News

CDA is pleased to announce the recipients of its third annual The Drive to Thrive: CDL Scholarship Program. This program provides distributor member company employees with an opportunity to grow their careers to become commercial truck drivers. The scholarship program is funded by the CDA Distributors Education Foundation (DEF) and provides 10 recipients with up to $5,000 toward training at a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) certified CDL training center.

After a rigorous and anonymous selection process, the judging panel has chosen 10 exceptional distributor member company employees to receive the scholarships.

The 2026 scholarship recipients are:

To learn more about each scholarship recipient, read the full press release or visit https://www.cdaweb.net/CDL.

On May 7, 2026, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) Acting Director Bret Koplow issued an announcement regarding new procedures to expedite the agency’s review of tobacco and nicotine product Pre-Market Tobacco Applications (PMTA). Read the full FDA announcement here.

Dr. Marty Makary has reportedly resigned from his role as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 12, 2026, according to numerous news outlets. Kyle Diamantas was named acting commissioner of the FDA and most recently served as the agency's deputy commissioner for human foods. Read more here.

On May 12, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) filed two modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) renewal applications for scientific review. The applications moving to the scientific review stage were submitted by 22nd Century Group Inc. for the following products: VLN® King and VLN® Menthol King. Read the application materials here.

In February 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a roundtable discussion with small tobacco product manufacturers to solicit input on premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) submissions for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products. All materials from the roundtable discussion are available online.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seized more than 18 million units of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), valued at over $175 million, as part of a targeted initiative called Operation Red Mist. Read more here.

On May 7, 2026, Acting Director of the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) Bret Koplow, Ph.D. J.D., issued a statement about how the Agency is taking new steps forward in accelerating innovation and efficiency in product review. Read the full statement here.

On May 8, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an important new guidance document that went into effect immediately. The guidance document explains when the agency does not intend to prioritize enforcement regarding the marketing of flavored e-cigarette products and nicotine pouch products that do not yet have premarket authorization from the FDA.

For flavored e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, the FDA does not intend to prioritize enforcement if (1) the product has a pending Pre-Market Tobacco Application (PMTA) that has been accepted and filed and, (2) specifically for flavored e-cigarettes, if the FDA has determined that the application includes the data necessary to evaluate whether the product is appropriate for the protection of public health.

In another significant step, the FDA announced in this new guidance that the agency’s guidance issued in April of 2020 is withdrawn. The April 2020 guidance essentially prohibited the marketing of flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes, except tobacco and menthol flavored cartridge-based e-cigarette products. This means that the agency will no longer prioritize enforcement of flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes which have a pending PMTA.

The agency’s announcement stated that to promote transparency for consumers and retailers, FDA also will create and maintain a publicly available webpage listing those flavored e-cigarette and nicotine pouch products that the FDA does not intend to prioritize enforcement against under this new guidance policy. Read the new guidance document here.

On May 13, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Human Foods Program (HFP) announced 2026 Priority Deliverables that highlight the FDA’s commitment to driving a prevention-based approach to reducing foodborne illness from microbiological contaminants. The announcement states, “HFP advances its vision of increased engagement and collaboration with stakeholders to enhance food safety through the release of two new web resources highlighting how industry can work with FDA to develop best practices and use root cause analysis to strengthen understanding of food safety issues and prevent recurrence…Root Cause Analyses (RCAs) are a cornerstone of a prevention-based approach to food safety.”

The announcement also states that FDA “encourages stakeholders to work with FDA as they develop best practices and implement RCAs. FDA subject matter experts may provide assistance to ensure alignment with federal laws and regulations. Stakeholders interested in discussing the development of a best practices document can submit a request to the Food and Cosmetic Information Center.” Read more here.

Reporters announced on May 13, 2026, that Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) plans to introduce legislation that would provide a 90-day suspension of the federal gas tax, and give President Trump discretion for up to an additional 125 days. The announcement follows calls by several Republicans that are open to considering a temporary federal gas tax holiday to bring down gas prices. Read more here.

The House Education and Workforce Committee, Workforce Protections Subcommittee held a hearing on May 13, 2026, titled "Building a Safer Future: Private-Sector Strategies for Emerging Safety Issues.” Chairman Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) made the following remarks during the hearing, "Safety issues that may not have been part of the conversation decades ago are now crucial components of workplace safety programs and advocacy efforts. Vehicle-involved accidents, for example, have become one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities across many industries. Drivers—whether in construction, mining, utilities, delivery services, or sales—face significant risks every day simply doing their jobs and supporting their families.” Read the full statement here.

Convenience Store News has announced its 2026 class of Top Women in Convenience, recognizing 116 established and emerging female leaders making an impact in the U.S. convenience store industry. CDA congratulates all the honorees, with special congratulations to the many CDA members honored.

For the full list of honorees, read the Convenience Store News story.

President Trump expressed frustration that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not moving quickly enough to approve flavored vapes and other nicotine products, putting FDA Commissioner Marty Makary in the hot seat. Read more here.

On May 5, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the marketing of four Glas electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) through the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway. Each product is an e-liquid pod containing 50mg/ml (or 5%) of tobacco-derived nicotine. The authorized pods include Classic Menthol, Fresh Menthol, Gold and Sapphire. This action marks the FDA’s first authorization of non-tobacco and non-menthol ENDS products. Read more here.

On April 30, 2026, the House voted 224-200 to pass the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) after months of uncertainty about whether Republican leaders would be able to secure enough support to pass the legislation. Notably, lawmakers removed a controversial pesticide labeling provision and adopted an amendment to allow certain hot food purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill also includes a permanent ban on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) processing fees and includes a provision directing the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to transition to EBT chip cards to combat EBT skimming and SNAP benefit theft.

While the legislation does contain some provisions aimed at reducing regulatory burdens for producers of industrial hemp, it does not include any language to alter or delay the impending ban on hemp THC products. Bipartisan lawmakers had filed amendments to the bill to regulate hemp THC products and delay the ban, but the sponsors withdrew the proposals. The Farm Bill now moves to the Senate where obstacles remain for it to be passed into law. Read more here.

President Trump on April 30, 2026, announced that Nicole Saphier, M.D., has been nominated to be the next U.S. surgeon general. Saphier is a radiologist and director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth in Middletown, N.J. Trump withdrew the nomination of Dr. Casey Means, his second choice for surgeon general, whose confirmation was stalled on Capitol Hill amid opposition, including from some Republicans, in part over her views on vaccines. Read more here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the final rule regarding stocking standards for retailers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), ensuring a broader variety of nutritious food is available to SNAP participants at authorized retailers across the country. Read more here.

Watch On-Demand

This webinar explored a real-world example of how a distributor evaluated its state of readiness to comply with Section 204(d) of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

An “X-Ray,” or examination, of an actual distributor’s operations was conducted to determine what procedures and platforms are already in place to trace the regulated food products and what gaps exist that need attention. This webinar assisted distributors in understanding how food traceability requirements affect day-to-day warehouse operations from receiving to inventorying to shipping. In addition, food traceability expert Andy Kennedy of New Era Partners explored common challenges that distributors face and provide insights on how to plan to comply with the food tracing regulation.

Angie Simonetti, CDA’s executive vice president, attended Layman Distributing’s 20th Annual Buying Expo last week at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, VA. The event brought together more than 200 manufacturers and featured a foodservice seminar led by Sharon Kuncl of UniPro Foodservice, along with a special guest appearance by legendary NFL running back Marcus Allen.

Also at the Expo, Layman kicked off a partnership between Layman, Community Snacks and the Life Ring Foundation. While at the show, Layman and Community Snacks donated the Community Snack’s Booth Fees to the Life Ring, and through the ongoing partnership, both Companies also agreed to donate 5% of all Community Snacks’ chip sales made by Layman Customers to Life Ring moving forward. The Life Ring Foundation is a nonprofit headquartered in Roanoke, VA, dedicated to uplifting children and families in Central and Southwest Virginia impacted by Pediatric Cancer by throwing them a life ring in their fight to find a cure and receive the associated treatment.

Simonetti poses with Layman Distributing President Scott Thomasson (left) and NFL legend Marcus Allen (right).	Layman Distributing's Buying Expo featured several foodservice offerings for its retailer partners.

CDA Business Academy returns for its second year – a 16-week virtual education program designed for emerging, rising leaders and middle managers in the convenience products distribution industry. The curriculum focuses on people management and business finance, delivered through a fully virtual format combining self-paced learning, live expert-led sessions and peer networking.

The second cohort will run from August 20 through December 3, with live sessions held every third Thursday. Open to all CDA members, the program supports leadership development across the industry. Space is limited – register now to secure your spot by July 31.

Don’t Miss the Early Bird Special: Buy 2, Get 1 Free
Register by May 29 to take advantage of this limited time offer to develop more leaders for less – register three, pay for two.

Ready to invest in your future leaders? Click here to learn more or contact Lauren Herbert for further details.

Last week, CDA's Richard Owen, president and CEO, and Angie Simonetti, executive vice president, visited Dot Foods Innovations 2026, themed "Festival of Flavor" and held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX. The show's 4,300 attendees took part in numerous networking opportunities and an agenda full of innovative products, speakers and entertainment.

Owen (right) and Simonetti connect with Dick Tracy (left), CEO of Dot Foods.	Attendees network, sample products and conduct business on the trade show floor.

The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced it will open a medical marijuana dispensary registration portal on April 29, 2026. The announcement follows a Dec. 18, 2025, executive order from President Donald Trump to reschedule cannabis as a less dangerous drug. The move is meant to expand access to medical treatments and support research while still enforcing laws against illegal drug use. Companies applying must pay a $794 annual fee, answer questions about past license suspensions or revocations, and describe security measures at proposed dispensary locations. The DEA will hold a new administrative hearing beginning June 29, 2026, regarding the proposed rescheduling of marijuana. A new notice of hearing is being published in the Federal Register to govern these proceedings and facilitate a timely resolution of the rulemaking. Read more here.

The Hershey Industry Performance Analysis (HIPA) Report delivers the most comprehensive financial benchmarking report in the convenience distribution industry. Thanks to the generous support of The Hershey Company, it is available at no cost to participating CDA distributor members. Participants receive:

• Industry Benchmarking Report: Financial and operational data with insights on key metrics.
• Individual Financial Benchmarking Dashboard: An interactive tool to compare your company’s performance, identify areas for improvement, and make smarter, data-driven decisions.

New for 2026: The survey has been streamlined for an even better user experience – shorter, easier and faster to complete, while still delivering the same high-value insights.

To secure your company’s personalized benchmarking results, complete the survey by May 15.

For more details, click here or contact Lauren Herbert.

The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) is currently stalled in the House. It had previously moved forward out of the House Agriculture Committee on March 4, 2026, and was sent toward a full House vote, but lawmakers have not been able to advance it further. The bill is tied up in a broader legislative fight along with other issues like government surveillance (FISA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. A key procedural vote needed to bring the farm bill to the House floor has been delayed due to internal disagreements among Republicans, meaning the chamber has struggled to begin debate. Read more here.

On April 29, 2026, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health held a hearing titled, “Healthier America: Legislative Proposals on the Regulation and Oversight of Food.” During the hearing, Committee Members and witnesses discussed 28 pieces of legislation related to food production and food safety. The proposals span several key areas, including updates to the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) framework, infant formula and baby food safety, food labeling and consumer transparency, and oversight of food chemicals and dietary supplements. Read more here.

House Transportation Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) told reporters that he is targeting April 29, 2026, as the markup date for the surface transportation reauthorization bill and is negotiating a top-line number between $500 billion and $550 billion. Democratic Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) has said more recently that the proposed April 29, 2026, markup may need to be delayed.

The most recent surface transportation or highway bill reauthorization that was included in the much broader Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) expires on Sept. 30, 2026. Graves said there will be a registration fee for electric vehicles in the surface bill, a long-sought goal of his. Last year, he succeeded in inserting a $250 registration fee for EVs and $100 for hybrids in the House version of the GOP-led budget reconciliation bill, but those provisions never made it into law. He said the EV fee will be different this time around. Read more here.

Did you know you can expand the C-Metrics™ data to dig even deeper into category performance? For select product categories, the chart shows how sales and units are trending for the most recent 13 weeks compared to the prior year, helping distributors and suppliers better understand which categories are driving trends and where opportunities exist.

Click here to explore the C-Metrics projections – updated weekly on the CDA website.

While the standard view shows high-level categories like Candy and Cigarettes, the expanded data includes subcategories such as Gum or Chocolate Bars/Packs within Candy, and Mid-Level or Premium price tiers within Cigarettes. C-Metrics™ is an additional service outside of the InfoMetrics® Program, built from warehouse delivered shipments to convenience stores from InfoMetrics® distributors and national partners.

Contact Tom Baldwin or Mike Farrah to learn more about how C-Metrics™ can help drive your business.

Dr. Bret Koplow, Acting Director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products (CTP), participated in a panel discussion this week at the American Tobacco and Nicotine Forum.

Koplow stated that the FDA has decreased the its backlog of pre-market tobacco applications (PMTAs) by approximately 70% over the past year while also eliminating the “acceptance” queue to streamline the review process. He noted that while the FDA has reviewed approximately 27 million PMTAs, only a small number have been authorized, largely because most submissions lacked the scientific data required to demonstrate public health benefits. On enforcement, Koplow highlighted increased action against illicit products, including major seizures of unauthorized e-cigarettes. Read more here.

Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) rigorous scientific review, the agency has issued a renewal of modified risk granted orders to Philip Morris Products S.A. (PMP S.A.) for two IQOS system holders and chargers and three flavors of HeatSticks products. With this renewal, these five products may be marketed with the following exposure modification claim:

The products receiving modified risk granted orders are:

• IQOS 2.4 System Holder and Charger (PM0000479)
• IQOS 3.0 System Holder and Charger (PM0000634)
• Marlboro Amber HeatSticks (previously Marlboro HeatSticks) (PM0000424)
• Marlboro Green Menthol HeatSticks (previously Marlboro Smooth Menthol HeatSticks) (PM0000425)
• Marlboro Blue Menthol HeatSticks (previously Marlboro Fresh Menthol HeatSticks) (PM0000426)

View the announcement here.

On April 22, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a Federal Register notice finalizing the addition of 18 constituents to the established list of Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents (HPHCs) in tobacco products. The HPHC list identifies chemicals and chemical compounds found in tobacco products or tobacco smoke and/or aerosol that cause or could cause harm to users or non-users of tobacco products. Read more here.

The Partnership for Food Traceability (PFT) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host two town halls on Food Traceability Rule implementation efforts in 2026. These virtual town halls will provide a forum for stakeholders and other interested parties to share information on continued implementation of the Food Traceability Rule and areas of remaining concern, specifically as they relate to lot-level tracking and flexibilities for compliance.

Registration is now open for the town halls:

June 15, 2026, 12:00-2:00pm ET: Challenges and Solutions for Lot-Level Traceability
November 6, 2026, 12:00-2:00pm ET: Solutions and Progress in Lot-Level Traceability

Interested parties are invited to attend any or all town halls. Individuals interested in providing comments during the town halls should indicate their request to speak on the registration form.

On April 20, 2026, Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act (S.4315), a bipartisan bill that empowers states and Tribal governments to regulate and ensure the safety of hemp and hemp-derived products, preventing a looming federal crackdown from shutting down a thriving, multi-billion-dollar American industry. The legislation would allow states to opt out of the federal ban that’s set to take effect in November. Read more here.

House Republican leaders are preparing for a vote on the farm bill the week of April 27, 2026, with an amendment deadline of April 22, 2026. The House Agriculture Committee passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 (H.R. 7567) on March 4, 2026. The farm bill, which is meant to be reauthorized every five years, is opposed by Democrats due to partisan fighting over nutrition and climate-smart agriculture policies. The bill does not include any language reversing the fiscal 2026 Department of Agriculture/FDA appropriations spending law that set a 0.3% limit on total THC content, which goes into effect in November. Instead, House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson (R-PA) said hemp-derived products in their final form fall within the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Read more here.