Giant Eagle Answers FAQs Around GetGo Sale
PITTSBURGH — Following the news that Giant Eagle Inc. is selling its convenience store arm to Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the locally based supermarket retailer assured customers and employees that it will be business as usual for Giant Eagle locations and GetGo Café+Markets.
Calling it an exciting day, Giant Eagle CEO Bill Artman said the sale of GetGo to Laval, Quebec-based Couche-Tard will enable growth for both Giant Eagle and GetGo as the two move forward.
Couche-Tard is the parent company of the global Circle K brand.
"First and foremost, our customers are going to continue to benefit from our world class loyalty program where they're able to earn perks and redeem for up to free fuel and free groceries," Artman said in a video. "It also gives us the ability to invest into our supermarket business and our pharmacy business. We're going to do that through a better value proposition, lower prices. We're going to build new stores and we're going to remodel stores and really invest back into our communities."
In response to a series of frequently asked questions, Giant Eagle explained that the move to sell the c-store chain to Couche-Tard strengthens Giant Eagle's business for the future and delivers significant benefits to its team members, partners, customers and communities. "Giant Eagle is also confident that Couche-Tard is the right partner for GetGo moving forward. [The] announcement brings together GetGo's leadership in the made-to-order foods with Couche-Tard's scale, strength and depth of experience in convenience stores and fuel," the company said.
[Read more: PHOTO GALLERY: GetGo Drives Convenience Forward]
As for GetGo employees, Giant Eagle said "Couche-Tard has deep respect for the GetGo business, management and people, and will be intentional about preserving all that makes GetGo great. Couche-Tard is planning to carry forward the incredible legacy GetGo has built, including its excellent customer service and its food-first approach to convenience. Couche-Tard intends to retain all dedicated GetGo store, operations and support team members as a part of this transaction."
GetGo, the convenience store arm of the supermarket retailer, employs approximately 3,500 employees and operates approximately 270 c-stores across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.
The sale is slated to close in calendar year 2025, subject to approval from the Federal Trade Commission and other customary closing conditions. Until the transaction closes, GetGo stores will continue to operate as part of Giant Eagle. Following the close, Couche-Tard and Giant Eagle have agreed to keep and partner together on the myPerks loyalty program across Giant Eagle and GetGo locations, "while exploring opportunities to expand the program to unlock even more value and discounts for our customers," Giant Eagle said.
"This partnership is going to give us the ability to expand on myPerks. Our customers love the ability to earn perks and redeem up to free fuel and free groceries. We're excited about what this partnership is going to bring us in the future," Artman added.
Giant Eagle, Inc., ranked among the top 40 on Forbes magazine's largest private corporations list, is one of the nation's largest food retailers and distributors with approximately $11.4 billion in annual sales. Founded in 1931, Giant Eagle Inc. has grown to be a leading food, fuel and pharmacy retailer in the region with more than 470 stores throughout western Pennsylvania, north central Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana.
Giant Eagle is No. 30 on the 2024 Convenience Store News Top 100 ranking.