NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- When MAPCO Express fully launched its private label program in late 2009, the convenience store retailer did so in the midst of a severe recession. Not surprisingly, the quality and affordability of those products resonated with cost-conscious, value-focused consumers.

In the two years that have followed, however, shoppers have become more accustomed to high-quality private label products and gone are the days when consumers would gravitate toward private label because of cost alone. Now, they want it all: convenience, quality and a fair price, said Russ Shrewsberry, MAPCO's first-ever director of private label.

Shrewsberry, who joined the Brentwood, Tenn.-based chain in 2009, is leading the charge to bring everyday value and convenience to MAPCO customers, while allowing the company to capture a gross profit margin higher than what's typically generated on a branded product sold in its stores.