Couche-Tard Opens Lab Store on University Campus LAVAL, Quebec — Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. and McGill University are teaming up to open a lab store where faculty and students can conduct research and testing in a real retail environment. Located on McGill University's downtown campus in Montreal, Quebec, the store provides a rare peak into innovation being considered by Couche-Tard, report The store features a cashierless corner where shoppers enter and check out using the Couche-Tard mobile app. In 2020, the global convenience retailer said it was preparing to roll out automated checkout at select store in the U.S. "By having a live laboratory, we are confident that the research projects and technologies successfully tested at the lab may eventually be implemented in some of our 14,220 stores across our global network," Couche-Tard Chief Technology Officer Deborah Hall Lefevre said in a press release. Laval-based Couche-Tard is the parent company of the global Circle K banner.