QuikTrip, ampm and Wawa were named to NRF’s Hot 25 list of retailers, which highlights retailers with “the greatest sales growth in 2024.”
NRF said the Hot 25 is compiled by Kantar each year and David Marcotte, senior vice president of global retail and technology for Kantar, offered his take on the trends that the data shows.
QuikTrip saw 10.9% more sales growth in the United States in 2024 compared to 2023, while ampm saw 8.8% and Wawa saw 7.9%.
Wawa (No. 23) has “expanded well beyond its Pennsylvania roots, extending west and south. ‘Wawa has a very careful, well thought through strategic plan for expansion. If they’re opening in a market, they firmly believe they have something they can move,’” NRF said.
Marcotte noted that Wawa’s employee ownership “gives them a different mindset,” while “relationships with Pennsylvania refineries lead to good gas prices and a willingness to innovate with technology has also made Wawa a success,” he said. “Touchscreen is now a standard, but they were among the first to do it.”
No. 9 “QuikTrip has a similar approach,” Marcotte says. “Like Wawa, QuikTrip has a great employee benefits program.”
Shell also made the list at number four, with 26.8% growth year over year. “Shell saw growth of 26.8%, reflecting its purchase of Timewise stores from Landmark and Brewer from Brewer Oil. These acquisitions positioned Shell at No. 4 on the Hot 25,” NRF wrote.
Marcotte noted that in 2025, mergers and acquisitions have slowed due to the uncertainty in the market. “The broader business environment and economic uncertainty are causing companies to reserve cash. That is having an impact on acquisitions. If that holds throughout the remainder of 2025, stores will have to find new ways to grow to make next year’s list,” he said.
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