Dive Brief:

• Alimentation Couche-Tard, parent of Circle K convenience stores, has agreed to acquire GetGo Café + Markets, the convenience store arm of supermarket chain Giant Eagle, according to a Monday morning announcement.
• The deal, expected to close in the calendar year 2025, includes all 270 GetGo stores, located across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. The companies did not disclose financial terms of the transaction.
• This continues a morning to be remembered for Couche-Tard, which also announced that it submitted a bid to acquire 7-Eleven in a move that, if completed, could bring significant shifts to the future of convenience retail.

Dive Insight:

GetGo has been at the forefront of implementing several c-store trends and innovations over the past year and a half, such as drive-thru locations, artisanal coffee, electric vehicle charging and a growing loyalty program. 

Couche-Tard said it was specifically drawn to GetGo’s “outstanding” food and loyalty programs with the acquisition, noting that it plans to continue running GetGo’s popular myPerks rewards platform, according to Monday’s announcement. Couche-Tard relaunched its Inner Circle loyalty platform last year, which reached 30 states this summer.

“As we learn more about the GetGo business, it is clear that it has built a strong and passionate customer base with high quality stores staffed by talented and engaged teams working to deliver a great experience,” Brian Hannasch, president and CEO of Couche-Tard, said in the announcement.

As a result of the deal, Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle will exit the convenience store industry after acquiring and rebranding GetGo — formerly known as Cross Road stations — in 2003. Giant Eagle CEO Bill Artman said the deal will allow the company to focus on its “core supermarket and pharmacy business” and invest more in its people, stores and value proposition.

“[Couche-Tard’s] depth of experience in convenience stores and fuel will create tremendous opportunities for our team members and customers, and we look forward to partnering with them on the myPerks loyalty program,” Artman said.

Laval, Quebec-based Couche-Tard operates more than 7,100 c-stores in the U.S. and 16,700 locations globally.