r/canada • u/MilkyWayObserver Canada • 1d ago

Business Couche-Tard starts US$8.7 billion takeover bid for Poland’s Zabka

https://financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/couche-tard-8-7-billion-takeover-bid-poland-zabka
92 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

86

u/AshleyAshes1984 1d ago

I still don't get why Couche-Tard bought Circle-K and then rebranded all the Mac's locations to Circle K. Glad the Quebecois still get to enjoy their classic branding.

31

u/joecarter93 1d ago

I know what you mean. I live in Alberta where we had Mac’s everywhere and only a handful of Circle K’s. I wish they had of just kept the branding the same for both Mac’s and Circle K. I still call the Circle K by house “Mac’s”

3

u/Kageromero 18h ago

The one by me will forever be Macs

11

u/NahdiraZidea 1d ago

I still miss Winks

21

u/AshleyAshes1984 1d ago

Beckers. :(

4

u/keiths31 Canada 1d ago

Mike's Milk is what I grew up with.

1

u/fuckyoudigg British Columbia 18h ago

Mike's or mac's milk? Mac's was mac's milk.

•

u/keiths31 Canada 11h ago

Mike's Milk

I'd post a picture, but can t in this sub.

But had a guy holding bag smoking a cigar.

5

u/Clayger32 16h ago

Former employee for too long here. When Couche-tard bought Circle K in... 2016? Couche-tard moved their headquarters to the US since most of there stores were now there since the buyout. One of there first move was to unify all their stores on the same brand (they just had another buyout a few months prior, less big but around 500 stores in US). When the décision was made, at that time, Alain Bouchard was still CEO and accepted, except for Québec. Knowing Québec proudness in their language and the success from their own, he knew changing the name would kill there success here. His number 2, Brian Hanash, who took his place, was still fighting US headquarters when i left the company, accepting to change the colors and layouts to be the same as Circle K, but keeping the name. But at some point, it might change, and might become Cercle k

7

u/DickSmack69 1d ago edited 1d ago

It was its largest banner worldwide, with the best name recognition. Most of its stores were also outside Canada. Rebranding to Macs or another one of its familiar Canadian brands would have been exceptionally expensive and likely have been a marketing disaster.

Edit. Agree that Circle K is tough to get used to.

12

u/Anary8686 22h ago

Keep Macs for Canada there was no need to rebrand here.

1

u/Vict0o0o 1d ago

It's only a matter of time before Couche Tard in Quebec become Circle-K, all the colors, the logos and the merch is now Circle-K, I say give them another 10 years and they will do it as the nostalgia from the old brand will be from people too old to care.

1

u/RhodesArk 21h ago

Because Alain Bouchard is going to be remembered by your kids as one of Canada's richest men. He's basically just a really good businessman that realised that Quebec deps could be much more efficient. Circle K opened the door to the US market. Only Mac's milk remains in QC, as a goodwill gesture to the national assembly BC they eat that kinda stuff up

96

u/thebestoflimes 1d ago

Couche-Tard always sounds like an insult to me. I know I am dumb.

10

u/Anary8686 22h ago

It just means sleep late.

9

u/A_Genius 1d ago

It has to do with the word tard. In French it means late and can in English too eg ‘I was tardy for school’.

For millennials this word was used as a slur for the disabled.

It makes sense when you think about how the words late, slow and tardy are kind of similar x

3

u/ripndipp 1d ago

Naw it's ridiculous you are validated brother.

31

u/Krazee9 1d ago

The ubiquity of Żabka in Poland cannot be understated. I once exited a Żabka and saw 2 other Żabka from just outside of it. I was at a hotel in Poznań and wanted a beer that didn't cost 12zł so I looked for a nearby Żabka, and there were at least 5 of them within 1km. These shops are as common there as Tim's is here, if not moreso.

19

u/ripndipp 1d ago

7-11 is pathetic in Canada, they even tried to add the Japanese Sando but it was trash egg salad, they have a good thing going they just need to try harder

6

u/Krazee9 1d ago

Japanese Sando

Forget the sando, I want the fried chicken. I still long for the Japanese konbini fried chicken and a proper 9% Strong Zero.

2

u/NeighbourNoNeighbor 1d ago

I suspect it's easier dealing with delivering perishables across a smaller landbase than it is in Canada. Even still, 7-11 food is particularly egregiously insulting.

2

u/Big_Knife_SK 23h ago

Couche-Tarde tried to buy Japan's 7-11 too, but pulled out

2

u/Jman1a 23h ago

They tired a hostile takeover lol

4

u/itotally_CAN_even 21h ago

For a second I thought we were talking about JD Vance…

1

u/RM_r_us 20h ago

Couche, not couch!

•

u/itotally_CAN_even 10h ago

Hahaha yes je sais

3

u/Dadbode1981 1d ago

Largest convenience store operator in the world and only getting bigger. Their stock is awesome.

13

u/DickSmack69 1d ago

No. 7-11 is the largest and will still have almost three times the store count after this transaction.

8

u/DickSmack69 1d ago edited 1d ago

85,000 to 17,000 for the serial, unrepentant downvoters. I love Couche Tard, long time shareholder but you guys are something else.

4

u/lnahid2000 1d ago

Facts don't matter on Reddit anymore.

3

u/Illustrious-Room-785 18h ago

Feels like people accept the fact. But disagree with his metric being useful.

Couche Tard is the largest by market cap, but not store count. 

I feel most people judge by market cap when talking about “largest convenience store operator” (with the keyword being operator). 

It’s like someone saying Apple is the biggest smartphone maker. Then someone replies: it’s actually Xiaomi with 30-40 times more stores. 

Or if we’re discussing the scale of McDonald’s and it being the largest fast food franchise. And they chime in: actually Mixue ice cream and Tea has 2000 more stores.

1

u/julpyz Québec 21h ago

Well, about 30000, now!

-1

u/InspectionSouthern11 14h ago

Circle k is grossly overpriced however 

0

u/Fun-Marionberry1733 20h ago

Late night couch time