Dive Brief:

• Speedway, the convenience store chain owed by Marathon Petroleum Corp., has opened its first store in the Chattanooga area, and plans to open three more outlets there soon.
• The new store comes amid rapid expansion for the chain, which is looking to add markets. With the Chattanooga store and a recent opening in Pennsylvania, Speedway now operates some 1,500 stores in nine states.
• Speedway's expansion comes as the chain places new emphasis on its food offerings. Its Speedy Cafe sections feature freshly prepared foods.

Dive Insight:

We've said it before, and no doubt we will say it again, there's something interesting happening on the side of the road. Convenience stores, long the domain of cigarettes, coffee, lottery tickets and four-day-old hot dogs, are turning "into something with a much broader product base and a yearning for a bigger share of shopper's grocery budget."