3 Big Numbers is a weekly column that looks at a few key details from around the c-store industry.
This week, we learned news that some people had been expecting — or fearing — for a while: Maverik is phasing out Kum & Go in Oklahoma. Rumors of a total rebrand have swirled since the Utah-based retailer bought out its colorfully named competitor last year. This news renewed those questions.
The ongoing rebranding of Kum & Go comes as Maverik has also continued its organic growth, including plans to expand into a new state.
All in all, it’ll be interesting to see where “Adventure’s First Stop” will show up next.
Today’s three big numbers are centered on Maverik’s continuing Kum & Go rebranding efforts, its own organic growth plans and the digital opportunity before it.
5
The number of states where Maverik has rebranded Kum & Go locations so far.
Soon after the two retailers announced their combination, Maverik revealed plans to put its name on stores in several states where both companies operated — Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. In the latter two, Kum & Go had just begun expanding.
At the time, the company said that more rebranding wasn't top of mind, but also not off the table.
“Right now, we think we can bring a lot of what’s really good about Maverik into the Kum & Go world without necessarily rebranding and will continue to evaluate future changes,” said then-CEO Chuck Maggelet in an interview with NACS last August.
With its Oklahoma move, Maverik is now making some of those “future changes.” Time will tell if the plans go beyond this.
5,982
The size of one of Maverik’s upcoming Kansas locations.
After buying Kum & Go, the retailer had a presence in every state that borders Kansas. Maverick's move to open in the Sunflower State only seems natural to fill that gap.
Maverik announced in September that it will start with two sites in Kansas, bringing the chain's footprint to 21 states. Both are in Garden City, about 200 miles east of its closest site in Pueblo, Colorado, and both are expected to open by mid-2025.
The two inaugural locations are aimed at different audiences. A smaller store will center around an auto fuel forecourt while the larger, 5,982-square-foot store will cater to long-distance and professional drivers. Both will include Maverik’s foodservice program and a picnic area.
1.7 million
The number of loyalty members Kum & Go had before Maverik acquired the company.
It’s interesting to talk about what all this rebranding means for physical stores. But in an omnichannel world, there’s a whole other side to a retailer’s presence — loyalty programs.
When Kum & Go revamped its loyalty program &Rewards in summer 2023, it shared that it had a whopping 1.75 million rewards program members. By comparison, Arko Corp. reported 2 million loyalty program members at the end of 2023 while having more than twice as many stores as Kum & Go.
As Maverik rebrands more of Kum & Go’s locations, those stores will stop accepting &Rewards. That means Maverik needs to funnel those members into its own program, the Adventure Club. If Maverik can make a compelling case to former Kum & Go customers, it could reap a windfall of loyalty.
