THOMASVILLE — Autry Petroleum Co. announced Thursday the sale of 18 convenience stores to Flash Foods, Inc., of Waycross. The stores are operating as Sunrise Pantry stores which sell motor fuels under British Petroleum, Chevron and Liberty brands.

The agreement is expected to close in mid-July.

The stores are located in Southwest Georgia and will bring the total store count for Flash Foods to 182 in Georgia and North Florida. Flash Foods is a leading operator of convenience stores in the region with over 1,500 employees.

“We are proud to associate our Sunrise Pantry stores with Flash Foods,” said Daniel E. Autry, president and chief executive officer of Autry Petroleum Co. “Flash Foods has a solid reputation for operating high quality convenience stores which is good for our employees, our customers and the communities in which the stores are located.”

Flash Foods president Jimmy Walker said the acquisition was a “perfect fit.”

“These are excellent stores and we look forward to the expansion of the Flash Foods brand into southwest Georgia.”