Buoyed by two major acquisitions in California, United Pacific is one of the fastest growing c-store companies thanks to deals involving United Oil and the former Pacific Convenience & Fuel.
The story of United Pacific, however, is just being written. Capitalized by New York private-equity firm Fortress Investment Group LLC., United is led by CEO Joe Juliano and a recently assembled team of veteran category and retailing experts, most notably 7-Eleven and Circle K vet Doug Hecker, the company’s vice president of marketing.
United Pacific was finalizing a major rebranding that over the next two years will put its many store banners under a single name and image. Considering the company’s network features numerous store sizes, from kiosks and under-canopy stops to moderate-size stores, Juliano told CSP plans are to roll out the new brand at five different store types and assess whether the company will launch an “express” concept for smaller footprints.
In the meantime, the company’s core strengths are fuel, tobacco and an improving coffee program. On the forecourt, it flies many banners, including 76, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Shell.
In many ways, 2016 will be a year of transition, moving from hodge-podge programs to a centralized system with key category partners. Because of high real-estate costs and onerous regulation, United has no plans to shift from its smaller store formats, mostly situated in Southern California. But the company will continue to target acquisitions west of the Rockies, with aims of reaching 750 to 800 stores in the next few years. And such acquisitions could feature larger formats.
| Headquarters: | Gardena, California |
|---|---|
| No. of Stores: | 320 |
| Average Store Size: | 1,000-2,500 sq. ft. |
| Rank: | 28 |
| Rank Last Year: | 64 |
| States of Operation: | California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington |
| Website: | http://www.unitedoilco.com |
