Casey's Picks Up Five-Store Chain in Iowa

ANKENY, Iowa — Casey's General Stores Inc. is adding to its store count in eastern Iowa.

The Iowa-based chain is acquiring locally owned DeliMart convenience stores in the Iowa City area.

The stores closed in late March and will soon reopen under the Casey's banner. A sign posted on the front door of the DeliMart at Lower Muscatine Road and First Avenue in Iowa City thanked customers for their business over the last 37 years.

Brothers Frank and John Moreland opened the first DeliMart in 1985 on Highway 1 in Iowa City. They later expanded with multiple stores and a car wash in Iowa City and Coralville, Iowa.

"To make a long story short, we decided to build a convenience store so he could run it," John Moreland said of his brother.

Frank Moreland bought all DeliMart stores from his brother in 2005, reported The Gazette.

DeliMart employees will be offered roles at Casey's, according to company spokesperson Katie Petru.

The deal continues Casey's acquisition streak, which saw the c-store chain expand its network by more than 200 locations during its 2022 fiscal year, recording the largest unit-growth year in Casey's history. Total store growth was 228 locations for the fiscal year, 207 of which were acquisitions.

"Through these acquisitions, we have strengthened our presence in the Nebraska and Illinois markets through the Bucky's acquisition, and acquired immediate scale in the Oklahoma City and Knoxville, Tenn., markets with the Circle K and Pilot acquisitions, respectively," President and CEO Darren Rebelez said during the company's fourth-quarter and fiscal year 2022 earnings call.

Along with network expansion, strong inside sales, including same-store prepared food and dispensed beverage sales, and same-store grocery and general merchandise sales, contribute to growth expectations for Casey's in fiscal year 2023.

Casey's General Stores is headquartered in Ankeny and operates more than 2,400 c-stores.