SALT LAKE CITY — The convenience store shake-up in Iowa is accelerating. Maverik, the Salt Lake City-based retailer that acquired Kum & Go in 2023, is phasing out the iconic Iowa brand by selling select locations to Mega Saver and reducing its presence in the Des Moines office. These moves are redefining the state’s c-store landscape and marking the end of a six-decade Kum & Go legacy.
The Maverik–Kum & Go transition highlights more than just a name change on Iowa’s street corners. It underscores a national trend of consolidation in the convenience sector, where scale, supply chain leverage and brand consistency increasingly dictate survival. As smaller and mid-sized chains disappear or get absorbed, new entrants like Mega Saver and expanding rivals such as Casey’s and Kwik Star are reshaping competition, turning Iowa into a bellwether for how regional identities and customer loyalties are tested in the face of a rapidly consolidating industry.
From Kum & Go to Mega Saver in the Iowa Great Lakes
This week, city councils in Okoboji and Spirit Lake, Iowa, approved retail alcohol licenses for Mega Saver, paving the way for the regional chain to take over two former Kum & Go sites. KUOO reported that both stores will be rebranded under the Mega Saver name in the coming weeks.
Mega Saver operates convenience stores in Iowa, Nebraska and Florida. Its expansion into the Iowa Great Lakes region follows Maverik’s decision to sell select Kum & Go locations acquired during its 2023 purchase of the chain.
Maverik’s National Rebrand Push
The divestiture comes as Maverik moves forward with its larger rebrand strategy, which will ultimately see the Kum & Go name retired. In late 2024, Maverik confirmed that all Kum & Go stores would be converted to its own adventure-themed banner. The company stated that it is taking a market-by-market approach to ensure a seamless transition…