Business Watch

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This article was published 23/09/2015 (3880 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mac’s morphing into Circle K

LAVAL, Que. — Alimentation Couche-Tard is retiring the 54-year-old Mac’s convenience store brand as it unites under the Circle K banner in most areas of the world.

The change has been in the works for more than two years and follows several acquisitions that have added different brands to the Quebec-based company since its founding in 1980.

“Today we may be a little bit of distant cousins, being from different banners and different companies. We think this has an opportunity to have us act more as brothers and sisters,” said CEO Brian Hannasch.

He said the change will accelerate the introduction of new products across its network of convenience stores. The company will keep its Couche-Tard banner in Quebec because of “unique circumstances.”

“The notoriety of the brand is so strong here,” executive chairman Alain Bouchard told a news conference Tuesday. “It would be an even bigger challenge to change Couche-Tard to Circle K, so it was never really considered.”

The company will begin rolling out its Circle K brand to other parts of Canada in May 2017, following rollouts in the United States and Europe that will mostly begin next year.

No job cuts are expected among the approximately 8,000 employees at about 800 Mac’s stores in Canada. Couche-Tard already operates about 125 Circle K stores in Atlantic Canada.

 

McDonald’s seeks employees

MCDONALD’S is going on a hiring spree across Western Canada, looking to hire 1,500 workers across the region, including 100 in Winnipeg.

If you’re lovin’ the idea of working at Mickey D’s, you are invited to visit any McDonald’s in Winnipeg on Thursday between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Job seekers of all ages, especially young people, are encouraged to apply.

 

Amazon cuts Prime membership

NEW YORK — Amazon is cutting the price of its US$99 annual Prime membership to US$67 for new members to celebrate its original series Transparent winning five Emmys at the 67th annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

The deal runs Friday from 11 a.m. CT to Saturday at 1:59 a.m. CT.

Transparent debuted in 2014 and stars Jeffrey Tambor as a transgender parent. It won five Emmys Sunday including for outstanding lead actor and outstanding director for a comedy series.

Amazon Inc. has been beefing up offers and services to attract subscribers to its Prime loyalty club. Most recently, it gave members free online access to the Washington Post and has been expanding same-day delivery options.

 

— staff / news services