As the c-store landscape continues to evolve, consolidation is becoming more widespread. The latest industry development is the finalization of Nouria’s acquisition of Enmarket — an identity-shifting transaction for the Worcester, Mass.-based chain.
The landmark deal was first announced in October 2024. Included in the transaction are 132 c-stores and 26 car washes from Colonial Group, Enmarket’s owner.
“Enmarket stood out as a strong acquisition opportunity due to its established presence in the Southeast, a region with significant growth potential for Nouria,” Joe Hamza, chief operating officer at Nouria, told CStore Decisions. “The company has an excellent reputation, a solid operational foundation and a talented team that aligns well with Nouria’s values and standards. Its focus on high-quality fresh food offerings and customer experience mirrors our own, making it a natural fit.”
Nouria has emphasized that the transition will be seamless, with customers finding “the same familiar faces, exceptional service and commitment to quality they’ve come to trust at Enmarket,” a recent Nouria statement read.
“We are thrilled to officially welcome Enmarket into the Nouria family,” said Tony El-Nemr, Founder and CEO of Nouria. “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. We are confident that this integration will be seamless and beneficial for both our customers and our team members.”
For now, Nouria confirmed, all current Enmarket locations will remain unmodified.
“We are committed to ensuring a smooth and positive transition for our customers and employees,” added Joe Hamza, COO at Nouria. “We look forward to serving the Enmarket communities and building lasting relationships with our new customers.”
Consolidation Sweeps the Industry
This was just one of multiple large-scale acquisitions that took place in the convenience industry last year. Industry giants across the c-store space are leveraging large-scale acquisitions to enhance scalability, refine operations and compete with other growing industries.
“We’ve seen these acquisitions kind of fundamentally reshape the landscape of the industry,” Matt Riezman, partner at advisory firm NexChapter, told CStore Decisions. “And we’re starting to see the emergence of super, regional and national players that have really sophisticated capabilities in areas like supply chain marketing operations.”
Riezman sees consolidation as a trend that is likely to continue, as the market remains fragmented with over 60% of locations being owned by independent operators.
“Consolidation helps to drive scale, and scale becomes increasingly important for investing in things like digital capabilities and also competing with other retail channels,” Riezman said.
Operators like Alimentation Couche-Tard, Casey’s and 7-Eleven have taken to riding the consolidation wave as the industry continues to evolve and present new opportunities and challenges.
Click here to download CStore Decisions’ exclusive online report, which examines M&A activity in 2024.
