ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Maxol Newbridge, developed to showcase Maxol’s transformative, customer-centric brand experience, has won the NACS European Convenience Retail Best of the Best Store Award for the redevelopment of its store in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.
The award, sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, was presented during the virtual NACS Convenience Summit Europe.
“This is an incredible achievement for the team in Newbridge. Not only is Maxol Newbridge the best of the best in Ireland, but the best in Europe as chosen by our industry peers. Congratulations to all the team in Newbridge for their contribution and hard work in making it a day to remember in our long history, said Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group.
“Last year we marked our centenary, and this year we are celebrating a best-in-class win, so there is a lot to be proud of within the Maxol family. We purchased the site from the Brennan Family in 2016, and I would like to thank the directors and everyone in Maxol who has been on the journey with me to transform Maxol into the business it is today. I could not be prouder of our team.”
The store was a raise and remodel and is nearly double the size of the previous one, located off exit 12 on the M7. The project, a partnership between Maxol and Aramark, features freshly prepared meal solutions that include a new Maxol Deli, a chicken-focused meal concept called The Rotisserie, and a new ice cream brand, N’ice Cream, in addition to offering established brands like Burger King and ROSA Coffee. These offers provide multiple options for customers throughout all dayparts.
At the forecourt, the store is one of Maxol’s first to offer the company’s new loyalty app and innovative customer-facing technology to ensure a seamless, omnichannel customer experience. New Helix 6000 pumps provide an integrated injection solution that transforms regular fuels into premium grades.
In 2020, the company launched a carbon emissions offsetting program to support sustainability initiatives, including planting 10,000 trees across the island of Ireland, local community projects and global projects designed to offset carbon emissions, including fuel emissions. The initiative is the next step in Maxol’s long-term environmental strategy. Already the company has introduced 100% recyclable deli packaging and 100% compostable single-use cups and lids, and it harvests rainwater for its car washes, has invested significantly in installing compostable and recyclable bins and encourages customers to reuse cups by offering a 25-cent discount on hot drinks.
The overall offer led to strong sales growth at the site in 2020—more than 43% compared to 2019 and at a time when the pandemic depressed driver traffic and general sales at many other retail locations.
Aramark, the global specialist in food and facilities management services, operates the service station on behalf of Maxol. Mark Cribbin, operations manager at Aramark Ireland, said that the international recognition is an incredible achievement, “and everyone in Aramark Ireland is immensely proud of our people in Newbridge. This award is the jewel in the crown for what is now a multi-award-winning Aramark-Maxol partnership, underpinned by the genuine pride our people take in their work—serving customers and creating fantastic forecourt experiences. I couldn’t be happier for the people who have worked tirelessly through a pandemic to make a positive impact on customers every day.”
The NACS European Convenience Retail Awards recognize outstanding achievements in the European retail community. For nearly 15 years, this program continues to be a high point for retailers, industry experts and suppliers who gather at the NACS Convenience Summit Europe to celebrate industry achievements.
“Maxol is not only redefining its offer but also how global convenience retailers deliver exceptional service and innovations that make their customers’ lives easier while focusing on measurable store-wide improvements and performance,” said NACS President and CEO Henry Armour.
The NACS Convenience Summit Europe is where global retailers gather each year to gain and share knowledge on strategic industry issues, while taking a deep dive into how these core, retail-centric themes will impact the industry today and in the future. This year’s event took place virtually June 1-3; next year the event is taking place in Berlin, Germany, from May 31–June 2.