Dive Brief:
- GPM Investments has opened its first Fas Craves c-store food concept in Kentucky, parent company Arko Corp. announced on Monday.
- The Fas Craves is inside a newly remodeled Apple Market in Hazard, a small town in the eastern part of the state. The location officially reopened on Feb. 12, becoming the sixth c-store to feature GPM’s proprietary foodservice program, according to the announcement.
- Although GPM is in the process of piloting seven Fas Craves stores, the convenience retailer said it intends to bring the food-focused store concept to an additional 20 to 25 locations before expanding it across its entire 1,200 company-operated store network.
Dive Insight:
GPM’s new food-focused store design is part of Arko’s broader transformation plan, in which it’s spending less money and time on acquisitions and more on organic growth, converting sites to dealer locations and improving its loyalty platform.
The proprietary Fas Craves foodservice program is the hallmark of that format. It features hot and cold grab-and-go items, such as crispy chicken biscuits, potato wedges, mozzarella sticks, jumbo chicken wings, chicken sandwiches and burgers. These sites also feature an array of dispensed beverage offerings and Arko’s bean-to-cup coffee program.
GPM opened the first of these stores last June in its home base of Virginia and, prior to this week, rolled out three more in the Old Dominion state as well as two in North Carolina, a company spokesperson said in a statement to C-Store Dive earlier this month.
Its first location in Kentucky with a Fas Craves features updated branding inside and outside the store, modern digital menu boards, new food and beverage equipment, enhanced lighting and an improved layout that aims to support speed, convenience and overall guest flow, according to the announcement.
“Our fas craves remodels continue to show how we can elevate the guest experience with relevant, delicious, and affordable food and beverage options,” said Arie Kotler, president and CEO of Arko. “We’re proud to bring this concept to Hazard, giving the community a more modern convenience store environment and something new to crave.”
