LEBANON, NH — Irving Oil announced today that it is adding five new locations to its ever-popular retail network by purchasing the operating assets of five Foodstop Inc. stores in the Upper Valley area.  The stores are located in Andover, Hanover and West Lebanon, New Hampshire, and in Hartford and White River Junction, Vermont.  The acquisition will offer residents and motorists more opportunities to experience the exceptional customer service, clean low-sulfur gasoline and fresh convenience products that have become synonymous with Irving’s Bluecanoe and Mainway brands.

 

“We are excited to be growing our ability to serve customers in the Upper Valley area, and happy to be working with such a strong, family-owned company as Foodstop Inc.,” says Harry Hadiaris, Director of Convenience Retail Operations for Irving.  “Adding these sites allows us to provide the Irving experience to thousands of residents and visitors in the area. When people visit any Irving site, they expect superior fuel products, fresh baked goods, gourmet coffee and the cleanest washrooms in North America. We will continue that proud tradition at these new stores.”

 

This purchase gives Irving seven locations in the area to complement its growing home heating operation in West Lebanon. 

 

“After countless hours of consideration, we feel this is the right decision at the right time, and Irving is the best company to take over the business we have spent years building,” said Brian Molloy, co-owner of Foodstop, Inc. “It has been our privilege to work with some of the best employees, customers, and vendors in the Upper Valley and we value the many relationships we have developed in this business over the years.   We would like to take this opportunity to thank our past and present employees for their hard work and dedication, and our many customers for over three decades of patronage.”

 

The new Irving locations are: 

Beginning, October 2^nd, customers will notice that signage and employee uniforms are different. While there may be some minor changes in the product offerings right away, customers will not see drastic changes to food and convenience choices immediately. As always, Irving will take time to assess the needs and desires of its new customers before implementing any widespread changes. 

 

Foodstop will continue to operate the Exit 20 convenience store and all 5 Videostop locations in Hanover, Andover and West Lebanon, New Hampshire and Ludlow and Springfield, Vermont, according to co-owner Jean Molloy.

 

Irving Oil opened its first New England service station in 1972, in Bangor, Maine. Today there are more than 130 Irving-operated retail sites in the United States.  

 

Founded in 1924, Irving Oil is a regional refining, and marketing company serving customers in New England and Eastern Canada with a range of finished energy products, including gasoline, diesel, home heating fuel, jet fuel and complementary products and services. The company's network of Bluecanoe and Mainway convenience stores throughout New England and Eastern Canada offers customers a wide variety of products and services, including grocery and snack items, bakeries, and convenience items, in addition to fuel. In 2003, Irving Oil became the first oil company to win a USEPA Clean Air Excellence award for its low-sulfur gasoline.

 

John Molloy started a chain of six convenient food stores in the Boston area in the 1970s before relocating to New Hampshire to found Foodstop, Inc. Along with his wife Jean, and children Brian, Jean, Sean & Caitlin, Foodstop expanded from a single store with a cold deli and groceries into a six-store chain, featuring gasoline, a large grocery selection, extensive deli, Jean’s Ice Cream Shoppe and five Videostops. In August 1999, Foodstop was the recipient of Convenience Store Decision magazine “Up & Comers” Award for “The Best Little Chains in America”. 

 

Rob Wilson

Public Affairs

Irving Oil

603-559-8818