Retailers based in Mexico making their way onto the 101
Retailers in the United States may consider themselves “big”—but even some of the biggest may have trouble imagining the feat of running more than 12,000 stores.
That’s the size of Monterrey, Mexico-based OXXO, which operates 12,395 stores mostly in Mexico and Colombia. It recently opened up a “proof of concept” store in Eagle Pass, Texas, with officials initially denying that it’s a full-fledged entry into the U.S. market.
In later reports, OXXO officials said if the store’s format and product offer are successful with U.S. consumers, building more stores along the border is a possibility. The brand may play well in the United States with consumers originally from Mexico or South America who are familiar with the chain.
Running second to OXXO in Mexico is Dallas-based 7-Eleven (No. 1 on the 101), which has about 1,700 stores in that country.
Alimentation Couche-Tard, Laval, Quebec (No. 2 on the 101), operator of Circle K, moved south of the border when Circulo K, its operator in Mexico, bought 878 stores from the Tiendas Extra chain. It was owned by Mexico City-based Grupo Modelo, the country’s largest brewer and owner of the Corona brand.
St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Cos. owns a 49% interest in Grupo Modelo, which prior to the sale had 2,100 outlets.
The sale would allow Modelo to focus on making beer, officials said, with the transaction boosting Circulo K’s store count to more than 1,000, according to reports.
Probably the third-largest c-store network in Mexico is the 138-store Del Rio chain. Run by Almacenes Distribuidores de la Frontera—No. 39 on the Top 101—it right now has no plans to expand into the United States. But we wonder if that will change someday.
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