Major Oil LLC, creator of the Joltz convenience store brand, has purchased two Cenex-branded retail locations in St. Elizabeth and Freeburg, Missouri, with the goal of achieving operational experience in the c-store sector. The openings are also a step in Major Oil’s intention to open as many as 500 of what it calls “convenience-store portable above ground stations” (CPAGs) across the United States. The sites would be automated, frictionless locations.
“While the Cenex flag will continue to fly, the store will get reimaged with the Joltz logo,” CEO Major Itule told CSP.
“Today, Major Oil LLC’s brand Joltz has begun to serve the community, and our expansion into the Show Me State is just the beginning of our renewed mission to energize America’s c-store space with ingenuity and innovation. Our journey is about transformation and sustainability and these new locations mark our dedication to growth and making a positive impact in local communities in each step of this transformative process,” the Birmingham, Alabama-based company said in announcing the grand opening of the stores under Major Oil ownership.
“As part of our strategic expansion, these two traditional convenience stores allow Major Oil to gain in-depth insights into existing operational processes and determine the aspects that can be made efficient and frictionless utilizing our partnerships and technology,” it said.
“The acquisition of traditional operations is an important step in line with our commitment to revolutionize and revitalize the c-store energy space as it exists today through a strategic mix of new alternative, fully frictionless operations and the refresh of traditional operations to allow them to adapt with the changing energy landscape. Participating in the workflow, customer interactions, and back-end operations will allow Major Oil to better identify opportunities and challenges with bringing these traditional stores forward to the cutting edge of energy sales and convenience in this everchanging industry.”
Major Oil is working with Nashville, Tennessee-based commercial developer American Development Partners in response to the demand for fuel, real estate limitations in growing communities, alternative energy and the increased demand for automated and seamless shopping experiences, the companies said.
Each CPAG is equipped with two 12,000-gallon aboveground tanks, which can be segmented for the sale of both biodiesel and regular fuels. Nestled between these tanks is a strategically designed 976-square-foot convenience-store space, incorporating frictionless shopping, creating what Major Oil calls a “hybrid energy station.”
The CPAGs’ will also include electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations in select parking spaces, as well as a full integration with the Gas Pos Intrepid System, allowing each CPAG to accept fleet cards and over-the-road fleet cards.
Major Oil's strategy for enhancing the in-store experience also includes optimizing planograms for larger baskets and promotions, streamlining operations and significantly reducing employee safety concerns through its cashless approach and automated inventory strategies, it said.
American Development Partners is a full-service development, general contractor, architectural design and private equity firm that provides a turnkey funding solution that allows industry-proven multi-unit operators to grow their business without using any of their capital, allowing operating partners to focus on running their organizations and developing their organizational infrastructure, it said.
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