Our
Company

Revitalize internal sales growth and profitability.  Our brand strategy, innovative store concepts and foodservice products increase customer loyalty and encourage future visits as well as boost same-store revenues by promoting high-margin products and tailoring our products and services to local tastes.

3 strong brands

Couche-Tard has registered or applied for registration of a variety of trade names, service marks and trademarks for use in its business, which Couche-Tard regards as having significant value and as being important factors in the marketing of the Company and its convenience stores.  Couche-Tard operates its corporate stores under mainly the trademarks Couche-Tard^®, Mac’s^®, Circle K^® and also under the affiliated brands 
7-jours^®, Dairy Mart^®, Daisy Mart^® and Winks^®. 

Trademarks

At the core of this offering is a quality assortment of freshly brewed coffee, frozen/iced beverages, fresh sandwiches and other fresh food items that are marketed under our proprietary brands. Our La Maisonnee^® branded fresh sandwiches and breakfast selections, and Sunshine Joe Coffee Co.^®, Sloche^®, Froster^®, Thirst Buster^® and The Frozen Zone^® brands of beverages are examples of successful proprietary branded items that we have added to our growing selection of fresh products. Couche-Tard also sells motor fuel under its private labels, including Couche-Tard^®, Mac’s^®, Circle K^®. Couche-Tard is not dependent upon any single trademark or trade name, however, it considers its banners and brands to be important assets. Accordingly, Couche-Tard’s policy is to register or otherwise protect these intangible assets in all jurisdictions in which Couche-Tard operates.

IMPACT Program

In 1998, Couche-Tard launched its Store 2000 concept, now known as the IMPACT program (Innovation-Marketing-People-Alimentation-Couche-Tard). Under the IMPACT program, to which our people actively contribute, the product and service mix is designed to create a more attractive ambience that appeals to consumers and boosts high-margin product sales. Consumers are not buying what they bought 20 years ago. They have many choices now for the same product. That means our stores have to evolve and also offer more choice with better ambience.

Each site chosen is adapted to the socio-economic and cultural uniqueness of the local community with the assistance of a multidisciplinary team made up of specialists in the fields of marketing, merchandising, real estate services, interior design and operations. The large-scale implementation of an IMPACT program generally involves an extensive foodservice program and may include a QSR. Couche-Tard introduces a simplified version of the concept in markets that are unable to absorb a large-scale conversion. The cost of a large-scale implementation of the IMPACT program normally ranges between Cdn$150,000 and Cdn$200,000, compared with a partial or simplified conversion, which costs between Cdn$60,000 and Cdn$80,000. Management believes there is an opportunity to boost gross profits by expanding this concept, particularly in certain Circle K stores.

Quick service restaurants (“QSR”)

Since their introduction in 1998, QSRs have been an important aspect of Couche-Tard’s IMPACT program. These QSRs, which come under known Couche-Tard banners or those owned by the Company, are designed to increase customer traffic and profits by offering fresh products and encouraging clients to spend more time in the store. Couche-Tard operates the QSRs in Couche-Tard, Mac’s and Circle K stores as a franchise and is responsible for daily operations when a third-party banner is used. The Company has signed franchise agreements with several quick service restaurants, including Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, M & M Meat Shops, Noble Roman’s, Quiznos, Blimpie as well as other local banners. These foodservice programs represent an important part of the IMPACT program.