Alimentation Couche-Tard remains in aggressive expansion mode after withdrawing its offer to acquire 7-Eleven’s Japanese parent for approximately US$46 billion.

Alex Miller, Couche-Tard’s president and CEO, said on a quarterly earnings call that the convenience-store retailer continues to target 500 new store openings across North America over the next five years. Laval-based Couche-Tard will likely exceed its goal of opening 100 new locations by year-end 2025.

“We are well on our way to reaching our goal of 500 new stores in five years, with 29 new stores open since May, and we are on track for more than 100 new locations in North America this fiscal year, with many offering high-speed diesel to serve our B2B customers,” said Miller on the conference call.

“And, we continue to seize opportunities in rural communities along with our traditional metro area sites. As of today, we have another 73 stores currently under construction, and our real estate team has 1,000 sites in the pipeline for potential future development.”

Even though talks with 7-Eleven’s parent Seven & i did not go far, Couche-Tard is expanding its footprint overseas.

“In Europe, our rebranding of TotalEnergies’ retail assets is progressing across our four new business units, with the Circle K brand and programs now at 80 sites as of the first half of the year,” said Miller. And, half of those sites feature the Circle K car wash offer.”

Couche-Tard recently opened a new distribution centre in Otsego, Minn., the first of three new U.S. logistics facilities.

Earlier this year, Couche-Tard scrapped plan to acquire Seven & i earlier this year. Miller and Couche-Tard Founder and Executive Chairman Alain Bouchard accused the Japanese firm of deliberately stalling negotiations.

Couche-Tard, which owns the Circle K banner and other brands, had pursued the acquisition for nearly a year, seeking to combine two of the world’s largest convenience-store operators.

Pictured: Circle K store

Photo: Circle K