Dive Brief:
- Kum & Go opened its first Michigan store on Thursday in Walker, about seven miles north of downtown Grand Rapids, according to an announcement.
- The news comes 18 months after the chain revealed its expansion into the state. At the time, Kum & Go said it would enter Michigan “with a set of Grand Rapids area stores expected to open in 2022.”
- Kum & Go is also in the process of expanding to the Detroit area, with plans to open more than 50 locations in the city over the next several years. As of Thursday, Kum & Go’s first Detroit stores are on pace to open in 2024, a spokesperson from the company said in an email.
Dive Insight:
By planting its flag in Grand Rapids, Kum & Go will directly compete with Circle K, as well as well-known regional chains J&H Family Food Stores and Johnny’s Markets, all of which have numerous locations in the area.
The store in Walker is the first of “several” Kum & Go locations set to open this year, according to the announcement. A second location in Grand Rapids will open on Jan. 26, in Wyoming, about five miles south of downtown Grand Rapids, while two locations in Grandville are expected to open “in the next few months,” according to the announcement.
By opening its first store in Michigan, Kum & Go — which is also in the process of expanding to Idaho this year — now operates more than 400 c-stores in 13 states.
“The more we’ve learned about Michigan, the more excited we are to invest here,” CEO Tanner Krause said in the announcement. “We look forward to connecting with this community for years to come.”
Each new Kum & Go location will feature its fresh food menu, which focuses on offering healthy options like chicken, sausage and veggie burritos and bowls, as well as more than 10 pizza varieties. Last year, Kum & Go doubled down on its healthy foods strategy by partnering with natural and organic distributor Kehe to bring more healthier-for-you offerings to 80 of its locations.
Kum & Go isn’t alone in targeting Michigan, as Sheetz, Royal Farms and Kwik Trip also revealed plans to enter the state last year.
