Chain Expansions: Casey’s, Crumbl and Einstein Bros.

* Casey’s General Stores Inc. (Ankeny, Iowa) has embarked on its latest 3-year strategic plan that includes adding at least 400 stores through a combination of strategic acquisitions and new-store development. During its just-ended three-year plan, the company added more than 500 stores, giving it a total of 2900-plus stores. “Our growth strategy is expanding Casey’s Country in a disciplined way,” COO Ena Williams said in a news release. “We’ve shown that we can grow through both new stores and acquisitions. That includes the successful integration of CEFCO, our largest acquisition to date, which strengthened our presence in Texas and expanded Casey’s reach across the South. That flexibility allows us to pursue the best opportunities as market conditions evolve.”

* Crumbl (Logan, Utah), a fast-growing dessert brand specializing in made-from-scratch cookies, has unveiled plans to open its first store in Mexico. Slated to open in late summer in Mexico City’s Roma Norte neighborhood, that locale will be followed by additional ones later this year and into 2027 in Mexico City and Monterrey. Founded in 2017, the chain currently has nearly 1200 locations in all 50 U.S. states, as well as in Canada and Puerto Rico.

* Einstein Bros. Bagels (Denver) said it plans to open more than 300 new bakeries across the United States by 2030. That growth will involve using a store prototype unveiled last year whose design prioritizes freshness, speed and a warm, welcoming atmosphere, in a format engineered to scale quickly, the chain said in a press release. The new design blends premium finishes, warm neighborhood character and thoughtful layouts that make every visit easy and enjoyable, with the fresh-baked bagel case placed front and center. “We’ve spent years perfecting a highly scalable store model that delivers fresh, high-quality breakfast with the convenience today’s guests expect, and now we’re accelerating that model across the country,” said Jessica DePetro, CEO of Einstein Bros. Bagels, which is a unit of Panera Brands and currently has 700-plus locales in the U.S.