At a Glance

  • GPM Investments has opened its first Fas Craves convenience store foodservice concept in Kentucky, parent company Arko Corp. announced Monday.
  • The Fas Craves location, inside a newly renovated Apple Market in the small eastern Kentucky town of Hazard, officially reopened on Feb. 12, becoming the sixth convenience store equipped with GPM's proprietary foodservice program, according to the announcement.
  • Although GPM is piloting seven Fas Craves locations, the convenience retailer said it plans to roll out the foodservice-focused store concept to an additional 20 to 25 stores before expanding it across its entire network of 1,200 company-operated locations.

Deep Dive

GPM's new foodservice-focused store design is part of Arko's broader transformation plan, which aims to spend less money and time on M&A and instead focus more on organic growth, converting sites to dealer locations and optimizing its loyalty platform.

The proprietary Fas Craves foodservice program is the centerpiece of the model. It features grab-and-go hot and cold items such as crispy chicken biscuits, potato wedges, mozzarella sticks, jumbo wings, chicken sandwiches and hamburgers. The stores also feature a variety of dispensed beverages, as well as Arko's self-serve coffee program.

GPM opened its first such stores in Virginia, where it is headquartered, in June of last year, and before this week had opened three more in Virginia and two in North Carolina, a company spokesperson said in a statement to C-Store Dive earlier this month.

Its first Fas Craves location in Kentucky, according to the announcement, features updated branding inside and outside, modern digital menu boards, new foodservice equipment, enhanced lighting and an optimized layout designed to improve speed, convenience and the overall customer flow experience.

"Our Fas Craves remodel program continues to prove that we can elevate the customer experience with relevant, delicious and affordable food options," said Arie Kotler, Arko's president and CEO. "We are proud to bring this concept to Hazard, providing the community with a more modern convenience store environment and exciting new options."