Chris Koerner decided to open up an online Buc-ee’s store when he realized the super-sized convenience retailer didn’t already have one. It was during the pandemic when his cravings hit a high and he couldn’t find anywhere online to get his Beaver Nugget fix, according to local news KVUE.

In 2019, he helped a friend bring his bread business online. Which, fortuitously, saved the business when the pandemic hit the following year. Koerner then created Send Eats, a third-party logistics (3PL) company focused on helping “old-school business” enter into ecommerce. 

The wheels were turning in his head when he wanted access to his favorite Buc-ee’s snacks but could not find them online.

“I was like, ‘Wait, what? Buc-ee’s doesn’t have an online store?’ It was like a lightbulb. There’s a huge opportunity here,” said Koener.

He decided to reach out for a partnership with Buc-ee’s. But after not hearing back, he went on to create and launch his online Buc-ee’s store, originally called BeaverSnax.com but now called TexasSnax.com.

According to the report, he made $161,000 in sales in the first month and continues to make between $250k to $300k in sales each month. The rampant interest in Buc-ee’s products enables Koerner to sell at an average 80% markup on the original item.

It wasn’t until after he sought out reporters to drum up some marketing efforts that he finally heard from Buc-ee’s lawyer. And to his surprise, the retailer didn’t issue a cease-and-desist but rather had two conditions for him to continue operating: change the name and use a disclaimer stating that he was not affiliated with Buc-ee’s.

In other Buc-ee’s news, a knock-off version in Mexico that went viral is facing legal action. The real Buc-ee’s issued a statement that read in part: “Buc-ee’s will not stand as an idle spectator while others use without permission the intellectual property that Buc-ee’s has cultivated for decades.”