Dive Brief:
- Maverik has discontinued Kum & Go’s made-to-order foodservice and mobile ordering programs, a spokesperson for the convenience store retailer confirmed.
- The spokesperson said Maverik is still offering burritos, pizza and other hot and cold grab-and-go items at Kum & Go locations. They did not clarify by press time if Maverik is adding its proprietary Bonfire foodservice program to Kum & Go stores.
- This comes as Maverik begins to rebrand Kum & Go’s stores to its own banner — a move that has gained national attention and stirred controversy in recent weeks after reports suggested it might retire the banner entirely.
Dive Insight:
It was clear from the moment Maverik acquired Kum & Go last year that the Utah-based chain wanted to make some changes to the Midwestern brand. Maverik CEO Chuck Maggelet said at the time that his company would rebrand Kum & Go locations in markets where the two companies overlapped — a process that’s already begun.
Making these foodservice changes across the entire Kum & Go chain, however, is an unexpected move that indicates the degree to which Maverik intends to refashion the decades-old company.
Maverik’s spokesperson said that these recent changes come as the two retailers work to integrate their “food experience and digital offerings.”
“We look forward to updating you on fresh food products and features as we continue to launch new and exciting programs,” Maverik’s spokesperson said.
Kum & Go debuted mobile ordering in summer 2021, and piloted its made-to-order, fresh food program that fall at locations in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Omaha, Nebraska. The menu mainly included protein bowls and “stacker” sandwiches for all dayparts, as well as more than 10 pizza varieties.
At the time, the company said it wanted to develop its menu to compete more with fast casual restaurants.
In late 2022, Kum & Go launched this menu at its c-stores in its home base of Des Moines, Iowa. Kum & Go said at the time that it would continue to roll out its made-to-order, fresh food program across its entire footprint over the next several years.
Maverik agreed to acquire Kum & Go in April 2023, and the deal closed last August. The Salt Lake City-based retailer operates more than 400 convenience stores in addition to over 400 Kum & Go locations across over a dozen Midwest and western states.
