Who We Are
Alimentation Couche-Tard is a global leader in the convenience sector, operating the brands Couche-Tard, Circle K and Ingo. We strive to meet the demands and needs of people on the go and to make it easy for our customers. To that end, we offer fast and friendly service, providing convenience products, including food and hot and cold beverages, and mobility services, including road transportation fuel and charging solutions for electric vehicles.
Alain Bouchard
Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board
I am filled with pride and optimism that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that Couche-Tard is ready for the future: a future where our customers are back on the road, where our business is continuously innovating and looking for new ways to make our customers’ lives easier, and where our team members are working hard to protect their communities and planet. How did we become ready for this future despite the challenges of the past year? By being steadfast in our commitment and concern for our people and our customers.
Brian Hannasch
President and Chief Executive Officer
I am grateful to our outstanding operations teams who kept our team members and customers safe, our stores open, and ensured that we are part of the solution in the communities where we live and work. Together, with the support of our global teams, we did more than maintain the status quo – we innovated for the future. We expanded our fresh food offer, our frictionless payment options, our localized pricing capabilities, and our fuel procurement and delivery capacity. We also reinvented our brands, making them increasingly modern and recognizable at every part of the customer journey.
Vision
Mission
every day
Our Journey So Far
Our company has a rich history spanning over 40 years. Here are some of the key events that made Alimentation Couche-Tard the retail leader it is today.
Opening of our first store in Laval, QC, Canada
Opening of our first store in Laval, QC, Canada
Entry in the United States
Entry in the United States
Purchase of the Circle K Corporation
Purchase of the Circle K Corporation
Expansion into Europe
Expansion into Europe
Launch of our global Circle K brand
Launch of our global Circle K brand
Acquisition of The Pantry Inc.
Acquisition of The Pantry Inc.
Acquisition of Topaz, a leading retailer in Ireland
Acquisition of Topaz, a leading retailer in Ireland
Growth in Ontario and Québec with Esso-branded sites
Growth in Ontario and Québec with Esso-branded sites
Acquisition of CST Brands and Holiday Stationstores in the U.S.
Acquisition of CST Brands and Holiday Stationstores in the U.S.
Acquisition in Asia of corporate stores in Hong Kong and Macau
Acquisition in Asia of corporate stores in Hong Kong and Macau
1980
Opening of our first store in Laval, QC, Canada
The Alimentation Couche-Tard story starts with the opening of a first convenience store by Alain Bouchard in Laval, Québec. Over the next two decades, Alimentation Couche-Tard will never cease to grow, both organically and through acquisitions, and becomes the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry and a major player in the sector in North America.
2001
Entry in the United States
Alimentation Couche-Tard makes its first breakthrough in the United States in 2001, with the acquisition of 225 Bigfoot stores from the Johnson Oil Company Inc., all located in the Midwest. With a solid management team, one of the best profitability track records in the U.S. convenience retailing industry, and strong growth potential in a booming, highly fragmented market, Bigfoot is a perfect fit for Alimentation Couche-Tard.
2003
Purchase of the Circle K Corporation
In 2003, Alimentation Couche-Tard acquires the Circle K Corporation from ConocoPhillips Company. This transaction significantly grows the Alimentation Couche-Tard network, with the addition of 1,663 Circle K corporate stores located in 16 states and another 627 stores with a franchising or licensing relationship in the U.S. and worldwide.
2012
Expansion into Europe
In 2012, the acquisition of Statoil Fuel & Retail, a leading Scandinavian road transportation fuel and convenience retailer, marks Alimentation Couche-Tard’s entry into Europe. Statoil Fuel & Retail operates a broad retail network across Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark), Poland, the Baltics (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and Russia. It has approximately 2,300 stores, the majority of which offer fuel and convenience products while the others are automated (fuel only) stations.
2015
Launch of our global Circle K brand
Alimentation Couche-Tard announces the creation of a new, global convenience brand: Circle K. Over time, the Circle K brand will progressively replace the company’s other brands (Mac’s, Statoil, Kangaroo Express, Topaz, CST), except for Couche-Tard which remains the flagship brand in the Province of Québec. Operating under a single global brand has many advantages, from an enhanced customer recognition and a stronger internal culture to the creation of operational efficiencies and best practice sharing across the network.
2015
Acquisition of The Pantry Inc.
In 2015, Alimentation Couche-Tard acquires The Pantry Inc., a leading convenience store operator in the southeastern United States and one of the largest independently operated convenience store chains in the United States. The Pantry operates approximately 1,500 stores in 13 states under select banners, including Kangaroo Express, its primary operating banner. The Pantry’s stores offer a broad selection of merchandise, as well as fuel and other services.
2016
Acquisition of Topaz, a leading retailer in Ireland
In 2016, Alimentation Couche-Tard enters the Irish market with the acquisition of Topaz Energy Group Ltd., the leading convenience and fuel retailer in Ireland. The Topaz network is made up of 444 stations across the island of Ireland, more than 30 depots and two owned terminals.
2016
Growth in Ontario and Québec with Esso-branded sites
Alimentation Couche-Tard is always looking for growth opportunities in the Canadian market. In 2016, the company acquires 279 Esso-branded fuel and convenience sites in Ontario and Québec from Imperial Oil Retail. The majority of these sites (229) are located in Ontario, mostly in the Greater Toronto Area. The Québec sites (50) are located in the Greater Montréal Area. The agreement also includes 13 land banks and 2 dealer sites, as well as a long-term supply agreement for Esso-branded fuel.
2017
Acquisition of CST Brands and Holiday Stationstores in the U.S.
Two major acquisitions, both in the United States, occur in 2017. With the acquisition of Holiday Stationstores, Inc., Alimentation Couche-Tard consolidates its stronghold in the Midwest region. The Holiday network includes 522 company-operated and franchise locations in 10 U.S. states, two food commissaries, and a fuel terminal. At the same time, the acquisition of CST Brands significantly expands the store network of Alimentation Couche-Tard with close to 1,300 stores located in the United States (Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Texas) and Canada (Quebec, Atlantic Canada and Ontario), including 666 sites in Texas.
2020
Acquisition in Asia of corporate stores in Hong Kong and Macau
In late 2020, Alimentation Couche-Tard achieves a significant milestone in its growth strategy with the acquisition of Circle K franchise stores in Hong Kong and Macau from Convenience Retail Asia (BVI). This adds 341 corporate stores in Hong Kong and 32 franchised sites in Macau to the global network. More importantly, it provides Alimentation Couche-Tard with its long-sought-after platform in Asia from which to launch its regional growth ambitions.
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