Circle K Banner Comes to Big Red Stores

PENSACOLA, Fla. — With the acquisition of Big Red Stores by Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. finalized as of April 17, 44 of the former stores across Arkansas will be rebranded into Circle K locations 

"We are very pleased to be expanding across Arkansas and welcoming Big Red's great team members into our family as we raise the Circle K banner at these high-quality locations," said Trey Powell, vice president of operations, Gulf Coast Business Unit, at Circle K. "We're looking forward to introducing our new customers to the great offerings and exciting programs that make Circle K a leading destination for convenience and mobility."

The Big Red acquisition was originally announced in February 2023 and came on the heels of Couche-Tard's purchase of the True Blue Car Wash franchise. The company has made strides to expand through multiple angles over the last few years, from deals to convert previously existing c-store locations to its banner brands to entering franchise agreements in South Africa.

The Circle K rebranding will continue through April 23 and may require brief closures as work is completed. The stores have been incorporated into Circle K's Gulf Coast Business Unit, which is based in Pensacola and oversees locations across Alabama, Arkansas, the Florida Panhandle, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Laval, Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard operates in 24 countries and territories with more than 14,300 stores, of which approximately 10,900 offer road transportation fuel. With its well-known Couche-Tard and Circle K banners, it is one of the largest independent convenience store operators in the United States, and it is a leader in the convenience store industry and road transportation fuel retail in Canada, Scandinavia, the Baltics, as well as in Ireland.