MAGNOLIA -- At least four Royal Farms convenience stores could be coming to South Jersey as the Maryland-based company continues to push into territory typically dominated by Wawa, according to a report by the Courier-Post.

Prototype rendering for a Royal Farms convenience store and gas station.

Royal Farms recently won approval to turn a former church in Magnolia into a 5,400-square-foot convenience store and gas station, the report said. The other three proposed locations include Route 38 in Mount Laurel, the Black Horse Pike in Bellmawr and a vacant restaurant in East Greenwich near Berkley and West Cohawkin roads, the report said.

A Royal Farms representative could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

The privately-owned chain, which is headquartered in Maryland, opened its first store in 1959. Royal Farms currently operates 167 stores in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

According to the company's website, the chain backs up its "Real Fresh. Real Fast" slogan with offerings not unlike the Mid-Atlantic region's premier convenience store -- Wawa.

Wawa, arguably New Jersey's most-loved convenience store, boasts more than 700 locations across Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida. The chain announced earlier this year that it planned to hire more than 5,000 full- and part-time employees for the summer months.

The Courier-Post report adds that the plans in Bellmawr and Mount Laurel still await planning board approval, while East Greenwich's has already been approved.

Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.