Casey’s General Stores take aim with pan pizza lineup

Casey's General Stores is expanding its pizza offerings with square, thick-crust pan pizzas across nearly 3,000 convenience stores in 19 states, positioning the retailer to compete more directly with traditional pizza chains. According to an article on Barron's, the Iowa-based company said nearly 80% of the small towns it serves lack a nearby national pan-pizza option, presenting an opportunity to capture additional demand.

Casey's is already the nation's fifth-largest pizza chain by location count, behind Domino's, Pizza Hut, Little Caesars and Papa John's. Revenue for the chain from prepared food and dispensed beverages has increased 63% over the past five fiscal years, with pizza serving as a key growth driver.