LA CROSSE, Wis. — Kwik Trip Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of PDQ Food Stores Inc. PDQ is an employee-owned company based in Middleton, Wis. Its assets include 34 company-operated convenience stores located in Southeastern Wisconsin.

This acquisition allows Kwik Trip to expand its presence in a market that is important to its overall retail growth strategy, the company said.

The transaction is scheduled to be completed in early October and is subject to PDQ employee approval and other customary closing conditions. Kwik Trip plans to operate the acquired stores under the existing PDQ banner until planned remodels and reimaging are completed in mid-2018.

In 2015, Kwik Trip celebrated its 50th year of operation. “Our family is committed to owning and growing the company for another 50 years,” said Mark Zietlow, real estate manager and third-generation owner. “The PDQ store locations are an excellent fit in our growth strategy for Wisconsin.”

“Kwik Trip and our family are committed to providing good-paying jobs for all of our current and future co-workers. With the acquisition of PDQ and future remodel of the PDQ locations, we anticipate adding more than 1,000 jobs,” he said.

Founded in 1965 in Eau Claire, Wis., Kwik Trip is one of the largest independently held c-store chains in the United States. Now based in La Crosse, Wis., it owns and operates more than 570 stores in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and in Iowa as Kwik Star, and employs more than 19,000 people.