Dive Brief:

• Convenience retailer Loop Neighborhood Market has revealed plans to debut electric vehicle charging stations across its more than 130-store network, according to a Friday announcement.
• Loop will deploy the Boost Chargers from FreeWire Technologies at its existing stores, with the first one available now at its location in Fremont, California, a spokesperson for the company said in an email. Loop will deploy six more charging stations at various stores across Northern and Southern California over the next couple weeks, the spokesperson said.  
• This isn’t the company’s only foray into electrification. Earlier this year, Loop’s leadership team revealed plans to debut EV chargers at its new Poppy Market c-store chain in Northern California.

Dive Insight:

As of early March, Loop’s leadership team was in the process of building two EV chargers in the forecourt of its first Poppy Market location in Arbuckle, California. The structural groundwork had been laid, and Loop CEO Varish Goyal and his team were collecting grant funding for the actual chargers, he said at the time.

Although Loop only has immediate plans for its first six charging stations, the company expects to deploy more throughout its store network moving forward, the spokesperson said. In the announcement, Goyal noted the importance of today’s zero-emission translation and the company’s aim to lower its carbon footprint moving forward.

"We are most excited to integrate FreeWire's leading edge Boost Chargers into our Loop locations, helping our customers save time while being more energy efficient," Goyal said in the announcement.

FreeWire’s Boost chargers use batteries to store electricity for EV charging rather than pulling it all directly from the grid when a customer plugs in. The company says its units can charge an EV to 200 miles in 15 minutes, while regular fast chargers can take 20 to 30 minutes on average. 

After exploding onto the c-store scene last year, EV charging has remained atop retailer’s agendas so far in 2023. Over the past few months, 7-Eleven, GetGo, Global Partners, Shell, Arko Corp. and others have launched various types of EV-charging initiatives.

Loop Neighborhood Market operates more than 130 c-stores and fueling stations in California. The retailer specializes in fresh food and an assortment of beverage options, and also offers dog parks and Amazon lockers at some locations.