Dive Brief:
- Southeast convenience retailer MAPCO is set to open its first locations in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania in the coming months, according to a Tuesday announcement from parent company Majors Management.
- Last week, Majors acquired 35 c-stores across these states from Alimentation Couche-Tard as a condition set by the Federal Trade Commission before the Canadian retailer could close its $1.6 billion buyout of GetGo Café + Markets. Each of these stores will be rebranded to MAPCO, marking the banner’s arrival in those states, per the company’s announcement.
- The addition of these 35 sites will grow MAPCO’s convenience store network to over 230 locations across nine states.
Dive Insight:
Majors’ latest deal continues the Georgia-based company’s growth spree, starting when it made five acquisitions in 2022. Majors then took the c-store industry by storm in late 2023 when it acquired about 200 MAPCO sites from Chilean holding company Copec, cementing itself as a significant c-store player across Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi.
Opening MAPCO’s first stores in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania reinforces Majors’ strategy of expanding its footprint into new regions, the company said. It’s unclear exactly where the stores are located in these three states, although MAPCO said in separate announcements on Tuesday that the Indiana stores are near Indianapolis, while the Ohio sites are in the greater Akron area.
Majors plans to retain existing employees at the newly acquired c-stores “wherever possible” while it rebrands the sites from Circle K to MAPCO, according to the announcement. MAPCO’s stores feature its MyReward$ loyalty program and a variety of fresh food and QSR offerings.
“These stores are an exciting strategic addition for Majors Management, and we are thrilled to expand the MAPCO brand into Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania,” said Ben Smith, president of Majors Management. “We are honored to serve customers in three new states and welcome them to the MAPCO experience, which combines quality fuel, great food and beverage selections, and the convenience and rewards customers love.”
Including MAPCO’s nine-state footprint, Majors’ c-store and fuel distribution network now stretches across 21 states, according to Tuesday’s announcement.
