Casey’s General Stores, Inc., one of the leading convenience store chains in the United States, has announced an agreement to acquire 63 convenience stores from EG America, LLC, a subsidiary of EG Group Ltd., another major convenience store operator in the country.

The deal is expected to close later this year, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

The 63 stores are located in Kentucky and Tennessee, and currently operate under the Minit Mart and Certified Oil banners. Casey’s plans to retain the impacted employees at each store and rebrand them under its own name. Casey’s operates more than 2,300 stores in 16 states, offering fresh food, fuel, and a variety of products and services.

The acquisition is part of Casey’s strategic plan to accelerate its store growth over the next three years and bring Casey’s to more communities. Darren Rebelez, President and Chief Executive Officer at Casey’s, said: “This opportunity is an excellent strategic fit as we look to add locations in Kentucky and Tennessee, which are both within our existing distribution footprint. We look forward to serving more guests in these markets and welcoming the team members from this transaction into the Casey’s family.”

EG America is a subsidiary of EG Group Ltd., a British company that operates more than 6,000 convenience stores across 10 countries. EG America has more than 1,700 stores in 35 states, operating under various brands such as Cumberland Farms, Kwik Shop, Loaf ‘N Jug, Quik Stop, Tom Thumb, Turkey Hill, and others.

The divestment of the 63 stores will enable EG America to focus on its core markets and execute its deleveraging strategy. Nick Unkovic, President of EG America, said: “We have built a strong and successful business over the years in these Certified Oil and Minit Mart stores, and we are proud of the hard work and dedication shown by our team members there. Casey’s is an excellent operator, and we believe these stores and team members will continue to thrive under their ownership.”

Zuber Issa, co-Founder and co-CEO of EG Group, said: “EG Group is pleased to have found a new home for some of our Certified Oil and Minit Mart portfolio. This divestment will represent another important step in executing our deleveraging strategy.”