Ferrero Canada is capturing summer’s sweetest moments
Summer will soon arrive with its magical sense of possibility—family road trips mapped out, patios filling up, and friends gathering spontaneously for sunny days and light-filled evenings. For convenience retailers in 2026, that seasonal energy will be amplified by an unprecedented sporting event.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11 in Mexico City and runs through July 19 and, for the first time, is co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico. In Canada, Toronto and Vancouver host a combined 13 matches, with games in those cities taking place from June 12 to July 7. This year, Canadian convenience stores are presented with a rare opportunity to tap into tournament-related excitement on home soil.
“For retailers, this summer’s success is only limited by their innovation and creativity,” says Anne Kothawala, President & CEO of the Convenience Industry Council of Canada. “C-stores can tap into the World Cup fever in Canada this year as a supercharged extension of regular summer sports excitement and the weekend ritual of heading to the cottage.”
Sweet packaged foods company Ferrero is leaning into that dual opportunity with a Canada Soccer partnership, contests, new innovative products and programs geared toward both the energy of the World Cup and the season’s more carefree, spontaneous consumer mindset. Ferrero’s Bonnie Brik, Sales Director, Out-of-Home, says the season should be viewed as a mix of World Cup excitement and what she calls “your regularly scheduled summer program”—the road trips, cottage weekends, family outings, other sporting events and watch parties that drive convenience traffic every year.
“Convenience is really about that impulse buy and getting visibility. Customers are only in the store for a few seconds and usually know what they want. The goal is to build the basket beyond that,” she says, and to make the most of impulse traffic and basket-building opportunities all summer. The World Cup, Brik notes, gives retailers another avenue to do that, especially if they cater to group snacking moments where people may be buying for more than just themselves.
“Most people likely won’t be able to attend games in person, so watch parties will dominate—but those extend to all kinds of activities, from watching sports on TV to kids’ games. It’s about providing treats and options like Nutella biscuits for different groups and occasions,” she says.
Ferrero is supporting summertime sharing with launches such as share-size formats of Kinder Bueno and Kinder Chocolate, with individually wrapped pieces that suit group occasions. The company is also promoting a limited-time Tic Tac cherry and lime flavour in red and white, tying to Canadian pride, as well as Kinder Surprise products featuring collectible soccer-themed toys.
Kothawala suggests retailers “tap into the Canadian spirit and pride and showcase Canadian-made products,” while remembering to “Pair, bundle, promote. Those are the three keys for impulse buys at the counter.” She also suggests operators offer “summer soccer” bundles (snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, drinks) and run simple contests, like “predict Canada’s score for a free slushie,” to build excitement and traffic.
Beyond promotions and launches, Brik notes summer success comes down to execution. “The number one priority for convenience store operators is just the back-to-basics execution,” she says. That includes staying in stock, following planograms, ensuring promotional tags are up and keeping the store clean, easy to shop, and welcoming—so when those spontaneous summer moments strike, the store is ready to turn them into sales.