R.L. Jordan Oil

What R.L. Jordan Oil does

R.L. Jordan Oil Company is a privately held, family-owned convenience store and fuel retailer founded in 1949 by R.L. Jordan in Franklin, North Carolina, and now headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The company operates 41 Hot Spot-branded convenience stores across North Carolina and South Carolina, plus an integrated food service portfolio of 13 Hottie's Kitchens, 7 Subway franchises, 12 Hunt Brothers Pizza franchises and 1 Hardees franchise. Core offerings are unbranded gasoline and convenience retail merchandise — groceries, health and beauty items, tobacco and lottery — augmented by branded prepared food. The Hot Spot trade name was trademarked in 1983 and the first prototype store opened in Charleston, SC in 1987; the founder passed away in 2006 and ownership passed to his five children, with Harvey Hicks serving as President/COO.

The business runs on a conventional c-store technology stack rather than a software platform. Stores are linked to the Spartanburg headquarters via back-office PC systems for financial reporting, decision support, fuel management and payroll, supported by IntelliFuel and TelaPoint for fuel inventory and stick readings, point-of-sale terminals for cash and card transactions, and handheld scanners for inventory. A daily gasoline pricing system, managed by the Gas Department, sets retail pricing based on market and competitive analysis. Supporting infrastructure includes Dropbox for centralized forms and software distribution, Talent Reef for employee onboarding, Shell Retail Learning for staff training, and DHEC and ServSafe for regulatory and food-safety compliance.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through direct-to-consumer retail sales across three streams: fuel, in-store merchandise and branded prepared food, all sold through company-operated physical storefronts. The company targets local community residents and travelers in the Carolinas with a horizontal segmentation strategy focused on convenience, competitive fuel pricing and a wide variety of food options. Marketing is conducted primarily through in-store merchandising, a monthly employee newsletter, and the Hot Spot CStores website, with no enterprise customers, no disclosed pricing model, and no public revenue disclosure.

Name

R.L. Jordan Oil

Legal name

R.L. Jordan Oil Company

Website

https://rljoc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

R.L. Jordan Oil Company is a family-owned, privately held convenience store and fuel retailer operating 41 Hot Spot stores plus branded food service counters across North and South Carolina. It serves local residents and travelers with unbranded gasoline, convenience merchandise, and prepared food under the Hot Spot, Hottie's Kitchen, Subway, Hunt Brothers Pizza and Hardees brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convenience Store Retail

NAICS

Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (45711), Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (457110), Convenience Retailers (445131)

SIC

Retail-Convenience Stores (5412), Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations (5500), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Fuel Stations with Convenience Retail (Forecourt C-Stores) (CRANAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Convenience Retail & Foodservice at Forecourts (C-Store/QSR) (EUALAIAE), Convenience Retail with Quick-Service Foodservice (Hot Food/Prepared) (CRANAJAI)

Keywords

• Convenience store retail
• Gasoline fuel sales
• Fast food service
• Unbranded fuel
• Convenience food retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Spartanburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Convenience Store Retail: Sale of groceries, HBA (health and beauty aids), and tobacco products through 41 Hot Spot convenience stores across North Carolina and South Carolina.
2. Fuel Sales: Sale of gasoline through company-operated fueling facilities. The company offers unbranded gasoline at competitive prices, with the Gas Department managing daily pricing based on market conditions and competition.
3. Fast Food Restaurant Operations: Operation of 13 Hottie's Kitchens, 7 Subways, 12 Hunt Brothers Pizza locations, and 1 Hardees in North Carolina and South Carolina. These branded food stores provide prepared food sales within convenience store locations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

R.L. Jordan Oil Company operates 41 Hot Spot convenience stores across North Carolina and South Carolina, selling unbranded gasoline, groceries, health and beauty aids, and tobacco products. The company supplements its convenience retail with branded food service, including 13 Hottie's Kitchens, 7 Subway franchise locations, 12 Hunt Brothers Pizza franchise locations, and 1 Hardee's franchise location. A centralized Gas Department manages daily fuel pricing, deliveries, and competitive monitoring across all locations.

Product overview

R.L. Jordan Oil Company operates a portfolio of retail convenience and food service brands under the Hot Spot name, including 41 Hot Spot convenience stores with integrated food service options. The company also operates 13 Hottie's Kitchen restaurants, 7 Subway franchises, 12 Hunt Brothers Pizza franchises, and 1 Hardee's franchise across North Carolina and South Carolina. Core offerings include gasoline/fueling services and convenience retail, supplemented by various quick-service restaurant formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hot Spot Convenience Stores: Convenience stores and gasoline stations operating in North and South Carolina.
• Hottie's Kitchen

Products and services

• Hot Spot Convenience Stores Company-owned convenience stores (41 locations) across North and South Carolina offering unbranded gasoline, groceries, health and beauty aids, tobacco products, and lottery to local residents and travelers.
• Hottie's Kitchen

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Hot SpotcoreOthers · 1 January 1983Hot Spot is the company's own branded convenience store identity, trademarked in 1983. The first Hot Spot prototype was built in Charleston, SC, in 1987. This is the company's primary retail brand.
• Hunt Brothers PizzamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHunt Brothers Pizza operates 12 locations within Hot Spot stores. The company offers online ordering through their portal, and Hunt Brothers provides pizza products, training videos, and portal access for ordering and training.
• SubwaymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe company operates 7 Subway franchise locations. Subway provides the franchise brand, products, and operating standards.
• HardeesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe company operates 1 Hardees restaurant location in North Carolina under franchise agreement.
• DHEC (South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control)minorOthersDHEC provides operator training and UST (Underground Storage Tank) operator training resources for compliance. The company directs employees to DHEC training resources for regulatory compliance.
• ServSafeminorOthersServSafe food safety training is referenced as part of employee training for food service operations.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of the CarolinasminorOthersBlue Cross Blue Shield is the company's health care network provider, offering health benefits including Tobacco Cessation, Weight Management, and Teledoc programs to employees.
• Delta DentalminorOthersDelta Dental provides optional vision dental plan with preventive care, basic and major services coverage for employees.
• VanguardminorOthersVanguard administers the company's 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan with employer match for employee retirement benefits.
• MR WilliamsminorOthersMR Williams is a vendor mentioned in the Out of Stock Form, indicating they supply products to Hot Spot stores.
• Red BullminorOthersRed Bull is listed as a vendor in the Out of Stock Form, indicating they supply energy drink products to Hot Spot stores.
• Frito-LayminorOthersFrito-Lay is listed as a vendor for snack products including Lay's chips and Frito-Lay snacks sold in Hot Spot stores.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Spinx Company: Family-owned regional convenience store and fuel operator headquartered in Greenville, SC, with ~80+ stores across SC, NC, and GA. Spinx is the closest direct competitor to R.L. Jordan Oil, operating an analogous fuel + C-store + QSR model in overlapping Carolinas geographies.
• ARKO Corp (GPM Investments): Public convenience store and fuel distributor that consolidates regional c-store operators across the U.S. ARKO is comparable to R.L. Jordan Oil as a regional c-store/fuel operator and provides a potential exit pathway via acquisition if the Jordan family seeks liquidity.
• Enmarket (Enmark Stations): Privately held convenience store and fuel operator based in Savannah, GA, with 130+ locations across GA, SC, and NC. Comparable to R.L. Jordan Oil as a Southeast regional c-store/fuel chain with integrated QSR and overlapping NC/SC operating footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Circle K (Alimentation Couche-Tard): Global convenience and fuel retailer with 7,000+ U.S. locations under the Circle K banner. Competes with R.L. Jordan Oil in the regional c-store and fuel market and represents a potential strategic acquirer at meaningfully larger scale.
• Wawa: Privately held convenience store and fuel retailer with 1,000+ locations across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Comparable to R.L. Jordan Oil on integrated c-store/fuel/QSR model and family-ownership structure, but with much greater scale and a best-in-class food program.
• Sheetz: Privately held, family-operated convenience store chain with 700+ locations across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Competitor to R.L. Jordan Oil on the C-store/fuel/QSR format, with a far more developed technology, loyalty, and made-to-order food platform.
• RaceTrac: Privately held convenience store and fuel chain with 750+ locations across the Southeast and Texas. Directly comparable to R.L. Jordan Oil on the fuel + C-store model in the Southeast, with a similar unbranded/value positioning and family-ownership heritage.
• 7-Eleven (Seven & i Holdings): Largest convenience store chain globally with 13,000+ U.S. locations. Operates Speedway and 7-Eleven banners in the Southeast and competes with R.L. Jordan Oil on the integrated fuel + C-store + QSR model, though at vastly greater scale.
• Murphy USA: Public convenience and fuel retailer with 1,750+ stores, predominantly Walmart-adjacent. Comparable to R.L. Jordan Oil on the fuel-led c-store format, though Murphy USA operates at materially larger scale and is publicly traded.

Emerging players

• Pilot Travel Centers (Berkshire Hathaway): Travel center and fuel operator with 900+ locations across North America, owned by Berkshire Hathaway. Comparable to R.L. Jordan Oil on the fuel-led retail format, though focused on highway/long-haul travel centers rather than neighborhood c-stores.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hotspotcstores
• Instagraminstagram.com/hotspotcstores
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/r.l.-jordan-oil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 R.L. Jordan Oil