Phoenix-based AZ Lemonade Stand is about to turn a local cult favorite into an all-out convenience store staple. The six-year-old brand has inked a distribution deal with Circle K that will put its mason-jar lemonades in every Circle K store in Arizona and roughly 650 locations total, including the Las Vegas area. Later this year, the rollout is expected to stretch into Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, marking the biggest retail footprint yet for the hometown beverage maker.
Deal details
As reported by ABC15 Arizona, the agreement will place AZ Lemonade Stand in every Circle K location in Arizona and in Circle K stores around Las Vegas, for a total of about 650 outlets. ABC15 notes that the rollout is slated to expand later this year across Circle K’s Grand Canyon and Rocky Mountain division, which would take the jars into additional Western markets.
Local roots and growth
The brand launched in 2020, when chef Tom D’Ambrosio and Kyle Hollenbeck spun it out of their Aioli Gourmet Burgers concept and turned a restaurant-side idea into a dedicated retail product. According to AZ Lemonade Stand, the company had sold 489,000 jars by the end of 2023 and, as of late 2024, was in more than 60 Fry’s locations and over 1,000 retail outlets across Arizona. The business has leaned into desert-forward flavors such as Prickly Pear and Huckleberry, along with a keepsake mason-jar presentation, to build a regional following.
Why Circle K matters
Circle K is one of the dominant convenience banners in the region and is owned by Alimentation Couche-Tard. The parent company’s filings note that Circle K maintains corporate offices in Tempe and operates a broad North American store network. Per a filing with the SEC, Alimentation Couche-Tard brings the kind of scale and distribution muscle that can quickly multiply a local brand’s reach. For AZ Lemonade Stand, landing on Circle K shelves removes a major barrier to reaching out-of-state customers.
Where to look
Shoppers should keep an eye on Circle K coolers for the brand’s mason jars and seasonal flavors in the coming months. AZ Lemonade Stand directs customers to a store locator on its site for exact launch locations. In an April update, the company noted that rollouts will stagger by region and that it will announce specific store activations on its website and social channels.
For the original reporting, see the story from the Phoenix Business Journal. Hoodline also tracked the company’s earlier expansion in an earlier western push.
