H-E-B is giving its traditional convenience stores a newer, fresher look, and the first store seeing the transformation just launched in Leander.

The H-E-B Fresh Bites at the corner of Texas 29 and Ronald Reagan Boulevard offers on-the-go fresh food, a True Texas made-to-order taco station and sushi. Fresh Bites is a stand-alone store near the gas pumps and adjacent to the 103,000-square-foot Leander H-E-B.

The Leander store is the first of 12 convenience stores in Texas that the San Antonio-based grocer plans to redesign.

“With the introduction of H-E-B Fresh Bites, we’re bringing the freshest products to our customers who are on the go but want a better alternative to traditional convenience store snacks," said Scott Campbell, H-E-B convenience store operations manager.

In addition to tacos and sushi, the Leander H-E-B Fresh Bites features refrigerated cases stocked with fresh produce, salads, sandwiches, meat and cheese snacks, fresh juices and kombucha. The location also includes a soda fountain, beer, wine and a self-checkout option. The store will be open Sunday through Thursday from 4 a.m. to 12 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m.

"It's like a mini H-E-B, where you can grab-and-go healthy items," said Johnny Mojica, H-E-B public affairs manager. "By adding it where customers get gas in their cars, they can quickly go into H-E-B Fresh Bites and pick up lunch or dinner or on-the-go beverages."

What other H-E-B properties are being developed in Central Texas?

The new Fresh Bites is part of a major expansion push by H-E-B in Central Texas.

In February, the grocer opened a long-awaited two-story store on Lake Austin Boulevard at 715 S. Exposition Blvd. The 97,000-square-foot location is the chain's first multilevel store in the metro area. It includes a True Texas BBQ restaurant, a full bar, a South Flo Pizza restaurant and a coffee shop that serves house-made breakfast tacos.

More: New two-story H-E-B on Lake Austin Boulevard opens Wednesday

H-E-B has operated in Austin for more than 80 years and has long been the region's dominant grocer. Industry analysts say the company controls about 60% of the grocery market in the Austin metro, a rarity in U.S. cities, where Walmart usually dominates sales.

Ongoing projects include a 121,000-square-foot store in Georgetown at 1010 W. University Ave. that is projected to open in early summer.

H-E-B also is building a 103,000-square-foot store at the former site of the Nutty Brown Amphitheater in Southwest Austin. H-E-B purchased the Nutty Brown property in 2005.

More: H-E-B building store on former site of Nutty Brown Amphitheatre in Southwest Austin

Meanwhile, the company is rebuilding the H-E-B store at South Congress Avenue and Oltorf Street. The store at 2400 S. Congress Ave. opened in 1957 at 25,000 square feet. H-E-B has not given an opening date for the new three-level, 145,000-square-foot store.

More: The new temporary HEB on South Congress is open, and we went on a shopping mission inside

What else is in the works for H-E-B?

Earlier this month, H-E-B launched credit cards that offer 5% cash back on H-E-B brand purchases and 1.5% on all other items.

H-E-B and Central Market credit cards are separate credit accounts that must be applied for individually and require separate credit checks and approvals.

The cards can be used at H-E-B, Central Market, or any place Visa is accepted, according to the company. There is no annual fee, and both provide 5% cash back on orders made through H-E-B-owned delivery service Favor.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Leander H-E-B convenience store is first in Texas for redesign