Circle K invests millions in premium coffee machines across the Baltics

Circle K has put millions of euros into coffee because the company sees what shoppers do every day: they will pay for speed, but they now expect better coffee with it. The convenience chain said it is rolling out new machines across 260 stores in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, a move aimed at making pump-side coffee feel closer to a café order without slowing the line.

The upgrade is not a cosmetic refresh. Circle K said the new-generation Eversys Enigma Classic machines are built for large-scale daily hot beverage preparation, and Circle K Lithuania said its stations have already been upgraded with Eversys Enigma equipment. MadeinVilnius reported that more than 7 million euros of the Baltic investment was allocated to Lithuania and Latvia, with another 3 million euros planned for Estonia in 2026. That puts the total near 10 million euros, a serious bet on a category that has long been one of convenience retail’s easiest traffic drivers.

The company has good reason to lean in. Circle K Lithuania cites a February 2026 Intra Research survey of 518 Lithuanian residents that found 40% buy takeaway coffee one to two times a week. More telling, 61% said they most often buy takeaway coffee at gas stations, while 79% said convenience is their main reason for choosing a gas station for coffee. Circle K also said 59% of respondents named it their first choice among gas-station coffee options. In a market where café quality is becoming the baseline, those numbers show why a better machine matters as much as a better bean.

Circle K Lithuania says its coffee is Rainforest Alliance certified and that it offers more than 9,360 coffee combinations, a range that gives the brand room to play with size, milk and flavor while keeping the service model simple. The chain also broadened its plant-based offer in February 2025, when Circle K and Oatly said Oatly Barista Edition would be available at Circle K locations across Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia as the only plant-based milk option for in-store coffee. Skirmantas Mačiukas, vice president of Circle K Baltics, framed that partnership as a response to changing customer preferences and sustainability concerns.

Taken together, the machine rollout and the milk partnership show how far convenience coffee has moved. Circle K is not just chasing a better cup. It is trying to make the forecourt a credible daily coffee stop, where consistency, speed and a little more polish can win business from cafés one commuter at a time.