Kum & Go name retired as Maverik pushes ahead with rebrand
Layoffs in Des Moines and new Mega Saver stores mark a major shift in Iowa’s convenience store market.
The Kum & Go brand is fading from Iowa’s streets as Maverik, the Salt Lake City-based convenience retailer that acquired the chain in 2023, accelerates its rebranding strategy. The move signals the end of a six-decade legacy for the Iowa-born brand while reshaping competition in the state’s c-store market.
Maverik has begun selling select Kum & Go sites to other operators, including Nebraska-based Mega Saver, which is set to take over two locations in Okoboji and Spirit Lake, according to Mass Market Retailers. Local city councils approved alcohol licenses for the sites this week, clearing the way for a rebrand under the Mega Saver name in the coming weeks. Mega Saver currently operates stores in Iowa, Nebraska, and Florida, with the Iowa Great Lakes marking its latest expansion.
The divestiture is part of Maverik’s larger plan to convert all Kum & Go stores to its own adventure-themed brand, “Adventure’s First Stop.” The company has already been replacing the old signage across Iowa and Nebraska with Maverik’s mountain-inspired look, which emphasizes outdoor recreation and community ties.
At the same time, Maverik is scaling back its Iowa corporate operations. Earlier this month, the company announced about 100 layoffs at Kum & Go’s longtime Des Moines office, with most corporate functions moving to Maverik’s Salt Lake City headquarters, known as “Base Camp.”
The changes highlight a broader trend of consolidation in the U.S. convenience store sector, where scale, supply chain leverage, and consistent branding increasingly shape survival. In Iowa, Maverik’s rebrand, Mega Saver’s arrival, and continued expansion from rivals like Casey’s and Kwik Star are transforming the market and testing long-standing customer loyalties.
