C-Stores Fight to Earn Place Among Largest Private Companies
Jul. 22, 2016NEW YORK -- Convenience stores had a “tough year” with gasoline at record lows, according to Forbes magazine’s annual ranking of the largest private companies in the United States. Convenience stores and travel centers were well represented on the 2016 list, but most of the chains saw sales drop year over year.
At the top of the list for the industry, Pilot Flying J’s revenues fell by 26%, and its rank dropped from No. 8 to No. 14. Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores fell from No. 14 to No. 22 due to its 36% decrease in sales.
Click through to see the c-stores and related companies on the 2016 list.
Pilot Flying J
At No. 14, Pilot Flying J, Knoxville, Tenn., was the highest-ranking convenience-industry player on the list, with 2015 sales of $22.94 billion.
Cumberland Gulf
At No. 18, Cumberland Gulf Group, Framingham, Mass., had 2015 sales of $16.5 billion.
Love’s
At No. 22, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, Oklahoma City, had 2015 sales of $14.24 billion.
Giant Eagle
At No. 30, Giant Eagle, Pittsburgh, which operates the GetGo convenience-store chain, had 2015 sales of $9.5 billion.
Hy-Vee
At No. 32, Hy-Vee, West Des Moines, Iowa, which operates the Hy-Vee Gas convenience stores, had 2015 sales of $9.3 billion.
QuikTrip
At No. 33, QuikTrip, Tulsa, Okla., had 2015 sales of $9.14 billion.
Wawa
At No. 36, Wawa, based in Wawa, Pa., had 2015 sales of $8.89 billion.
RaceTrac
At No. 44, RaceTrac Petroleum, Atlanta, had 2015 sales of $7.5 billion.
Sheetz
At No. 55, Sheetz, Altoona, Pa., had 2015 sales of $6.28 billion.
Sinclair
At No. 82, Sinclair Oil, Salt Lake City, Utah, had 2015 sales of $5 billion.
Houchens
At No. 130, Houchens Industries, Bowling Green, Ky., which operates Jr. Food Stores, IGA Express and Shell convenience stores, as well as Save-A-Lot limited-assortment grocery stores, had 2015 sales of $3.21 billion.
Holiday
At No. 133, Holiday Cos., Bloomington, Minn., had 2015 sales of $3.2 billion.
Red Apple
At No. 153, Red Apple Group, New York, which operates the Country Fair, Red Apple Food Marts and Kwik Fill convenience stores, as well as United Refining, had 2015 sales of $3 billion.
Kum & Go
At No. 201, Kum & Go, West Des Moines, Iowa, had 2015 sales of $2.3 billion.
Thorntons
At No. 202, Thorntons, Louisville, Ky., had 2015 sales of $2.3 billion.
Convenience-Store Distributors
Two convenience store distributors made the list.
At No. 72, Eby-Brown, Naperville, Ill., had 2015 sales of $5.3 billion.
At No. 105, HT Hackney, Knoxville, Tenn., had 2015 sales of $4 billion.
Click here to view the full Forbes list with links to individual company details.