Canadian-based Alimentation Couche-Tard, the second largest independent c-store operator in North America with 5,690 stores, is making a major push into two new regions through an extension of a partnership with New Brunswick-based Irving Oil.  In 2001, Couche-Tard took over operations of 56 Mainway stores and rebranded the sites while continuing to offer Irving’s fuel brand.  Now, Couche-Tard will expand that agreement to include an additional 252 stores in northern New England and Atlantic Canada.

“For Couche-Tard, this is a strategic growth opportunity and it allows us to expand our representation in two major North American markets,” said Michel Bernard, Couche-Tard’s Vice President of Operations in eastern Canada. “To fuel and exhilarate the base of our growth, we will take over sites that are already very well operated and profitable.”

Executives at Irving Oil said that the deal gave them the opportunity to focus on their core business of processing and marketing clean fuels for their customers.  Irving Oil will continue to own the retail sites and Couche-Tard will operate them under lease at market value for the next 20 years.

The 252 sites in the new deal are located in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont, as well as in the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.