EG On The Move revealed how it plans to build on a 20% uplift in shop sales where EV charging is installed in its network, at the third On The Road With Forecourt Trader event.
The Top 50 Indie and host for the latest in a series of these behind the scenes tours, told guests that it is building an EV On The Move loyalty app and website.
Featuring bespoke discounts for customers using the shop while charging their vehicles, the technology will entice more socket users to make purchases inside the store during the 20-30 minutes of dwell time, the company believes.
“This digital platform investment in the coming months will allow us to measure at the site level who is buying top-up and foodservice items while charging their vehicle,” said director of EV charging and energy Zakir Hasan.
With multiple foodservice brands on its network of 160 sites, the business is well set up to encourage motorists charging their vehicles into its forecourt shops. Blackburn Frontier Park, which welcomed senior leaders and executives from 12 independent forecourt operators on the day, features a Subway, Greggs, Sbarro pizza, SpudBros Express, Indian street food café chain Chaiiwala, and Ambala traditional Indian sweets and savouries; as well as a Starbucks drive-thru.
Spud Bros Express is a new addition to its foodservice offer, and was added last month as part of a two-store trial. Favourites in its offer include the Garlic & Chilli Chicken, and Tram Classic.
EG On The Move corporate development and communications director Ilyas Munshi explained that it is important to provide a range of foodservice brands to suit different budgets, time of day and customer preferences.
With Greggs, for example, there is a lull after 3-3.30pm for the business, while Sbarro gives the operator a strong evening as well as lunch-time option.
The business also shared how it takes a “scientific approach” in determining which shop brands to introduce. Convenience retail manager Arif Adam explained to the group why it now operates 10 sites with the Co-op, which is renowned for its focus on fresh food for now and for later. These outlets are alongside 151 Spar-branded shops supplied by AF Blakemore (77 sites), James Hall (64), Appleby Westward (nine) and CJ Lang (one).
“We recognise that in certain locations the Co-op’s values and missions resonate with customers best,” said Adam. “Meanwhile, Spar is still a very modern community brand. It is an ideal destination for a top-up shop.”
Everything from the dominant age profile of a store’s customer base, to what car they drive, their ethnicity, occupation, accommodation type and family set up, will be taken into consideration.
The business, now for example, has 30 sites live with Iceland – a brand popular with families, said Adam. Historically a low turnover category for the business, not only has it led to frozen sales increasing by 1,000% in those stores, but it has had a halo effect leading to an 11% uplift in sales across the whole site, he added. Further Iceland sites are in the pipeline.
This kind of customer profiling is used to benefit the whole site – with car washes, for example (it has 33 rollovers) installed if there is an older demographic, instead of its more favoured jet washes (it has 89).
With the industry decline in tobacco sales – the category still accounts for 18% of shop turnover for EG On The Move – the operator is pleased that grocery has continued to grow and now accounts for 17% of its overall shop turnover. Packaged beverages are most important at 20%, with other important areas including confectionery (10%), vaping (9%), and car care (4%).
With EG On the Move owner Zuber Issa taking a majority stake in Duckhams, the 127-year-old British brand, visitors on the day were shown the lubricants range at Frontier Park. The point of sale featured a QR code for motorists to instantly find out what oil is most suitable for their vehicle. Most forecourt operators will have a two-tier range, compared with car care specialist Halfords’ three or four the group was told.
A highlight of the tour was the eight-bay electric charging hub, covered with a canopy featuring solar panels, which are also fitted to the shop. Munshi explained that the Tesla V4 Superchargers, giving up to 250kW, were a key focus for the business.
It currently has 52 sites with EV On The Move branded charging, with 20 coming on board last year, and it plans for half of a targeted 500 petrol forecourt sites to take the fast charging technology by 2030.
Hasan told the exclusive group that the business could now give other operators a third-party revenue-sharing or land lease offer. “We have a young and energetic team, and we have tried and tested the market and know that it can bring extra footfall and revenue,” he said. “We reduce the cost to undertake and complete installation, and take away the headache of the application and design.”
Munshi added: “We are never afraid to try and invest and see if ideas work. We are seeing positive results in terms of revenue generation, customer experience, and we feel that we can take EV On The Move solution out into the marketplace.”
Also speaking on the day were the two sponsors of the event:
Carrs Pasties stresses local brand authenticity
Carrs Pasties, a third-generation family business in Bolton, plans to roll out its brand to the forecourt sector throughout the northwest of England.
Already in more than a dozen forecourt sites in the region, the company, established in 1939, says it can help petrol stations stand out with an authentic local brand.
It says favourites in its range are beef & potato, retailing at £2.55, and a chicken curry option introduced last year (£2.90). There is also a sausage roll, vegetarian bake, and cheese & jalapeno, cheese, and vegetable pasties.
Last year the firm made 4.2m pasties, with fans visiting Liverpool’s Anfield stadium among customers. Forecourt stockists include Sterling Petroleum at two sites, Arms Group at six, and GM Petroleum at three.
Retailers are offered free direct delivery of the frozen products, which are baked on site for 30 minutes. Carrs can provide ovens, display units and point of sale. Profit margins are between 30-40%, increasing with higher volumes, according to the company.
“Just selling 50 pasties a day you can make really strong return,” head of sales James Neilson told the event.
Chiling advice from The Jordon Group
The Jordon Group’s blue liveried van is a fixture at EG On The Move’s sites, as a preferred supplier to the business.
Its sales director Ben Verity told the event that, although the Top 50 operator’s preference was to have door-free fridges, having chillers that open is no longer viewed as a barrier to sale, except with food to go.
In recent years there has been a trend to retrofit glass or lightweight acrylic doors onto existing equipment, as well as towards new units factory-fitted with doors.
Those alone can cut energy bills by 55%, according to the business, which also supplies inverter systems and provides real-time remote monitoring of refrigeration equipment at more than 200 of its clients’ sites.
Predictive maintenance technologies enable Jordon to spot issues before they become a problem, cutting downtime and enhancing performance, said Verity.
He also pointed out that new F-Gas regulations coming into force next year to reduce the release of fluorinated gases, which are harmful to the environment, will mean future refrigeration purchases will need to be compliant. Existing equipment, however, can stay in place.
