Dentons advised Millat Convenience on launch of Circle K franchises in South Africa

Dentons advised Millat Convenience on launch of Circle K franchises in South Africa

The first store is expected to open by October-end in Gauteng province

Global law firm Dentons has advised Millat Convenience Pty Ltd. on a master license agreement with Circle K Procurement and Brands Limited. It grants Millat the exclusive 30 years right to open and operate Circle K franchises throughout South Africa.

Hamza Farooqui, the CEO of Millat Group commented, "Bringing Circle K to South Africa aligns with our concept of introducing customer-centric brands, experiences, and compelling food service offerings. This further speaks of our strategy to play within the leisure, hospitality, food service, and convenience segments."

Babette Marzheuser-Wood, the managing director of Dentons' franchise advisory and co-head of the Europe consumer products and services group remarked, "This is one of the most exciting franchising transactions in Africa so far this year. it will bring a world-renowned convenience store brand to a new market of 60 million people. It was our pleasure to represent Millat on this deal, which is a key milestone in their growth strategy."

Established in 1951 in Texas, US, Circle K is a global leader in convenience stores, with over 14,100 stores across 24 countries worldwide. It was acquired by Canadian-based multinational Alimentation Couche-Tard in 2003.

The deal represents an important milestone in its expansion plan, marking its entrance into the Southern African market. It expects to open the first Circle K store by the end of October 2022 in Gauteng province.

The Millat Group is a Johannesburg-based family office with a diversified investment portfolio. It has a solid track record of bringing international brands into South Africa. Millat has worked extensively to lay the foundation for the opening of Circle K stores across the country.

The Dentons team comprising Babette Marzheuser-Wood and senior associate Karolina Cotronei advised Millat on the franchising agreement.