Dive Brief:
- C-store chain Rutter’s plans to open 50 new stores over the next five years, with more than 10 of those stores coming in two new states — Delaware and Virginia — according to an emailed press release.
- The company also plans to spend more than $150 million in capital expenditures on existing locations to enhance its alcohol portfolio and add video gaming terminals.
- In addition to the new states, Rutter’s also plans to grow into new areas of its home region in central Pennsylvania, stretching further east toward Philadelphia, west toward Pittsburgh and north through Altoona.
Dive Insight:
The expansion will grow Rutter’s footprint by over 60%, from 84 locations in three states to over 130 in five states. The company currently has both new stores and remodels in process, and the addition of two new states was the “natural progression of the business” according to an email from a Rutter’s spokesperson..
The 10,000- to 12,000-square-foot new stores are expected to include a 29-degree walk-in beer cave and indoor seating for up to 30 people — amenities that are currently available at 54 Rutter’s locations, the spokesperson said.
In addition to the beer caves, these new Rutter’s locations will also feature the retailer’s 24-hour-a-day fresh food offering. Rutter’s menu covers a wide array of options, including breakfast sandwiches and burritos, burgers, tacos and more.
With these plans, Rutter’s is beginning to join fellow East-Coast chains Wawa and Sheetz in expanding further along the coast.
“Thanks to our food service innovation, focus on industry-leading wages, large [breadth] of offerings, and best-in-class customer experience, we find that our locations are the customer favorite in new and existing markets,” Scott Hartman, Rutter’s president and CEO, said in the announcement.
The refurbishments of existing stores will also increase Rutter’s currently 21 locations with video gaming machines, which Rutter’s said already “makes them the largest licensed gambling operator in the state that isn’t a casino,” according to the press release.
York, Pennsylvania-based Rutter’s, which traces its company roots to a family farm that predates the U.S., ranked fourth in USA Today’s 2022 Best Gas Station list. It currently has stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. In addition to the c-store locations, Rutter’s also owns a dairy and beverage company and a real estate company.
