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Couche-Tard Acquires 83 Stores in Missouri and Illinois

Posted on: Wednesday, 30 April 2008, 18:00 CDT

LAVAL, QC, April 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. announces that it has signed, through its subsidiary Mac's Convenience Stores LLC, an agreement to acquire 83 stores in the St. Louis Missouri area and nearby central Illinois area from Spirit Energy, L.L.C. which does business as Convenient Food Mart. Should the transaction close as anticipated, we estimate that these assets would add revenues of approximately $430 million (US) to Couche-Tard's revenues on an annualized basis. The transaction is anticipated to close in July, 2008 and is subject to standard regulatory approvals and closing conditions. According to a confidentiality agreement between the parties the purchase price cannot be disclosed at this time. Internal available cash dollars will pay for the transaction.

Of the 83 convenience stores, 69 operate under the Convenient Food Mart banner and are all company operated. The stores would be operated by the Circle K Midwest Division under the Circle K banner. The remaining 14 locations currently operate as dealers. Pursuant to this transaction, the company would buy the land and buildings for 15 locations and would assume or enter into leases for the remaining locations. The company plans to keep the stations Shell branded.

"Subsequent to this transaction, our network in the Circle K Midwest Division would include a total of 424 company operated stores. These stores are located on highly visible and well-traveled roads and occupy strategic locations within their respective trade areas. These sites are well operated and have a strong management team in place. Strategically, this acquisition is a complement to our expansion and growth plans for the Midwest Division. In addition to being an excellent fit within our current network it is also an entry into a new market area and would allow us to more easily target growth in the St. Louis market." indicated Darrell Davis, Vice-President Operations, Circle K Midwest Division.

Profile -------

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. is the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In North America, Couche-Tard is the second largest independent convenience store operator (whether integrated or not with a petroleum company) in terms of number of stores. Couche-Tard currently operates a network of 5,690 convenience stores, 3,440 of which include motor fuel dispensing, located in eleven large geographic markets, including eight in the United States covering 29 States and three in Canada covering six provinces. Some 45,000 people are employed throughout Couche- Tard's retail convenience network and executive offices.

The statements set forth in this press release, which describes Couche-Tard's objectives, projections, estimates, expectations or forecasts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation. Positive or negative verbs such as "plan", "evaluate", "estimate", "believe", "expect" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very natures, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projections. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between Couche-Tard's actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include the effects of the integration of acquired businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies, fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate variations, and such other risks as described in detail from time to time in the reports filed by Couche-Tard with securities authorities in Canada and the United States. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release.

Alimentation Couche-Tard inc.

CONTACT: Richard Fortin, Executive Vice-President and Chief FinancialOfficer, (450) 662-3272; Darrell Davis, Vice-President Operations, MidwestDivision, (812) 379-9227; info@couche-tard.com; http://www.couche-tard.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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