Founders Everywhere: Alex Canter
Alex Canter is the co-founder and CEO of Maggie's Refuel, a new gas and EV station brand bringing hospitality, quality food, and a fun, elevated experience to refueling.
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Imagine a gas station with a fresh espresso bar, pastries from a local bakery, high-quality foods, and premium beverages curated from emerging CPG brands. Want a Coke? No problem—just expect it in a glass bottle. That’s the vision behind Maggie’s Refuel, a new kind of convenience store redefining the refueling experience. With a focus on elevated food and beverage options, curated design, and hospitality-driven service, Maggie’s is bringing a modern, thoughtful twist to the traditional gas station. Fresh out of stealth and backed by a newly announced pre-seed round led by Mucker Capital and Matchstick Ventures, with participation from Everywhere Ventures, Maggie’s is gearing up to open its first location in the Los Angeles area, offering drivers a whole new reason to look forward to the next fuel stop.
Co-founder and CEO Alex Canter is a longtime innovator in the restaurant and hospitality space. A fourth-generation member of the Canter’s Deli family in Los Angeles, he went on to co-found Nextbite and Ordermark, both of which were acquired in 2023. Alex was also recognized with honors including Forbes 30 Under 30, Business Insider’s Top 33 Food-Tech Power Players, and Fast Casual Executive’s Top 25. He joined co-founders Tomas Garibaldi, Argu Arkan, and Saul Cooperstein, experts in food and beverage, hospitality, real estate, and CPG. They’re making Maggie’s more than just a convenience, it’s a destination.
What’s the inspiration behind Maggie’s Refuel?
While traveling for my last startup, I saw how gas stations and convenience stores in Asia, Europe, and Latin America were so much nicer than in the U.S. – some even serve as destination locations. One day in LA, I went into a gas station for coffee and the only options were a stale pot or sugary pre-packaged drinks. It struck me as a huge missed opportunity. Since then, I’ve been obsessed with bringing a better experience to this space, drawing on my hospitality roots and foodie background. And with the rise of electric vehicles, I also saw how waiting for a charge at a station could be an opportunity to enhance the experience even further.
What’s Maggie Refuel’s mission?
We’re on a mission to build a better refueling experience. We want to elevate this weekly chore into something cleaner, safer, and more fun. We want to make gas stations a place where you can treat yourself and discover new things. We want to bring hospitality and a sense of excitement, borrowing from the experience you have at hotels and restaurants.
What sets Maggie’s Refuel apart?
It’s really the expertise of our team. I brought together some incredible people from my last startup and industry leaders. Our co-founding team has a breadth of experience in this industry and our advisory board is stacked with former CEOs and execs from 7-Eleven, AMPM, Starbucks, and Foodary by Ampol (a high-end gas station in Australia) So we’ve got deep, hands-on experience driving us forward.
How has your background influenced you as a founder?
As the fourth generation of Canter’s Deli, I was raised by LA’s restaurant scene, so I have a unique understanding of the food culture in this market. I started a restaurant tech company, a virtual restaurant business, a food podcast, and have worked with over 10,000 restaurants. After previously raising $150M+ for my last startup, I’m not afraid of asset-heavy, capital-intensive businesses.
Any advice for other founders?
I learned a lot of hard lessons over the years, but always think big and set ambitious goals. It’s important to surround yourself with smart people and build a strong advisory board early. The other thing I’ll say is: “fake it till you make it.” Don’t be afraid to just jump in and get started, even if you don’t have everything perfectly figured out. 70% is good enough. Don’t be a perfectionist; iterate quickly, and listen to your customers.
Fun facts:
Maggie’s is named after my French Bulldog, Maggie.
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