Yesway, a rapidly-growing convenience store chain with six locations in central Kansas and parent company of the Allsup’s brand, is preparing to exit the Iowa and Kansas markets by the end of 2025, a company spokesperson confirmed to CSP Daily News, a publication for convenience store and petroleum retailers. The transition will see more than 20 locations in those states transferred to new owners.
Yesway has four locations in Hutchinson, one in Lyons and one in McPherson
The report says that the strategic pullback comes as the company intensifies its focus on expansion in southern U.S. markets, particularly Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Yesway announced earlier that it plans to “significantly” grow its footprint in these states in 2024 and beyond. In December, it added three new stores in Texas and two in New Mexico.
With more than 400 locations under its Yesway and Allsup’s banners, the company currently operates in nine states: Texas, New Mexico, South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Nebraska.
In a statement provided to CSP Daily News, a Yesway spokesperson said, “As we continue to grow the Yesway brand and expand our offering to our customers, we may have the opportunity to divest certain stores that do not match our strategy and reinvest the proceeds in locations that enable us to provide a better customer experience. We plan to continue our growth and are focused on building the best network of store locations to meet the needs of our valued customers. As these stores in Iowa and Kansas transition to new owners by the end of this year, we do not anticipate there will be closures.”
Founded in 2015 and owned by BW Gas & Convenience Holdings LLC, Yesway has steadily evolved into a major player in the convenience retail sector. Its acquisition of the Allsup’s chain in 2019 marked a pivotal moment in its growth trajectory. The company further centralized its operations in August 2020 by relocating its Des Moines, Iowa, and Clovis, New Mexico, corporate offices to new headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas.
The decision to scale back in Iowa and Kansas reflects Yesway’s broader strategy to consolidate operations and invest in markets with higher growth potential. The identity of the new owners for the Iowa and Kansas stores has not yet been disclosed.