The Pantry Inc. converting 168 stores.
Valero’s 2012 advertising theme is “Keeping America Moving,” and thanks to a new branding agreement with The Pantry Inc., based in Cary, N.C., Valero will be keeping more and more Americans moving throughout the Southeast.
Under the new agreement, 143 properties will convert to a newly created Valero and Kangaroo Express co-branded banner across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. An additional 25 sites in Florida will be branded with Valero’s standard teal and gold image. After the branding of 168 The Pantry sites, Valero’s coast-to-coast network will grow to nearly 5,400 retail and wholesale branded outlets.
Valero also entered into an unbranded supply agreement with The Pantry to supply additional unbranded sites in Florida.
The Pantry Inc. is a leading independently operated convenience store chain in the southeastern United States and one of the largest independently operated convenience store chains in the country. The Pantry Inc. currently operates over 1,600 stores in 13 states.
“Our relationship with Valero, one of America’s largest refiners, enables us to reliably supply our sites with their full line of quality fuels,” said Keith Bell, senior vice president, fuels with The Pantry. “Valero places a high premium on building strong relationships with its distributors and marketers, making this agreement a great fit for The Pantry. We place the same high value on the relationships we’ve established with our convenience store customers.”
Founded in 1980, Texas-based Valero ranks No. 12 on the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations, and has won numerous philanthropic and industry awards—most recently raising $9 million for children’s charities through the annual Valero Texas Open and Benefit for Children Golf Classic. Its headquarters are in San Antonio, home of the Mission San Antonio de Valero— better known as the Alamo. Valero’s shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol VLO.
“Valero is extremely pleased to have The Pantry and the Kangaroo Express banners join the Valero family,” said David Parker, senior vice president, product supply and wholesale marketing with Valero. “We view The Pantry as a valued strategic partner and the perfect addition to our branded presence in the Southeast. The Pantry and Valero’s cultures are very similar, and it was a great fit from the very first meeting.”
Valero Energy Corp., has about 6,800 retail and branded wholesale outlets carry the Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock and Beacon brands in the U.S. and the Caribbean; Ultramar in Canada; and Texaco in the United Kingdom and Ireland.