CStore Decisions has identified five established and growing convenience store Chains to Watch in the year ahead. Each highlighted chain operates more than 70 locations and is focused on expanding its footprint while driving internal growth through innovations in technology, foodservice and beyond. Far from resting on their laurels, these proven c-store players are building for the future — fortifying their foundations, sharpening their competitive edge and evolving to meet changing customer expectations.
Parker’s Kitchen
Parker’s Kitchen got its start in 1976 when Founder and Executive Chairman Greg Parker opened his first c-store in Midway, Ga. Today, Parker’s Kitchen operates 103 c-stores across Georgia and South Carolina.
“… And we’re just getting started,” confirmed Brandon Hofmann, CEO of Parker’s Kitchen.
Over the next five years, Parker’s is “committed to one of the most ambitious growth plans in our industry,” Hofmann said.
That includes opening 100 new Parker’s Kitchen stores.
“Our expansion will strengthen our roots in Savannah, Charleston and Augusta while pushing into vibrant new markets like Myrtle Beach, Columbia and Jacksonville,” he said.
Hofmann took the helm as CEO in March 2025 after Parker, who served as CEO for the past 50 years, transitioned into the executive chairman position.
“At Parker’s Kitchen, I am deeply proud of the journey we’re on. From my own start as a third-shift clerk to now leading this incredible company, I’ve had the privilege of learning every aspect of what makes Parker’s Kitchen special,” Hofmann said. “My leadership is rooted in those experiences; in the lessons I’ve learned directly from our founder, Greg Parker; and in my belief that our people are the heart of our success.”
In September 2024, Parker’s debuted its largest-ever location in Kingsland, Ga., which Hofmann noted is “a store that stands as a symbol of what’s ahead.”
The Kingsland store features more space, additional offerings and enhanced convenience.
“This flagship location positions us for growth along I-95 and into Jacksonville, Fla. It’s not just a bigger store — it’s a bold step forward in redefining what a convenience store can be,” Hofmann said.
The chain’s vision centers on its Core 4 values: Building the best place to work on the planet, driving strong and sustainable store profitability, supporting ambitious new store growth, giving back generously to the communities it serves.
“Every decision we make — every innovation, every new store, every menu addition — is guided by these values,” Hofmann said.
Parker’s was honored with a USA TODAY Top Workplaces USA 2024 award, which Hofmann noted is “a reflection of the culture we’ve built together: one that values people first and empowers every team member to grow their career while delighting our customers.”
Elevating Food & Tech
At Parker’s Kitchen, the foodservice team is committed to quality.
“Quality foodservice has always been at the heart of Parker’s Kitchen,” Hofmann said. “We don’t just serve meals, we are delivering on experiences rooted in freshness, flavor and Southern comfort.”
Menu items include the chain’s Huge Chicken Tenders, which are marinated and double breaded fresh every day, as well as its new Personal Pizza that launched earlier this year.
“Foodservice is what sets us apart — and it’s why more people are choosing Parker’s Kitchen for both convenience and quality,” Hofmann said.
Parker’s is also investing in cutting-edge technology, from its Smart Kitchen system that uses historical data to predict demand to ensure fresh food is always available to its ordering kiosks, assisted checkout and mobile apps, which are redefining convenience for today’s customers. Behind the scenes, data-driven insights are helping the chain select the best sites, redefine its menu and remain ahead of customer demands.
“I believe technology should make life easier, not more complicated,” Hofmann said. “That’s why we invest in innovations that improve both the guest experience and our operations.”
“We are an organization that is driven by constant improvement and (we) work hard every day to figure out better ways to serve our customers,” he added.
A Lasting Legacy
As Parker’s looks ahead to doubling its store count, it’s also focused on its employees and the communities it serves.
“What makes me most proud is not only what we build, but what we give,” Hofmann said.
The chain has donated more than $30 million through the Parker’s Community Fund to nonprofits “supporting education, reducing childhood hunger, expanding access to healthcare and supporting our local heroes,” Hofmann said. “We don’t just want to grow stores. We want to grow stronger communities.”
“We have the absolute best team in the industry,” he added. “I am very lucky to be a part of this remarkable team. Together, we are an organization fueled by unstoppable drive, ignited by passion, grounded in purpose and powered by our people.”
As the company grows, Hofmann pointed out that it remains committed to the values that have helped it get to where it is today, including hard work, exceptional customer service, innovation in foodservice and technology, and a strong commitment to serving the community.
“The future is incredibly bright for the Parker’s Kitchen family,” Hofmann revealed. “We’re not just building stores — we’re building something extraordinary together.
Nouria
Nouria Energy Corp. was founded in 1989 by CEO Tony El-Nemr. The family-owned and -operated business is headquartered in Worcester, Mass., and operates 319 c-stores and 90 car washes in Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Rhode Island.
Nouria acquired Savannah, Ga.-based Enmarket in February 2025, adding 133 c-stores and 25 car washes and expanding its presence into the fast-growing Southeastern U.S., particularly Georgia and the Carolinas.
“This acquisition represents a significant step in our growth strategy, expanding our presence to the Southeast region and allowing us to serve more customers with the high-quality products and services Nouria is known for,” El-Nemr said at the time of the acquisition.
Nouria pointed out that its acquisition of Enmarket was “a highly strategic decision that strengthened the company’s presence and competitiveness.” Enmarket was also an appealing acquisition because of its strong regional brand, loyal customer base and operational excellence, all of which were qualities that aligned closely with Nouria’s culture and standards.
The acquisition also offers a platform for Nouria to introduce its innovations — such as its My Nouria private-label products and its fresh food options — to new markets.
“Together, these factors reinforce Nouria’s long-term vision of building a multigenerational, service-driven company with a national reach,” the company told CStore Decisions.
Nouria has also been updating existing locations. In April, Nouria completed a raze and rebuild of its Raynham, Mass., store, where guests can find freshly made sandwiches, pizzas and pasta using handpicked ingredients, bakery-fresh bread and authentic flavors. In June, Nouria completed a raze and rebuild on its Webster, Mass., location., which is designed to cater to residents and travelers and features a diverse array of products and services.
Growing Forward
Looking ahead, Nouria has ambitious growth plans, including a 10-year goal to quadruple the size of the company. It’s already halfway toward achieving that milestone. The chain plans to expand its footprint through both organic new store development and via strategic acquisitions.
Nouria is also strengthening its foodservice program, expanding its private-label offerings under the My Nouria brand and working to scale its car wash network, all while investing in digital loyalty, mobile payments and operational innovations that make the chain more efficient and help to deepen its connection with the customers it serves.
In addition to creating a “multigenerational, service-driven company with national reach,” the chain aspires to “strong regional leadership and a reputation for delivering the ultimate guest experience with every interaction.”
Food & Tech Innovation
Nouria operates three major foodservice concepts in the Northeast. The chain’s approach to the market is unique compared to other c-store chains. At the heart of each store is Nouria’s Kitchen, which Nouria treats as a central feature. It also partners with third-party brands Amato’s and Krispy Krunchy Chicken to further diversify its offerings.
As the chain continues to get to know its customer base in the Southeast, it plans to evolve its food strategy to focus on freshness and exceptional customer experience while also encouraging strong engagement from its team members.
Nouria sees technology as a driving force behind how it enhances the customer experience at its stores while also improving operational efficiency and store security. In 2025, it’s leading the way with several innovations. The chain has introduced dynamic videowalls in select locations to elevate in-store engagement. The videowalls offer high-resolution displays where the company will feature promotions, community messages and updates in real time, creating a “vibrant and immersive environment” for customers.
The c-store chain has also added next-generation video security, investing in artificial intelligence-powered video analytics to help it reduce shrink and protect the bottom line without disrupting the customer experience.
Additionally, Nouria is investing in self-checkout innovation, which allows for fast and secure transactions while minimizing false alerts and ensuring a smooth experience for guests.
“What makes Nouria a chain to watch is that we pair family values and care for our guests with cutting-edge innovation — growing fast, serving fresh and staying true to our people-first culture,” said Joe Hamza, chief operating officer, Nouria.
Weigel’s
Weigel’s has been serving the East Tennessee Community since 1931 when it began as a dairy. Today, the Powell, Tenn.-based chain operates 85 convenience stores across east Tennessee, with plans to reach 89 locations by the end of 2025.
“By end of year we will have built seven new stores (in 2025),” said Nick Triantafellou, director of marketing & merchandising for Weigel’s. And, Weigel’s has an additional eight new stores on the docket for 2026. The chain’s Generation 4 store, which is its latest model, places the kitchen at the center of the store while providing ample space to accommodate guest traffic.
“In 2025, we also launched our first Weigel’s Auto Spa, with more slated to follow,” Triantafellou said. “All of our stores have been ground-up builds, reflecting our commitment to investing in the communities we serve.”
In March, Weigel’s debuted its 110,000-square-foot Harvest Station Foods Commissary. Triantafellou noted the commissary is “capable of producing at scale with unmatched efficiency.”
For example, the commissary can produce 40 pizzas per minute.
“This represents a pivotal shift for Weigel’s, giving us greater control over quality, consistency and innovation,” he said. “It also lays the foundation for vertical integration where possible, ensuring our foodservice programs remain fresh, distinctive and scalable.”
Dippin’ Chicken
Weigel’s foodservice program includes made-in-store pizza and its never-frozen hand-breaded Dippin’ Chicken, as well as traditional c-store fare, including roller grill offerings, sandwiches, corn dogs and stuffed biscuits in the morning.
“The commissary strengthens our ability to deliver programs like this consistently, with the flexibility to innovate across the menu,” Triantafellou said.
Weigel’s is currently focused on the recent launch of its Knoxville Hot Dippin’ Chicken, “a major brand innovation that blends sweet flavor with a fiery kick,” Triantafellou said. “First, you’ll taste the sweet crunch, then the fire hits — that surprise is what makes it fun. We’re not following trends here, we’re setting them.”
Weigel’s commitment to foodservice quality and innovation has paid off. It was recognized earlier this year in USA Today’s 10Best series where it was voted one of the Top 10 Best Gas Stations for Food. Weigel’s scored the No. 6 spot.
Retail Media Network
When it comes to technology, “our biggest push in 2025 is the continued buildout of our in-store retail media network, designed to unlock new revenue streams, deepen vendor collaboration and deliver more personalized experiences to our guests,” Triantafellou said. “This platform positions us at the leading edge of digital innovation within the convenience channel.”
Forward Momentum
As it looks ahead, Weigel’s aims to expand its store base by 10% annually via new builds while also expanding its Auto Spa platform, Triantafellou explained. “At the same time, we will leverage the commissary to fuel proprietary food growth and long-term brand differentiation.”
When asked what makes Weigel’s a Chain to Watch, Triantafellou pointed to the way Weigel’s combines 94 years of heritage with a forward-looking vision. “We trailblaze and set the standard in food, loyalty and technology, powered by a team that is deeply passionate about serving our guests,” he said. “From investing in a state-of-the-art commissary to launching Auto Spas and our own retail media network, we’re not just evolving with the industry — we’re helping define its future.”
Power Market
CEO Sal Hassan founded H&S Energy in 1996 when he opened his first gas station in Cyprus, Calif. Today, H&S Energy operates more than 260 locations in California, Oregon and Nevada, including 181 Power Markets and Pinnacle 365 by Power Market. It is also an ExtraMile franchisee (80 sites).
H&S Energy is a family-run company. Sal’s brother Victor Hassan is the chief operating officer, and his brother Moe Hassan acts as chief financial officer. Sal’s son, Amir Hassan, is president of operations; Sal’s daughter Hana Hassan serves as director of marketing and public relations, while his daughter Laila Hassan acts as a marketing coordinator. Victor’s daughter, Reem Hassan, is also a marketing coordinator.
In March 2024, H&S Energy acquired Andretti Petroleum Group’s convenience retail, fuels distribution, cardlock, fleet card, commercial fueling, car wash, lubricants and transportation businesses. The acquisition expanded H&S Energy’s presence in the Pacific Northwest and on the West Coast; added 100 c-stores under the Pinnacle 365 banner, as well as dealer accounts and cardlocks; and marked the largest acquisition in the company’s history.
The acquisition also helped the chain expand into new verticals, as it became a distributor and wholesaler for fuel with different oil brands and a distributor and marketer of lubricants. The company is also now transporting its own fuel. The newly acquired sites are being remodeled and rebranded to Power Market. The remodels are modernizing the interior and exterior designs, which includes refreshes to layouts and displays. As part of the revamp, stores are receiving hot food, dispensed beverage programs and coffee programs that match Power Market’s offering.
“All interior remodels (have been) done in the past two years with completion set for end of 2026,” said Hana Hassan.
And the chain is still growing.
“We are continuing to look for acquisition opportunities and have plans to build three to five new stores by the end of 2026,” Hassan said.
Food & Tech Innovation
H&S Energy operates proprietary Papa Sal’s delis — named as an homage to CEO and father Sal — which offer made-to-order sandwiches, salads, fresh baked bread and fried chicken.
“Stores without the delis offer a wide variety of hot dogs, tornados and proprietary Papa Sal’s Pizza,” Hassan said. “We are also looking at expanding our fried chicken offering to our stores without full kitchens with the investment into air fryer combie ovens.”
The chain is innovating on the tech front, as well.
“We are always looking to be on the forefront of technology,” Hassan said.
The chain features the Power Market app, which includes the Power Market Rewards program, in-store deals, interactive games and a store locator map.
H&S Energy also operates about 70 car washes under the name PM Auto Spa. In June 2024, it launched a car wash subscription program, which offers a monthly subscription called PM Plus.
“We recently tested out electronic shelf labels and will be rolling that out at more stores,” Hassan said. “We also invested in temperature sensors for all coolers and hot food equipment, so we get real-time data on any equipment repairs that are needed. Also, we went completely digital with our task management. …”
The company offers its own white-label Power Market delivery program for all products within the store, including the full menu. The convenience chain also partners with DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats drivers.
As it looks ahead, the company aspires to expand in multiple areas, including in retail, wholesale and as a marketer.
When asked what makes Power Market a Chain to Watch, Hassan noted, “Power Market is not your average c-store; we have everything you need right around the corner. We offer wide varieties of snacks and drinks but also have proprietary coffee beans for our bean-to-cup machines, groceries you can pick up for your Sunday barbecue and much more. Power Market is looking to make gas station food a staple on the West Coast with its Papa Sal’s offering, as we see this as a major opportunity on the West Coast.”
Chestnut Market
Chestnut Petroleum Distributors (CPD) was founded around 1980 by Mickey Jamal. The company began as a single-site Mobil dealer in New Paltz, N.Y.
Mickey’s brothers — Sal Jamal, Sam Jamal and Cal Jamal — joined the business shortly thereafter. Today, Mickey leads the company as CEO. Sal acts as president, while Sam serves as chief operating officer and Cal serves as secretary. The second generation of the family is also active within the company. Second-generation members include Faheem Jamal, who acts as director of c-store operations; Faheem’s cousin AJ Jamal, who serves as northeast director of wholesale fuels; and Faheem’s cousin Sharif Jamal, director of real estate and brand development. Faheem’s brother, Farris Jamal, acts as merchandising manager and is also involved in the growth and development of Chestnut’s foodservice programs.
In 2020, CPD officially rolled out the Chestnut Market banner across its fleet of stores. Today, Chestnut Market operates approximately 75 company-operated convenience stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and it’s also a major distributor for Exxon Mobil, Shell, bp, Gulf and Irving, supplying fuel to about 230 locations in the Tri-State area.
Now, it plans to expand its footprint in the Tri-State area with help from the chain’s in-house construction company.
In 2024, Chestnut Market debuted a new site — which it calls “The Hutch” — on the Hutchinson River Parkway in New York. The new location is a ground-up remodel that features a glass-front exterior and mixes historic charm with modern convenience. Chestnut was also busy completing several remodels in 2024. The store was a winner of CStore Decisions’ 2025 Best Store Design Awards.
In 2025, the chain completed significant remodels at its Mt. Vernon, N.Y., location and Yonkers, N.Y., site. In New York, the chain is retrofitting beer caves into its latest remodels.
It also plans to open two new-to-industry stores in 2026, one in the greater Westchester County area in New York and one in the Hartford, Conn., area. Foodservice Evolution
Chestnut Market is bringing a higher level of foodservice into its newer locations, moving from a strictly commissary-driven program with cold sandwiches and salads to a broader menu that also incorporates hot foods.
“We’re extremely happy with the foodservice that we just launched in our Hutchinson River Parkway location,” Faheem Jamal said.
The chain is offering chicken sandwiches prepared on-site, including Hot Honey Chicken on a Waffle, a Spicy Chicken Sandwich and a Classic Chicken Sandwich. Additionally, empanadas are a specialty for Chestnut. “We offer empanadas at high, high volume, and it’s a great grab-and-go snack,” Jamal said. “People were asking when we reopened (the Hutchinson River Parkway location) if we were going to have empanadas again. It was kind of a signature for that location, and we are, and now we’re expanding that empanada program across our portfolio.”
Chestnut is also beginning to add pizza options to its foodservice menu.
Retail Is Detail
One of the keys to Chestnut Market’s success in ensuring consistent quality of service, well-stocked products and clean stores is the chain’s Retail Is Detail/Walk the Store program, which was started by Sal about a decade ago. Under Faheem’s leadership, the program has flourished and incorporated technology to increase accountability and efficiency.
Loyalty Launch
Chestnut Market rolled out its loyalty program and mobile app starting in March of 2025, with the program live at all locations by April.
The chain brought in Abigail Cerra, the former senior manager of innovation and brand marketing at Charleston, S.C.-based Refuel Operating Co. LLC, to be Chestnut’s director of marketing, loyalty & communications and help spearhead the rollout of the program.
Within the first five months of the program, Chestnut reached 70,000 loyalty members with an average chainwide scan rate of 10%, Cerra pointed out. “We have some best-in-class stores performing at close to a 20% scan rate already,” she added.
Chestnut has also been testing self-checkout technology, having introduced Mashgin self-checkout kiosks in its “The Hutch” location and its Old Lyme, Conn., site, with more locations set to roll out the technology.
The chain also plans to fully integrate its support systems across one integrated package by the end of 2025.
Growing Forward
As it looks ahead, Chestnut has its sights set on expanding from the 75 stores it has now to 100 sites.
“Chestnut Market is a chain to watch for its bold growth strategy, commitment to innovation in foodservice and digital engagement, and a people-first culture that reflects the communities it serves,” said Sal Jamal.
