Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores to convert its 71 company-owned retail locations to Circle K stores as part of new retail branding strategy, will become exclusive Circle K brand developer in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington D.C.

Cindy Allen

RICHMOND, Virginia , July 12, 2012 (press release) – Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores (MACS), one of the largest convenience store networks and fuel distributors in the mid-Atlantic region, announced today a new retail branding strategy that positions MACS as the exclusive developer for the Circle K brand in four regions: Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.

Headquartered in Richmond, MACS is currently comprised of approximately 300 company-owned and dealer-operated retail locations throughout Virginia and Maryland, which until now have gone to market as various brands, such as Uppy's, Tiger Mart and On the Run. With today's announcement, MACS will begin converting its 71 company-owned retail locations to Circle K stores—the first wave of a comprehensive Circle K brand platform that will span the entire mid-Atlantic region.

"This partnership, which is bringing Circle K to the area for the first time, will allow us to invest millions of dollars in store remodels and branding throughout the region," said Dan Pastor, CEO of MACS. "With months of strategic planning under our belt, we expect growth in sales and jobs as a result of this strategic decision."

Pastor continued, "This is a unique arrangement that provides compelling value to both of our organizations: MACS will build a strong brand presence leveraging Circle K's assets while retaining autonomy to operate, market and merchandise locally in our region."

MACS expects the new branding initiative to have a positive economic impact in hundreds of communities throughout the mid-Atlantic region as it engages local skilled workers in the construction and outfitting of the new stores. The deal between MACS and Circle K will also provide significant opportunity for independent c-store dealers in the region who wish to become a Circle K brand franchisee. The company forecasts that details about independent dealer opportunities will be forthcoming in the fourth quarter of 2012.

According to Derek Gaskins, senior vice president of marketing and merchandising at MACS, the Circle K brand will bring to the region proprietary products and programs that will offer customers the best experience in premium coffee, dispensed beverages and roller grill products.

"There are more than 3,400 Circle K's in the United States, but this will be the first footprint of the Circle K brand in the mid-Atlantic region of the country," said Dennis Tewell, vice president of franchising for Circle K, a division of Alimentation Couche-Tard. "We are excited and proud to begin the growth in this market with MACS. They are a very talented and well-led group."

"This announcement is just the beginning," said Gaskins. "We're excited to offer our customers the products they want at a high level of quality, and we expect to announce more news that will appeal to our customer base in the coming months."

About Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores, LLC (MACS)

Based in Richmond, Va., Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores (MACS) is a leading convenience store operator in Maryland and Virginia. With a network of approximately 300 company-owned and dealer locations, in addition to its wholesale fuel distribution network, MACS is one of the largest convenience store networks and fuel distributors in the region. The company is also the exclusive developer for the Circle K brand in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. For more information on Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores, contact Jeff Dezen at jeffd@jdpr.com.

About Alimentation Couche-Tard

Alimentation Couche-Tard is the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In North America, Alimentation Couche-Tard is the largest independent convenience store operator (whether integrated with a petroleum corporation or not) in terms of number of company-operated stores. As of January 29, 2012, Alimentation Couche-Tard had a network of 5,817 convenience stores, 4,225 of which include motor fuel dispensing. At the same date, Alimentation Couche-Tard had agreements for the supply of motor fuel to 338 sites operated by independent operators. Alimentation Couche-Tard's network consists of 13 business units, including nine in the United States covering 42 states and the District of Columbia, and four in Canada covering all ten provinces. More than 53,000 people are employed throughout Alimentation Couche-Tard's retail convenience network and service centers. In addition, a network of about 3,900 licensees extends in seven other regions worldwide (China, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Mexico).

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