Bosses of Top 50 Indie Euro Garages have outlined their plans for the future as its joint CEOs received an international award for their leadership in convenience retailing.

Commercial director Ilyas Munshi said Euro Garages had access to 1,100 forecourt sites across France and Benelux, and was poised to expand in Europe, following its deal with London-based private equity firm TDR Capital in 2015.

Speaking at the NACS Insight Convenience Summit – Europe, he said: “Our aspiration of becoming an international player has come a step nearer. We have a train set from Europe that we can play with now.”

He said plans were in place to merge the UK and continental operations next year and to roll out its model of partnering with major fuel, foodservice and convenience brands, which include BP, Shell, Esso, Starbucks, Subway, Burger King, Spar and Greggs.

Accepting the 2016 NACS Insight International Convenience Leader of the Year Award, Mohsin Issa, co-CEO of Euro Garages, said the business was entering an exciting new phase of development.

“We plan to build on what we have successfully executed at a UK level and take that to a global scale,” he explained.

“Nobody does this true branded proposition on an international scale. The international brands will travel and we will bring in local brands to fill in the missing pieces.”

Issa revealed how Euro Garages’ strategy for asset transformation, aggressive partnerships and a focus on people had driven the company’s success. The company’s focus was to create destination locations, which customers will visit for more than one shopper mission. This ambition is aided by time-starved shoppers, the consumer trend to shop little and often at smaller stores, ample car parking and 24-hour access.

In terms of foodservice, Issa said Euro Garages was not a brand but an ambassador for leading global brands and it aimed to outperform those brands. “Customers should not recognise Euro Garages is running those brands,” he said. “Success is when a customer has an experience that is equally as good, if not better than the brand owners.”

He said the company had a strong focus on people and this included developing home grown talent, as well as attracting the best people through its vision and fresh international strategy. The employee who runs Euro Garages’ Starbucks business started as a night time cashier, for example. “People have got to positions they never thought they’d get to,” said Issa. “We also need to attract more people to deliver future international growth, but I’m sure we will find them along the way.”

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