TREVOSE, Pa. — Rita’s Italian Ice, with more than 600 stores, said it will enter the convenience-store and gas-station channel nationwide with two area cobranding development agreements. It awarded agreements to M&M ARC Inc. for the development of the West and to Ice & Go LLC for the development of the Midwest, South and Northeast. Together, the two agreements call for 60 units by 2025, the first of which opened its doors last month in Newbury Park, Calif., at the Chevron Extra Mile convenience store.

“The convenience and gas channel allows us to further penetrate the market, while presenting franchisees with even more opportunity,” said Mo Boutara, senior director of franchise development at Rita’s Franchise Co., Trevose, Pa. “We’re thrilled to have two incredible business partners on our team as we embark on this new venture.”

M&M ARC, Rita’s area developer for the West Coast, is led by convenience and gas expert Meenu Sandhu and her husband, Madhusudan Sandhu, who together have more than 40 years of experience in the industry, including the ownership and management of five successful convenience and gas locations in California. As part of the aggressive 10-year plan, Sandhu and her team will open 30 Rita’s Italian Ice locations across her territory, which includes: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

“I first set my eyes on opening a Rita’s more than a year ago, and once I realized the opportunity and full potential of the convenience and gas space, I knew I had to do something bigger,” said Meenu Sandhu, owner of M&M ARC Inc. “I’m thrilled to have my plans finally come to fruition, and I look forward to spreading my love of Rita’s up and down the West Coast.”

Farther East in Paducah, Ky., franchisee TA Operating LLC is preparing to open Rita’s Ice at a TravelCenters of America Minit Mart convenience store, while area developer Scott Stevens of Ice & Go LLC will lead the charge in developing Rita’s presence in the convenience-store and gas-station space throughout the Midwest and along the East Coast, developing 30 stores within 10 years. Stevens, who also serves as president and chief manager of Lucky Oil Co., is slated to open Rita’s Ice in August 2015 at Lucky’s Station, a Gulf-branded gas station in Stillwater, Minn.

“We’ve taken Rita’s proven Italian Ice concept and tailored it to the convenience-store channel,” said Scott Stevens, owner of Ice & Go LLC. “Rita’s C&G model has potential to be hugely successful for franchisees, as well as the entire Rita’s system, and I couldn’t be more excited to grow my portfolio and bring my business and personal vision to life.”