Circle K is an international chain of convenience stores, founded in 1951 in El Paso, Texas, United States. It is owned and operated by the Canadian-based Alimentation Couche-Tard. Today it is present in most of the US 50 states, all Canadian provinces and a number of European countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Northern Ireland and Ireland). In Asia and Latin America the brand is used by franchisees.