicotine alternatives, are reshaping the market.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with category leaders, suppliers, and peers one-to-one to exchange ideas, share expertise, and build partnerships that drive growth.

Regulatory changes affecting tobacco and other alternatives are a key content focus of the CSP Tobacco+ Forum. Gain confidence and knowledge with expert-led discussions on federal and state-level regulations, ensuring your business remains compliant and competitive.

Connect with the top retail firms, innovators, and suppliers at the CSP Tobacco+ Forum during curated one-to-one meetings or over fun networking activities to gain proven best practices and build partnerships that drive growth in the tobacco and alternative category.

Please be vigilant if approached by any company representing themselves as the housing provider for the Tobacco+ Forum. These companies will offer to make hotel reservations within the room block on your behalf or misrepresent themselves as agents of the hotel. Please note that the Tobacco+ Forum does not rent, share or sell your contact information to any third parties.

The companies that we have been made aware of are Convention Housing Planners Corp, Expo Housing Services and Exhibitors Housing Management. Please let us know as soon as possible if another company reaches out to you.

Tobacco+ Forum is not utilizing the services of any housing agent or third party and the host hotel will never reach out to attendees to solicit booking rooms. Please only make your accommodations using the link in your registration confirmation email.

Based on availability. More information at the button below.

Check-in time is 3:00pm and check-out time is 11:00am.

Complimentary wireless internet will be provided throughout the meeting space. Login details will be provided during the meeting.

The Tobacco+ Forum meeting attire is business casual.

We want everyone who comes to CSP Tobacco+ Forum to have a great experience. Whether you are attending, speaking, exhibiting, sponsoring or working with or for us, our focus is on creating an environment and experience that everyone can participate in and benefit from.

Informa is a leading international business-to-business information services group that connects people with knowledge to help them learn more, know more, and do more. Through its Informa Connect division, the company delivers content-led live and on-demand events, training, and specialist content to businesses and professionals across various industries.

As part of the Informa family, CSP benefits from global reach, industry expertise, and the infrastructure necessary to host gatherings that assemble key decision-makers and financial partners in environments specifically designed for meaningful business connections and actionable insights across the convenience retail landscape.

Informa Connect is dedicated to creating experiences that deliver positive impact while minimizing environmental footprint. Through the FasterForward sustainability program, events like ours will move faster to become zero-waste and net-zero carbon by 2030.

In the future, we will actively help partners, customers, and wider markets achieve their own sustainability goals. By attending CSP Tobacco+ Forum, participants will not just gain valuable industry knowledge and connections, but they will also support a more sustainable future for their industries.