The Kalibrate news round-up: September 2025

BrakeTime Corner Market to build and open 35 new c-stores through 2026

The first few are expected to open in the coming months in the Houston area as BrakeTime aims to build 20 to 30 stores annually, CEO Usman Bashir said.

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Raising Cane’s to open more restaurants in September

Kalibrate client Raising Cane’s is expanding coast to coast, with seven new restaurants slated to open next month as it pushes forward with its goal of hitting 1,000 locations by the end of the year.

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Why so many US fast food chains are expanding fast in Britain

It’s not just McDonald’s: brands like Chick-fil-A, Denny’s and Chuck E Cheese plan to open more than a thousand outlets this year. What’s behind their appetite?

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Tim Hortons, FLO to deploy EV chargers at 100 locations across Canada

Tim Hortons has announced a national partnership with Quebec-based FLO to install fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers at 100 restaurants by the end of 2028, a move that would make the chain the largest restaurant provider of public EV fast charging in Canada.

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Applegreen opens new location with the first Taco Bell in Ireland

Irish forecourt retailer Applegreen has launched a major mixed-use site in Dunshaughlin, featuring Ireland’s first Taco Bell alongside a Burger King, a Braeburn café, and the new “Crafted” in-house food concept. The development also incorporates an M&S Food store, part of Applegreen’s growing partnership with the British grocer, signaling its intent to enhance food-led convenience retailing.

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SOCAR nears acquisition of Italy’s Italiana Petroli

Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR is nearing a transaction to acquire Italiana Petroli (IP), a network of more than 4,500 Italian service stations, from the Brachetti-Peretti family. Reports indicate the deal values IP at approximately €2.5 billion and would bolster SOCAR’s presence in the Mediterranean fuel market.

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