Yesway Named CStore Decisions 2021 Convenience Store Chain of the Year
Yesway Named CStore Decisions 2021 Convenience Store Chain of the Year
Continuing a tradition that began in 1990, CStore Decisions is proud to announce Yesway as its 2021 Convenience Store Chain of the Year.
What makes Yesway special is that it continues to cement its presence as a retail leader by evolving to meet and exceed customers’ expectations, all while being one of the fastest growing chains in the convenience store industry.
Over the past two years, Yesway has transformed its retail image with a new store design, a thriving proprietary foodservice program and a growing private label food and beverage brand. Combined with vibrant community outreach programs, Yesway boasts the exceptional leadership and customer service which many other convenience store chains aspire. In recognition of its hard work, dedication to convenience retailing and its firm commitment to employees and the communities it serves, CStore Decisions is honored to name Yesway as the 32nd annual Convenience Store Chain of the Year.
“We are honored to be named CStore Decisions’ 2021 Convenience Store Chain of the Year,” said Tom Trkla, chairman and CEO of Yesway. “It truly is a tribute to everyone on the Yesway team — from our senior management team whose collective hard work and dedication have proven critical to our being able to grow our portfolio, to our Yesway and Allsup’s store team members providing outstanding service to customers in the communities we serve every day. Each of them has helped us to become the exceptional convenience store retailer we have aspired to be.”
Yesway, which will be honored at an awards reception Wednesday, Oct. 6, during the NACS Show, was chosen for a number of reasons, said CStore Decisions Editor-in-Chief John Lofstock.
“Yesway burst onto the scene in 2015 as a chain focused on retail excellence and growth, and it hasn’t looked back,” Lofstock said. “With the acquisition of Allsup’s in 2019, Yesway tripled its store count and then raised $235 million of capital to invest in its raze-and-rebuild efforts. Over the past year, while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the chain pushed through numerous retail improvement projects, all while promoting its Hospitality Heroes program to recognize and honor the service and commitment of its essential worker team members on the frontline, every day, in all of its stores.”
The Chain of the Year Award showcases the best of the best in convenience retailing, and Yesway is certainly deserving of a place in this rich tradition. As many industry marketers are struggling to reinvent themselves and to identify a strategy that will lead them into the future, in six short years Yesway has been able to make itself a force in the competitive convenience store industry and blaze its own trail. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company operates 402 stores across nine states: Texas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Brookwood Financial Partners, the Boston-based private equity firm, founded Yesway in 2015, to own, operate and grow its convenience stores and looks forward to continuing to strengthen its brand.
“We are elated to receive such prestigious recognition from CStore Decisions and our entire team will cherish this honor,” said Derek Gaskins, Yesway’s chief marketing officer. This recognition shines brightly on all the hard work and dedication our team members display every day to build the Yesway brand. We are grateful to be recognized and inspired to continue to achieve growth.”
Please join us in honoring Yesway. For seating information to the Yesway Chain of the Year award ceremony, retailers can contact John Lofstock, editor-in-chief of CStore Decisions, at jlofstock@wtwhmedia.com. Supplier companies interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact John Petersen, publisher of The Convenience Store Decisions Group, at jpetersen@wtwhmedia.com.
About the Chain of the Year Award
CStore Decisions’ Chain of the Year award annually honors a convenience store or petroleum chain that has established itself as a superior retailer and innovator in its markets of operation. CSD’s first Chain of the Year award was given to Wawa Inc. in 1990. Yesway follows 2020 Chain of the Year winner Parker’s. Past winners of this prestigious award include Sheetz, Maverik, RaceTrac, 7-Eleven Inc., Krause Gentle Corp., Alimentation Couche-Tard, QuikTrip, Rutter’s and Family Express.
Past Chain of the Year Winners
1990 – Wawa Inc.
1991 – SuperAmerica
1992 – QuikTrip Corp.
1993 – Casey’s General Stores Inc.
1994 – Sheetz Inc.
1995 – Diamond Shamrock Corp.
1996 – Mapco Express
1997 – Speedway Inc.
1998 – Krause Gentle Corp.
1999 – Dairy Mart Inc.
2000 – Amerada Hess Corp.
2001 – Huck’s Food & Fuel
2002 – Petro-Canada
2003 – Exxon Mobil Corp.
2004 – Kwik Trip Inc.
2005 – 7-Eleven Inc.
2006 – Valero Inc.
2007 – Alimentation Couche-Tard
2008 – Chevron Inc.
2009 – Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes
2010 – Rutter’s Farm Stores
2011 – Thorntons Inc.
2012 – Tedeschi Food Shops
2013 – Maverik Inc.
2014 – RaceTrac Petroleum Inc.
2015 – Family Express Corp.
2016 – QuickChek Corp.
2017 – Sheetz Inc.
2018 – Kwik Trip Inc.
2019 – Weigel’s Inc.
2020 – Parker’s
2021 – Yesway