Fuel forecourt retailer Applegreen leases 42 sites in US expansion

Fuel forecourt retailer Applegreen has said Ireland and Britain remain its key focus despite acquiring 42 new petrol stations and Burger King outlets in the US, a move that significantly ramps up its US operations.

Shares in Dublin rose as much as 1.5% as the firm said it had reached agreement to acquire the trade and certain assets of Bob Brandi and Bob Brandi Stores, a forecourt retail operation based in Columbia, South Carolina, for $5.4m (€4.7m).

Applegreen said it will lease long-term from a US real estate investor who bought the property assets of the business for $70m. The deal is expected to go through by year end.