In the ongoing battle between chain and independent C-store operators, it appears that newcomer Honey Farms is repositioning itself in Houston. Massachusetts-based energy company, Global Partners LP (owners of Honey Farms and multiple other brands), arrived in Houston just over two years ago, with the purchase of 64 Timewise locations selling Exxon-branded fuel in March 2023. The new owners took control in June of that year, licensing the Timewise brand and logos, and made minimal changes for the first few months. In late December 2023, the company rebranded the first of many locations as Honey Farms. Honey Farms was an existing brand owned by Global Partners, with a presence in New England. These Texas locations have a distinct identity from their New England counterparts, including their own website. These transitions continued into 2024 and concluded with all 64 locations being converted into Honey Farms. However, by the end of the year, Honey Farms began to quietly drop locations around Houston. As of this post, the company has sold off 17 of the locations they started with. The locations were sold off to a variety of independent operators. San Antonio-based Pump n Shop took the majority of the locations, 7. The rest were split by others, including PitStop Express, Elan, and Grab n Go. The stores were all originally part of Exxon’s company-owned On the Run chain. The conditions affecting Honey Farms aren’t unique, as major chains like 7-Eleven and Circle K have also been shedding locations since 2022. In Houston, the independents reign as kings of new construction, with only Timewise continuing to construct new stores in any measurable numbers.
