CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Circle K is expanding its footprint in the Charlotte, N.C., metropolitan area through a new franchise development agreement with convenience-store operator TA&S Enterprises of NC Inc. that will bring nine new Circle K locations to the region over the next five years.
Through the agreement, TA&S has exclusive franchise rights for Mecklenburg County.
Charlotte-based TA&S Enterprises is an independently owned c-store operator founded in 1994 by Jeff Moflehi and partners. It operates 11 sites primarily under local and regional brands and sells fuel marketed by several refiners.
“Circle K is a globally recognized brand that is shaping the future of convenience with an array of innovative programs and offers that are enhancing the customer experience,” said Moflehi. “The Charlotte area is booming, the demand for convenience has never been higher, and I’m looking forward to bringing the Circle K experience to new neighborhoods across Mecklenburg County in the coming years.”
TA&S is scouting locations throughout the county, with plans to open its first two Circle K stores in 2022 and break ground on two others soon afterward, the company said. The new stores will feature Circle K-branded fuel and a larger, new-to-market prototype design with up to 5,200 square feet.
Circle K has more than 7,000 U.S. locations, including more than 100 in the Charlotte area, with further plans for both company and franchise store development in the coming years, it said.
“Jeff’s proven experience as a convenience operator, his entrepreneurial spirit and tremendous local knowledge of the fast-growing Charlotte area make him an ideal partner for Circle K as we expand our presence across the Carolinas in the coming years,” said Pat Fitzpatrick, vice president of global franchise for Circle K parent company Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. “We’re thrilled to have him join in our mission to make our customers’ lives a little easier every day.”
Fitzpatrick added that TA&S will be an early adopter of Circle K’s Full Franchise model, which includes both the global store brand as well as Circle K-branded fuel. Through Full Franchise, operators can access the full range of products, services and programs, as well as support, to market and grow the Circle K brand in the communities they serve.
As part of its network optimization strategy, Couche-Tard also recently launched a new franchising initiative around the Kangaroo Express brand for operators of sites that don’t fit with the Circle K brand and marketing strategy.
- Couche-Tard is No. 2 on CSP’s 2022 Top 40 Update to the 2021 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count. Watch for the full 2022 Top 202 ranking in the June issue of CSP magazine and in CSP Daily News.
Laval, Quebec-based Couche-Tard’s 26-country global network includes approximately 9,300 c-stores in North America, with more than 7,100 in the United States under the Circle K and Holiday Stationstores banners in 48 states, and approximately 2,100 in Canada under the Circle K, Mac’s and Couche-Tard banners. It has a worldwide total network of approximately 14,200 stores.
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