3 Big Numbers is a weekly column that looks at a few key details from around the c-store industry.
FEMSA and its c-store brand, Oxxo, may be one of the largest players in convenience retail globally, but until last summer it wasn’t a household name in the U.S.
That started to change in October 2024, when FEMSA bought Delek US Holdings’ 249 Southwestern U.S. c-stores for $385 million. While Oxxo’s parent company had been planning to make a move in the U.S. since at least early 2023, this pickup was a big, sudden shift. The company has since been reworking the stores to introduce its banner to its new communities.
In this week’s “3 Big Numbers,” we look at how Oxxo’s rebranding progress is going and what the future holds for its growth plans.
199
The number of U.S. rebrands FEMSA had left as of early October.
FEMSA is not rushing its store rebrands. In the year since its acquisition of Delek’s c-stores, the company converted 50 of those sites to its Oxxo banner.
As the retailer begins work on the 77 sites in El Paso, one of its largest markets, the measured pace becomes clear. FEMSA expects to take more than two years converting those locations, starting with seven this year, 35 in 2026 and the rest in 2027.
All of the stores should have their new look and merchandising by 2028, if everything goes to plan.
3
The number of store types Oxxo uses.
Part of the reason for the slow rollout of the rebrands is how carefully FEMSA is making those changes.
First, it has to decide which of three different styles of store each location will use, said Hal Adams, managing director of Oxxo USA, in an interview. Oxxo’s grocery-focused neighborhood stores, highway locations and urban sites all offer different products and appeal to different customers.
And beyond that segmentation, the company also plans to use data from the stores that have already been rebranded to further appeal to the U.S. consumer.
And while this approach should help future rebrands start off strong, it will also help FEMSA in its pursuits of acquisitions and new builds.
334
The number of new stores FEMSA added globally in Q2.
FEMSA has not been coy about its plans beyond the former Delek sites, noting it plans to add more stores across the Southeast and Southwest.
“We didn’t come to the U.S. to operate 249 stores,” Adams said. “Our ambition is to be a relevant player in the market in North America.”
FEMSA may not be a big name in U.S. retail — yet — but its experience on the world stage shows it has the chops and the experience to build its presence in the fragmented U.S. market. The company added 334 convenience stores to its global footprint in the second quarter of this year alone.
That number is no fluke either. The company also reported 718 new stores in the first half of the year and 1,500 over the 12 months that ended in June.
FEMSA has the experience and drive to add plenty more stores to its U.S. footprint. Considering the bulk of the c-store industry is made up of small chains and independents — many of which are selling their businesses amid economic headwinds — FEMSA could have a huge impact.
