Tri Star Energy

What Tri Star Energy does

Tri Star Energy, LLC is a privately held convenience store operator and wholesale fuel distributor headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, founded in 2000. The company runs a portfolio of regional c-store brands — Twice Daily (fresh made-to-order food and White Bison Coffee integration), Sudden Service, White Bison Coffee (premium standalone and in-store shops), and Southern Traders — totaling over 140 retail outlets, alongside a wholesale fuel distribution network supplying diesel, gasoline, biodiesel, DEF, and CNG to 450+ dealers and consignees across nine Southeast states including Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, and Arkansas. Core technology centers on fuel distribution logistics (bobtail and transport delivery from 10 to 8,700 gallons), PCI/EMV-compliant station infrastructure, and loyalty programs (Twice Daily Rewards, White Bison Rewards, Sudden Rewards, Little General Rewards), with commercial fleet offerings via Pacific Pride and Shell Fleet Plus cards accepted at 55,000+ sites nationwide. Revenue mechanics span three streams: wholesale fuel distribution to dealers (transaction-based), c-store retail across owned brands (transaction-based), and station services including branding, financial improvement programs with up to $30,000 in working-capital credits, and technology upgrades (professional services). The company has grown predominantly through acquisitions, notably Hollingsworth Oil/Sudden Service (July 2020) and Herndon Oil/Southern Traders (September 2021), and was ranked No. 48 on CSP's 2025 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains.

Name

Tri Star Energy

Legal name

Tri Star Energy, LLC

Website

https://tristartn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Tri Star Energy is a Nashville-based wholesale fuel distributor and convenience store operator running 140+ retail outlets across multiple regional brands and serving 450+ dealers across nine Southeast U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fuel Distribution & Convenience Store Retail

NAICS

Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (45711), Fuel Dealers (457210), Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers (457)

SIC

Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations (5500)

akta.pro primary industry

Truck Stops & Travel Centers (Fuel + Convenience) (CRANAJAC)

Keywords

• Wholesale fuel distribution
• Convenience store retail
• Fleet fuel cards
• Station branding services
• Commercial fueling programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Fuel Distribution: Bulk fuel sales and distribution to retail dealers across nine states in the Southeast, including diesel, gasoline, and alternative fuels (biodiesel, CNG, DEF)
2. Convenience Store Retail: Retail sales through company-owned Twice Daily and Sudden Service convenience stores offering fresh food, beverages, and fuel
3. Station Services: Branding, sales, and financial improvement services for dealers including working capital credits of up to $30,000

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Tri Star Energy is a wholesale fuel distributor and convenience store operator serving Middle Tennessee and the broader Southeast. The company supplies diesel, gasoline, and alternative fuels to 450+ dealers across nine states while operating 140+ retail convenience stores under multiple owned brands including Twice Daily, Sudden Service, White Bison Coffee, and Southern Traders, offering fresh food, premium coffee, and convenience items alongside fuel.

Product overview

Tri Star Energy operates as a convenience store operator and wholesale fuel distributor in the Mid-South region. The company operates three primary convenience store brands — Twice Daily (offering fresh, made-to-order food and coffee), White Bison Coffee (premium coffee shop integrated into Twice Daily stores), and Sudden Service (convenience and hot food) — alongside wholesale fuel distribution services supplying diesel, gasoline, and alternative fuels across Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Georgia. Supporting services include station branding, sales, and development; fleet fuel card programs (Pacific Pride and Shell Fleet Plus) for commercial customers; and loyalty rewards programs (Tri Star Energy Rewards, Sudden Rewards, and Little General Rewards). The company has grown through acquisitions including Southern Traders (2021), Henderson Oil (2021), and Hollingsworth Oil/Sudden Service (2020), expanding from 89 stores to over 140 retail outlets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Twice Daily: Convenience store brand offering fresh made-to-order food, breakfast meals, donuts, pastries, deli sandwiches, and freshly brewed coffee.
• White Bison Coffee
• Sudden Service

Products and services

• Twice Daily Convenience Store Convenience store brand offering fresh, made-to-order food including hot breakfast meals, donuts, pastries, handcrafted deli sandwiches, and freshly brewed coffee. Features a Made to Order menu with permanent items such as bone-in wings, and integrates White Bison premium coffee at select locations across Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia.
• White Bison Coffee Premium coffee shop brand operated inside select Twice Daily locations and as standalone stores. Offers premium coffee, tea, sandwiches, and pastries made fresh in a cozy in-store atmosphere.
• Sudden Service Convenience Store Convenience store brand offering convenience items, hot food, and hot coffee. Known for consistent, tried-and-true products across Kentucky and Tennessee locations acquired from Hollingsworth Oil.
• Wholesale Fuel Distribution Wholesale fuel distribution services supplying diesel, gasoline (conventional and E10), biodiesel, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), compressed natural gas (CNG), and alternative fuels to dealers and consignees across Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Georgia markets. Includes bobtail and transport delivery from 10 gallons to 8,700 gallons.
• Station Services Comprehensive station management services including branding and station development (national fuel brand selection, technology upgrades including PCI & EMV compliance, loyalty programs, marketing support), station sales and resales, and financial improvement services with up to $30,000 in working capital credits for independent dealers.
• Pacific Pride Fleet Fuel Cards Fleet fueling card program enabling whole fleet fueling across the Pacific Pride network with tracking of miles per gallon and product usage, customized billing and detailed invoicing, and tax-exempt purchases for qualifying holders. Accepted at 200+ Tri Star Energy locations and 55,000+ sites nationwide.
• Shell Fleet Plus Fuel Cards Commercial fleet fueling card partnership between Shell and Citibank, accepted at any Shell station in the United States. Features expanded fleet reporting to track purchase timing, optional odometer prompt for efficiency tracking, no annual fees or contracts, and potential tax-exempt purchases for qualifying commercial fleet holders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140+ retail outlets and 450+ dealers combined after acquisitions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICEE (The ICEE Co.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 June 2026Tri Star Energy is introducing ICEE frozen beverages at select Twice Daily and Sudden Service convenience store locations across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. The rollout includes cherry and blue raspberry flavors, with customization options like 'Dirty ICEE' with add-ins. The ICEE Co., founded in 1967 and owned by J&J Snack Foods Corp., is expanding its retail footprint through this distribution agreement.
• Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at VanderbiltcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Annual Twice Daily's Cup local charity golf tournament with 100% of proceeds benefiting the hospital. Has raised over $1 million since its first year.
• Salvation Army Nashville - Forgotten AngelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Nashville's Salvation Army chapter to ensure every child on an Angel Tree receives at least one holiday gift. Donations of new toys accepted at each Twice Daily location from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve.
• Our KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor each specially labeled 16.9-ounce bottle of Twice Daily water purchased, $0.05 is donated to Our Kids, a nonprofit providing services to children and families affected by child sexual abuse.
• Nashville Predators Foundation - 365 Pediatric Cancer FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund presented by Twice Daily works with Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt to raise funds and awareness for cancer research, coordinating Smashville hockey experiences for young patients and families.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Casey's General Stores: Public, ~2,900-store c-store chain with strong fresh-prepared food and in-store kitchen program. Comparable on c-store + fuel model and food differentiation, but operates at much larger scale and across the Midwest.
• 7-Eleven (Couche-Tard): Largest U.S. c-store operator and part of Alimentation Couche-Tard. Sells fuel nationwide through branded and unbranded dealer networks; comparable on retail fuel + convenience but vastly larger and broader geographically.
• Wawa: Private Mid-Atlantic c-store chain with premium fresh food and coffee positioning analogous to White Bison/Twice Daily. Comparable customer-experience emphasis, though focused on the East Coast rather than the Southeast.
• Pilot Travel Centers: Berkshire Hathaway-owned travel center chain (~$30B revenue). Adjacent on c-store + fuel format with strong fleet loyalty program; targets high-volume highway travel more than Tri Star's neighborhood retail base.

Direct peers

• RaceTrac: Private regional c-store chain headquartered in Atlanta operating ~800+ stores across the Southeast (overlapping Tri Star's core markets). Closely comparable on store format, fresh-food positioning, and Southeast geography, though larger in store count.
• CrossAmerica Partners: Public wholesale fuel distributor and franchised convenience operator (~1,700 sites). Directly comparable on combined wholesale fuel distribution plus retail c-store model and dealer commission economics.
• GPM Investments: Wholly-owned ARKO subsidiary and one of the largest non-refiner-convenience operators in the U.S. Competes head-to-head with Tri Star in the regional c-store consolidator and wholesale fuel distributor space.
• ARKO Corp: Public c-store consolidator operating ~1,300+ convenience stores and fuel wholesale via its GPM Investments subsidiary. Mirrors Tri Star's regional roll-up strategy and combined retail/wholesale fuel model, but on a significantly larger national footprint.
• Murphy USA: Public NYSE-listed convenience store and fuel retailer (~1,750 stores) with a fuel-led model. Directly comparable in retail fuel + convenience format and exposure to rack-to-retail spreads, though at materially larger scale than Tri Star.

Others

• World Kinect Corporation: Global fuel distribution and energy products marketer with aviation, land, and marine segments. Comparable on wholesale fuel distribution mechanics, though at materially larger scale and different end-market mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tristarenergycareers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tri-star-energy
• Instagraminstagram.com/tristarenergyjobs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tri Star Energy