Circle K has become one of the most widely recognized convenience store brands, known worldwide for quality products and great customer service. Founded in 1951 in El Paso, Texas, the company is owned and operated by the Canada-based Alimentation Couche-Tard, the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In the United States, it is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of number of company-operated stores. As of April 30, 2023, Couche-Tard’s network comprised 14,468 convenience stores throughout North America. The Phoenix metro consists of Maricopa and Pinal counties, and includes more than 30 incorporated and more than 30 unincorporated towns and cities. Since 2000, the population in the metro increased by more than 38 percent. The largest city is Phoenix, which encompasses about 520 square miles, is the capital city and boasts a population of more than 1.5 million.