What Country Fair does

Country Fair is a privately held convenience store chain founded in 1965 in Erie, Pennsylvania, and operated as a brand under United Refining Company (URC), which also runs Kwik Fill/Red Apple and Keystone. The chain operates 72-73 company-owned retail locations across Northwestern Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Eastern Ohio, staffed by more than 1,300 associates, and was ranked the 16th largest employer in Erie in 2019. Its offering centers on five integrated revenue streams: CITGO-branded fuel (including unleaded, diesel, ethanol-free, and propane), made-to-order food service (subs, pizzas, pretzel melts, Smith's hot dogs), beverages (coffee, fountain drinks, F'real milkshakes, adult slushies), beer and wine (national brands plus 40+ local vendors), and grocery/convenience items.

The underlying technology stack is standard for multi-site convenience retail rather than proprietary: CITGO fleet card management systems with online purchase controls, the Club CITGO mobile app for fuel rewards, Constant Contact for email/SMS marketing, DoorDash for third-party delivery (including age-verified alcohol delivery), and Google Analytics for web traffic measurement. The company distinguishes its assortment through deep local sourcing — Perry's Ice Cream, Smith's Provision Co., and Mazza Wine among 40+ regional partners — and through community programs such as Country Fair Cares, which has raised over $549,000 for local 501(c)(3) non-profits since 2019.

Country Fair's go-to-market is a direct-to-consumer retail model: walk-in customers at company-owned storefronts, with secondary commercial exposure via the CITGO fleet card program (accepted at ~6,000 CITGO locations) and gift cards sold in $5-$300 increments. Pricing is transactional across all categories with no subscription or licensing layer; starting in-store wages are at minimum $12/hour. The business is privately held under URC with no disclosed external funding, public listing, or investor relations footprint.

Name

Country Fair

Legal name

United Refining Company DBA Country Fair

Website

https://countryfairstores.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Country Fair is a privately held convenience store chain operating 72-73 company-owned locations across Northwestern Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Eastern Ohio, selling CITGO fuel, prepared food, beverages, beer and wine, and everyday essentials to walk-in retail consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Retail Merchandise Sales: Convenience store retail including groceries, beverages, snacks, deli items, and prepared foods
2. Fuel Sales: CITGO gasoline and diesel fuel sales with unleaded and ethanol-free options across all store locations
3. Food Service: Fresh prepared foods including subs, pizzas, pretzel melts, hot dogs, walk-in tacos, salads, and adult slushies
4. Gift Cards: CITGO gift cards sold in $5-$300 increments with fuel and in-store purchase capability

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Country Fair operates a chain of 72+ convenience stores across Northwestern Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Eastern Ohio. The company sells CITGO-branded fuel, made-to-order and grab-and-go prepared foods (subs, pizzas, pretzel melts, hot dogs), beverages (including coffee and alcoholic slushies), beer and wine, and everyday grocery and convenience items. Supporting offerings include gift cards, a fleet card program for business customers, and the Club CITGO mobile rewards app.

Product overview

Country Fair is a convenience store chain operating over 70 locations in Northwestern Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Eastern Ohio. The company offers a unified convenience retail platform combining fuel services (CITGO), prepared foods, groceries, and beverages. Core products include made-to-order food service featuring subs, pizzas, pretzel melts, and Smith's hot dogs; beverage offerings including coffee, fountain drinks, and F'real milkshakes; alcoholic beverages including beer, wine, and adult slushies; and grocery/convenience items. Supporting services include fuel rewards programs (Club Citgo), gift cards, and fleet cards for business customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lunch or Anytime Food Service Made-to-order food service including fresh baked artisan roll subs, pizzas, pretzel melts, walkin' tacos, Smith's hot dogs, salads, and grab-and-go items sold at all Country Fair locations.
• Beverages Beverage offerings including brewed coffee, bean-to-cup gourmet coffee, cappuccinos, hot chocolate, fountain drinks, F'real milkshakes and smoothies, and CoFroz frozen drinks.
• Adult Slushies Alcoholic slushie beverages available in 20oz, 32oz, and 64oz sizes. Flavors include Seagram's Spiked Jamaican Me Happy, Steel Reserve Spiked Blue Razz, Jack Daniel's Southern Peach, Mike's Hard Lemonade Black Cherry, and Mazza Wine Concord Grape.
• Beer & Wine Beer selection including Blue Moon, Stella Artois, Yuengling, Coors Light, Bud Light, Miller Lite, Heineken, and Labatt Ice; malt beverages and seltzers including White Claw, Truly, and Twisted Tea. Wine selection includes local wineries and national brands.
• Grocery & Convenience Items Convenience retail offerings including groceries, snacks, cigarettes, tobacco products, and everyday essentials at over 70 locations.
• Fuel Services CITGO fuel services including unleaded gasoline, diesel, ethanol-free options, propane, and fuel rewards programs through Club CITGO.
• Gift Cards Country Fair and CITGO gift cards available in denominations from $5 to $300. Includes $0.10 off per gallon on gasoline promotion.
• Fleet Cards CITGO Fleet Card for business fuel expense management accepted at nearly 6,000 CITGO locations with online tools, flexible purchase controls, and 24/7 customer service.
• Club CITGO Rewards Fuel rewards program offering savings on gasoline through Club CITGO app or CITGO gift cards, with stackable discounts and monthly deals.
• Deli Deli service offering fresh sliced meats, cheeses, and deli items for purchase.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Perry's Ice CreamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerry's Ice Cream is a featured local vendor at Country Fair stores. Founded in Akron, NY, Perry's provides a variety of ice cream quarts and containers. Available at flagship store and locations across the chain.
• Smith's Provision Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmith's Provision Co., owned by the Weber family in Erie, PA, provides premium wieners, sausages, deli meats, and more. Smith's hot dogs are a signature menu item at Country Fair stores.
• CITGOcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCITGO is the fuel brand partner for Country Fair stores. The chain operates CITGO fueling stations and participates in the Club CITGO rewards program with stacked savings. Fleet cards are accepted at nearly 6,000 CITGO locations.
• Mazza WineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMazza Winery provides wines for Country Fair's adult slushies and wine selection. Featured in adult slushie flavors like Concord Grape.
• Seagram'sminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeagram's Spiked products (Jamaican Me Happy) are featured in Country Fair's adult slushie menu at select locations.
• Steel ReserveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSteel Reserve Spiked Blue Razz and Strawberry flavors are featured in Country Fair's adult slushie menu at select locations.
• Club CITGO AppcoreTechnology or IntegrationMobile rewards application providing fuel savings (3¢ off per gallon up to 30 gallons) and exclusive deals. Available on iOS with web signup alternative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• QuickChek: New Jersey-based convenience chain with ~170 locations featuring made-to-order food, coffee, and fuel. Comparable regional c-store model with strong fresh-food positioning competing for similar consumer occasions.
• Sheetz: Pennsylvania-based family-owned convenience store chain with ~700 locations across the Mid-Atlantic, offering made-to-order food, fuel, and proprietary loyalty. Directly competes with Country Fair across northwestern Pennsylvania with superior scale and food-service format.
• Kwik Fill / Red Apple: Sister convenience-store brand under United Refining Company, sharing corporate parent, fuel supply, and operational infrastructure with Country Fair. Operates in overlapping New York and Pennsylvania markets with similar format.
• GetGo Café + Market: Western Pennsylvania convenience chain affiliated with Giant Eagle, offering fresh prepared food and fuel. Competes directly with Country Fair in PA markets with larger grocery-parent backing and broader prepared-food offerings.
• Royal Farms: Mid-Atlantic convenience chain with ~300 stores emphasizing fresh food, fried chicken, and fuel. Comparable regional convenience-store model with strong food-service differentiation in markets adjacent to Country Fair's footprint.
• Wawa: Mid-Atlantic convenience chain with ~1,000+ stores known for premium hoagies, coffee, and fuel. Expanding into Country Fair's footprint with stronger digital loyalty and broader prepared-food programs, posing direct head-to-head competitive risk.

Broad incumbents

• Casey's General Stores: Midwest convenience chain with 2,900+ stores and strong prepared-food (pizza, donuts) program. Publicly traded broad incumbent demonstrating the convenience-store-plus-food-service playbook Country Fair is pursuing.
• 7-Eleven: Largest U.S. convenience chain with13,000+ stores offering fuel, prepared food, and proprietary7Rewards loyalty. National incumbent competing across all of Country Fair's markets with superior scale and digital infrastructure.
• RaceTrac: Southeast convenience chain with ~750 stores featuring proprietary food programs and large-format stores. Comparable regional c-store model focused on fuel-plus-food experience.

Others

• United Refining Company: Parent company operating Country Fair alongside Kwik Fill/Red Apple and Keystone brands, with integrated fuel refining and wholesale supply. Relevant as the controlling parent whose fuel-supply dynamics directly shape Country Fair's economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CountryFair-w3t
• Facebookfacebook.com/countryfairstores
• Instagraminstagram.com/countryfair

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Country Fair