Dive Brief:
- Maverik has begun rebranding Kum & Go convenience stores in Arkansas, according to dozens of store-level employees spread across 25 locations in the state who confirmed the news to C-Store Dive.
- At least three Kum & Go stores near Fayetteville and Springdale in northwest Arkansas were rebranded over the past week, while at least 13 others in that region will take on Maverik’s banner by early March, according to the employees.
- Although Maverik confirmed plans to eventually rebrand all Kum & Go stores in the U.S., it hasn’t offered a detailed timeline for these changes. Maverik emphasized last year that it’s taking a “thoughtful, market-by-market approach” before confirming each state’s rebrand.
Dive Insight:
Shortly after Maverik acquired Kum & Go in late 2023, the company outlined plans to rebrand locations in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, where the chains overlapped. Most of those rebrands finished last year.
Last October, Maverik began rebranding Kum & Go’s stores in Oklahoma — the first state that wasn't part of the initial plans. This sparked Maverik to then confirm its intentions to rebrand all Kum & Go stores in the U.S.
Arkansas is next up on the rebranding list. According to Kum & Go’s website, the banner has 56 locations in the state, making it its third-largest market behind Iowa and Missouri.
Maverik appears to be starting its Kum & Go rebrands in Arkansas in the northwest part of the state. C-Store Dive also spoke with employees across nearly a dozen stores in central and northeastern Arkansas who said that they aren’t sure exactly when their stores will be rebranded. It’s not clear if all sites in the state will eventually be rebranded.
A spokesperson from Maverik declined to comment when contacted about the company’s rebranding efforts in Arkansas.
It's unclear how long it’s taking to re-banner the stores in Arkansas. In Oklahoma, Kum & Go stores have temporarily closed while Maverik updated the buildings. In order to reduce downtime, Maverik rebranded the interior of the c-stores first and then reopened them before remodeling the exterior and outdoor signage.
Maverik has said that once each rebrand occurs, customers will no longer be able to use Kum & Go’s rewards points at that location, nor will those points transfer to Maverik’s Adventure Club loyalty program.
