Convenience store industry veteran Derek Gaskins is joining confectionery giant Mars as head of retail for Hotel Chocolat US, an arm of the U.K.-based chocolate retailer and manufacturer, both Gaskins and a spokesperson from Hotel Chocolat US confirmed to C-Store Dive. Mars acquired Hotel Chocolat in 2024.
Gaskins’ will begin the role on July 27, the spokesperson said.
“His deep expertise in brand strategy, foodservice excellence, and retail operations will be invaluable as we deepen our presence in the US,” Kelly Goering, general manager of Hotel Chocolat US, said in a statement to C-Store Dive.
In a message to C-Store Dive, Gaskins said he will build Hotel Chocolat’s “luxury retail presence” in the U.S., starting in Chicago, where the chocolatier opened stores last year.
Gaskins will succeed Max Verhey, who is shifting his attention to scaling Hotel Chocolat’s corporate and B2B gifting business, the spokesperson said.
The move comes less than a month after Gaskins exited BP as head of guest experience amid the company’s ongoing organizational restructuring. It also marks his first role outside the convenience store industry since he left consumer goods corporation Procter & Gamble in 2002, according to his LinkedIn bio.
Over the past two decades, Gaskins advanced through various industry leadership roles, including director of marketing with GetGo Café + Markets, chief customer officer for Rutter’s, chief marketing officer for Yesway and senior vice president of merchandising and marketing for the now-defunct Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores. He became BP’s head of guest experience in early 2025.
