Dive Brief:
- Alimentation Couche-Tard, parent company of Circle K convenience stores, has revealed plans to open more than 60 locations in Wisconsin over the next five years, according to a Thursday announcement.
- Couche-Tard currently operates 30 Circle K c-stores in Wisconsin, according to its website. Its plan to triple its footprint in Wisconsin is expected to bring about 1,200 new jobs to the Badger State, Gary Brant, vice president of operations for the Circle K Northern Tier business unit, said in the announcement.
- Couche-Tard’s Wisconsin expansion underscores the company’s broader growth plans, which include opening 500 new locations in North America by 2028.
Dive Insight:
Although Couche-Tard is the second-largest convenience store chain in the U.S. by store count, Wisconsin has long been an underdeveloped market for the company. Other Midwestern states overpower Wisconsin in terms of the number of Circle K locations, such as neighboring Illinois and Minnesota at 364 and 263 stores, respectively.
But Couche-Tard is now set on growing its footprint in Wisconsin for the foreseeable future, as it has identified numerous sites for development and continues to actively scout locations throughout the state, according to the announcement.
The retailer announced these growth plans as it opened its newest store in the Green Bay area on Jan. 25 — its third in the city over the past year.
“We’ve been very pleased by the community response to our first two stores in Ledgeview and Ashwaubenon since they opened last year,” Brant said in the announcement. “Now we are looking forward to bringing the high-quality customer experience and fast, friendly service that Circle K is known for across the state while also creating jobs for these great communities.”
Couche-Tard revealed its larger plan of hitting 500 new stores by 2028, mainly in North America, during its annual investor meeting last October.
At the time, the company said these stores would emerge in both rural and suburban markets and would fit one of two formats: a “standard” store, which is mainly used in suburban markets and features a 5,200-square-foot building as well as high speed diesel fuel; and a “core” prototype, which is used for rural locations and features a 3,900-square-foot store.
Laval, Quebec-based Couche-Tard operates more than 5,700 c-stores in the U.S. It is the second-largest c-store company in North America behind 7-Eleven.
