08:36 AM EDT, 07/31/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF ) is acquiring Poland's largest convenience retailer, Zabka Group, for $8.6 billion, the company said early Friday.

The acquisition will immediately scale-up Couche-Tard's operations in Central and Eastern Europe. Zabka had a network of 13,000 stores at the end of June, a statement said.

Couche-Tard will initiate a voluntary tender offer for Zabka at $8.48 per share, and the transaction is unanimously supported by management and shareholders who already own 57% of Zabka. It expects to fund the acquisition through fully committed debt facilities.

"This is a transformational investment for Couche-Tard and an important milestone in our growth journey," said Couche-Tard CEO Alex Miller. "Zabka has built one of Europe's most impressive convenience retail businesses, combining a powerful customer proposition with an entrepreneurial franchise model, a highly disciplined and proven operating platform, and a strong track record of growth."

The transaction is expected to be completed by December.

Couche-Tard shares closed down C$1.15, to C$89.78 on Thursday on the Toronto Stock Exchange.