EG America Begins Rebranding of Minit Mart Stores
CINCINNATI — A little more than a year after its entry into the U.S. convenience store industry, EG America is debuting its new banner.
EG America, which is the Cincinnati-based arm of the United Kingdom's EG Group, began an 11-month project to rebrand, refresh and remodel the Minit Mart portfolio.
EG Group acquired the 200-plus convenience store chain from TravelCenters of America LLC last year, placing the stores under the EG America umbrella. The $330.8-million transaction closed in December, as Convenience Store News previously reported.
The Minit Mart chain will be the first c-stores to carry the EG America banner. According to EG America, the company's other stores, which carry the former Kroger Co. banners, will remain the same. Those banners include Turkey Hill, Loaf 'N Jug, Kwik Shop, Tom Thumb and Quik Stop.
The EG America rebranding effort is starting with a décor package, according to a company spokeswoman, with a brighter and fresher look. The rebranding is also bringing in a new bean-to-cup coffee offer as well as a new fountain drink program to the stores.
Rebranding efforts began in Lexington, Ky., a week ago and three stores have had soft openings. A grand opening celebration in the Lexington market will take place this summer. From there, the initiative will move market by market.
No decision has been made about possible rebranding of other c-stores that EG Group is in the process of acquiring. In mid-May, the company announced an agreement to acquire 69 Certified Oil-branded convenience stores and gas stations in Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio.
That deal came on the heels of EG Group's agreement to acquire Syracuse, N.Y.-based Fastrac Markets. The transaction includes 54 convenience stores and gas stations, as well as Fastrac's wholesale fuel business.
Those two deals will expand EG Group's U.S. footprint to 1,112 stores operating in 25 states.
EG Group came onto the U.S. convenience store scene with the April 2018 acquisition of Kroger's convenience store portfolio for $2.15 billion. Included in that sale were 762 convenience stores, including 66 franchise operations, operating in 18 states and employing 11,000 associates.
Through the purchase, EG Group established a U.S. headquarters in Cincinnati.