Catterton Backs Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores to Acquire Uppy's Convenience Stores and a Portfolio of ExxonMobil Sites

RICHMOND, Va. and GREENWICH, Conn., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Catterton Partners, the leading consumer-focused private equity firm in North America, announced today that Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores (MACS) has acquired a majority interest in Uppy's Convenience Stores, Inc. (Uppy's) and 170 convenience stores/fuel stations from the Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM).  The transaction creates a leading convenience store operator in the Mid-Atlantic region with more than 200 convenience store operations in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Uppy's was founded in 1995 by Chief Executive Officer Steve Uphoff as a single retail convenience store in Richmond, Virginia.  Since its inception, Uppy's has experienced significant growth as a result of a well-planned expansion program, innovative marketing programs and strong demographic and geographic dynamics.  Uppy's has been recognized as one of the Inc. 5000 fastest growing small private companies in America, and in 2009, Uppy's won the Richmond Impact Award from the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.  Catterton has partnered with Mr. Uphoff, who will remain CEO of MACS and will retain a substantial financial interest.

As a result of the transaction, MACS will be the largest ExxonMobil fuel marketer in the United States.  The MACS properties operate on prime retail sites in desirable geographies with strong demographic trends, and generate superior operating metrics significantly above industry averages.  Furthermore, MACS will be operated by an experienced management team and is positioned to grow both organically and via acquisitions.

Nik Thukral, a Partner at Catterton Partners, said, "MACS is a growing platform with an attractive portfolio of stores, a strong retail offering for consumers and a highly-experienced management team.  Through our other retail investments over the past 20 years, we have gained extensive knowledge about the consumer that we can leverage to enhance performance, particularly with respect to implementing a differentiated retail strategy for MACS.  Furthermore, we believe it is an attractive time for Catterton to enter the industry, as the economics of convenience stores are increasingly driven by non-fuel retail sales.  Moreover, there are significant opportunities for future consolidation as MACS seeks to achieve scale in the highly fragmented convenience store industry."

"We are pleased to complete this transaction, which will immediately enhance our footprint and solidify our position in the Mid-Atlantic states," said Steve Uphoff, Chief Executive Officer of MACS.  "Catterton has a strong record of partnering with entrepreneurs to build successful growth enterprises.  We look forward to benefiting from Catterton's retail and consumer expertise as we work together to grow the business, optimize our operations, expand our retail offering and develop a deeper connection to customers.  We are excited about this transaction and believe it will lead to accelerated growth, enhanced service and additional product offerings for our customers, greater benefits for the communities we serve and increased opportunities for our employees."

About Mid-Atlantic Convenience Stores, LLC (MACS)

MACS is a newly formed investment platform backed by Catterton Partners to acquire convenience stores in the highly fragmented c-store industry.  With more than 200 convenience store operations, MACS is a leading convenience store operator in the Mid-Atlantic region and the largest ExxonMobil fuel marketer in the U.S.  

About Uppy's Convenience Stores, Inc.

Uppy's Convenience Stores, Inc. is a family-owned Richmond, VA business founded by Steven and Linda Uphoff in 1995.  Operating 44 Virginia locations and employing over 600 team members, Uppy's Convenience Stores are dedicated to providing exceptional customer experience along with quality branded goods and services.  Uppy's features such brands as ExxonMobil, Dairy Queen, Subway and Noble Roman Pizza.

About Catterton Partners

With more than $2.3 billion under management, Catterton Partners is the leading consumer-focused private equity firm in North America.  Since its founding in 1989, Catterton has leveraged its investment capital, strategic and operating skills, and network of industry contacts to establish one of the strongest private equity investment track records in the middle market consumer industry.

Catterton Partners invests in all major consumer segments, including Food and Beverage, Retail and Restaurants, Consumer Products and Services, and Media and Marketing Services. Representative investments that Catterton Partners has led include Breyers Yogurt, Cheddar's Restaurants, Heartland Recreational Vehicles, O.N.E. (One Natural Experience) beverages, Nature's Variety Pet Food and Restoration Hardware.  Representative realized investments include Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Frederic Fekkai, Kettle Foods, Odwalla, P.F. Chang's China Bistro and Wellness Pet Food.

More information about the consumer-focused private equity firm can be found at http://www.cpequity.com.

SOURCE Catterton Partners