ATD

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

One of the world's largest convenience store operators, this Canadian company runs tens of thousands of neighborhood stores and gas stations under the Circle K banner across North America, Europe, and beyond, while keeping the Couche-Tard name on its home turf in Quebec. It was founded in 1980 in Laval, Quebec, by Alain Bouchard and three partners, who opened their first store to serve customers after traditional supermarkets closed. The French name "Couche-Tard" literally means "night owl" — someone who stays up late — and the company's mascot is a winking red owl, a nod to the late-night shoppers it was built to serve.