The convenience store industry continues experiencing significant consolidation in 2025, with major acquisitions reshaping the competitive landscape. Independent owners monitoring these top convenience store mergers 2025 can better understand market dynamics affecting their operations and identify potential opportunities or threats in their regions.

Major Merger and Acquisition Activity

Alimentation Couche-Tard's Strategic Acquisitions Alimentation Couche-Tard closed its $1.6 billion acquisition of GetGo Cafe + Markets, the convenience store arm of supermarket chain Giant Eagle. The buyout includes 270 locations across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. This deal significantly expands Circle K's footprint in key mid-Atlantic markets.

Couche-Tard also acquired Hutchinson Oil Company, operator of 20 Hutch's convenience stores across western Oklahoma and southern Kansas, adding to their regional presence in the central United States.

Nouria's Southeast Expansion Nouria officially closed its acquisition of 133-location Enmarket from the Colonial Group. The deal also included 25 car washes. The stores will continue to operate under the Enmarket banner. This acquisition represents Nouria's strategic move into southeastern markets, doubling their store count and establishing regional diversification.

Regional Chain Consolidation Majors Management bought 35 stores from Circle K and separately acquired four c-stores in North Carolina from McNeill Oil Company, demonstrating how regional operators are expanding through strategic acquisitions from larger chains.

Market Consolidation Trends

Convenience stores M&A activity has decreased 35.7% YOY through YTD 2025. General uncertainty in the M&A marketplace due to tariff headwinds has primarily driven the slowdown in dealmaking. Despite this temporary slowdown, industry experts expect consolidation to accelerate in the latter half of 2025.

The pace of merger and acquisition activity in the U.S. convenience store sector is accelerating with recent trends suggesting the nation's c-store landscape is ripe for more change. Independent operators should prepare for continued consolidation pressure as larger chains seek growth through acquisition rather than new construction.

Strategic Divestiture Activity

Yesway's Market Exit Yesway intends to sell all 30 of its convenience stores across Iowa and Kansas by the end of 2025. A company spokesperson said that Yesway intends to reinvest the proceeds from the sales into c-stores "that enable us to provide a better customer experience."

Portfolio Optimization Stinker Stores is selling 13 convenience stores in Colorado, reflecting how operators are optimizing their portfolios by divesting underperforming or non-core markets.

Impact on Independent Operators

C-store consolidation stands to disproportionally affect rural communities, many of which lack a grocery store or access to major food delivery services. This creates both challenges and opportunities for independent operators in rural markets where they may face less direct competition from major chains.

Major acquisitions within the c-store space generally require significant capital expenditure investments. Rebranding acquired units can demand upwards of $1 million per store, mostly for upgrading or building out kitchens to support foodservice aspirations.

7-Eleven Takeover Speculation

The industry continues watching the potential Couche-Tard acquisition of 7-Eleven, which would create a massive convenience store empire. Under a merger, the combined 7-Eleven/Circle K would be nearly 10 times the size of their next-closest competitor and own more than 13% of all c-stores in the US.

Understanding these top convenience store mergers 2025 helps independent operators anticipate market changes, identify acquisition opportunities, and develop competitive strategies for an increasingly consolidated industry landscape.

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