FT -  (l-r) at Maxol Glenabbey Service Station -Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group, Ron Whitten, Chief Financial Officer, Henderson Group; and Paddy Doody, Sales and Marketing Director, Henderson Group

Maxol, Northern Ireland’s leading forecourt and convenience retailer, has announced the renewal of its strategic alliance with the Henderson Group, the company that owns the Spar franchise in Northern Ireland.

The new deal, worth £425m over five years, strengthens the partnership between the two family-owned businesses which was forged more than a decade ago in 2009.

Under the terms of the new deal, Maxol will supply fuel under the Maxol brand to 30 Henderson Group-owned service stations over the lifetime of the deal.

Meanwhile Henderson Group will continue to supply 24 Maxol service stations under the Spar brand, with its strong emphasis on supporting local suppliers, over five years.

Maxol will introduce Spar Daily Deli to enhance choice and convenience for their customers throughout the day, at six new sites by the end of April 2021, including Glenabbey, Townparks in Antrim, Eglinton, Scarva Rd in Banbridge, Portrush and Saintfield.

Maxol will also invest in Henderson’s on-the-go coffee brand as new Barista Bar coffee equipment will be installed at each of their 24 company-owned sites and further in-store refreshes are planned over the next two years at 15 locations across Northern Ireland.

Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group, said: “This contract renewal demonstrates the great strength of our long-term relationship and the success of our partnership with the Henderson Group.

“As a fourth-generation family-owned business it means we are able to deliver on our commitment to supporting local producers and to providing our customers with quality, choice, value and convenience – whether that’s with everyday fresh ingredients to cook at home or being able to enjoy food on the go with meals that have been freshly prepared on site – right where they need it, in the heart of the local community.

“I am delighted that today’s announcement marks a milestone in an enduring alliance that continues to benefit our independent retailers and customers right across Northern Ireland and we look forward to continuing to build on our success.”

Paddy Doody, sales and marketing director, Henderson Group, said: “We have enjoyed a strong strategic partnership with Maxol which has brought huge benefits to both brands over the past 11 years. As two locally-owned, family-run businesses, we’re proud to collaborate and bring further opportunities to our network of retailers across Northern Ireland.

“Barista Bar and Daily Deli are two of our most popular services and we’re excited to see this partnership facilitate their growth even further throughout the local towns and communities in which we operate.”