You really should try and make time to visit the Forecourt Show at Birmingham’s NEC from Monday April 20 to Wednesday 22. That’s because it will be full of exhibitors keen to talk to you face-to-face, about your business and how their products and services can help you. You’ll be able to have in-depth conversations about the issues that matter to you and give your honest feedback to suppliers.

Exhibitors this year include: Adler & Allen; Air Serv, Bever Innovations, BOSS, Car Wash UK, CFG Nationwide Site Services; CPL Distribution; Ehrle UK Consulting; Fairbanks Environmental, Fast Trak; Gadjet; Glasdon UK; Greenergy; Harvest Retail; Istobal UK; Itab Prolight UK; Jet; K9 Clean; Karcher UK; Neville Paper and Plastic Supplies; OPW; Pongo UK; Prax Petroleum; Reynolds Logistics; RMIF/PRA; Tate Business Group; Tokheim UK; Washtec (UK); and Wayne Fuelling Systems UK.

Staff on the BOSS stand will be on hand to tell visitors about the Payment Watch debt recovery scheme for fuel retailers and the fact that Morrisons is running a trial of the scheme on several forecourts within its estate.

Ehrle will be talking to retailers about its two-bay, fully touchless, self-service car wash system. It is equipped with automatic frost protection allowing 365 days of the year operation.

Glasdon UK will be showing off its new Advocate floor-standing poster display sign, which it says is ideal for forecourts as it’s a versatile way of advertising your products or services.

K9 Clean will show you how you can generate additional income from its iClean Dog Wash. Made from polished, stainless steel with a seven-programme control panel, it offers efficient shampoo and conditioner dispensing, controlled warm water and turbo warm drying.

On the OPW stand you can find out about Avance, which has been specifically designed to make the refuelling experience pleasant for consumers with improved ergonomics and minimised spill so the forecourt can be kept clean. Avance is available as conventional, vapour recovery or high-flow nozzle, or as full dispenser-hanging hardware solution.

Meanwhile, the SiteSentinel family of products provides fuel monitoring systems and accessories that enable access to accurate fuel inventory data.

From tank gauges including the Nano, Integra 100, Integra 500 and iTouch with auto reconciliation, to precision measuring probes and sensors, OPW says SiteSentinel equipment offers innovative fuel monitoring capabilities.

And it says the KPS Petrol Pipe System is the most advanced and installer-friendly double-wall piping system available for use on filling stations. The product range covers all piping needs: remote fill, pressure and suction, ventilation, vapour recovery or conduits. With zero permeation of hydrocarbons, KPS piping keeps fuel where it’s supposed to be.

Reynolds Logistics says it can offer a solution tailored to fit customers’ needs, which can include managing a fuel retailer’s supply chain and stock management and optimisation, leaving the retailer to concentrate on their business. Operating across the UK with depots in the Thames, Immingham, Ellesmere Port and Manchester, it can offer motor spirit, diesel, ethanol, biodiesel, bioethanol, aviation fuel (kerosene), gas oil, marine gas oil and fuel oils.

On the Tokheim stand you can see a complete set of environmental and wet-stock management solutions from Tokheim ProGauge, ranging from entry-level probes, to innovative consoles, right through to head-office wet-stock management packages. At the Forecourt Show, the firm will be launching the MagLink LX console, the next generation of tank management systems that offers a flexible approach to tank gauging with no extra software required to remotely manage your fuel stock.

For your convenience

As usual, The Forecourt Show is right next door to the National Convenience Show, where you can catch up with some of the biggest names in convenience retailing. These include: Blakemore Wholesale; Bobbys Foods; Burtons Biscuits; Ginsters; Greencore Food To Go; Heineken; HTEC; Jack’s Beans Coffee Company; Kerry Foods; Mars Ice Cream; Nature Valley; Nestlé UK; Paypoint; Perfetti Van Melle; Pork Farms; Rollover; Subway; The Post Office; and United Biscuits.

Cereal bar Nature Valley is a newcomer to the show and its brand team will be helping retailers to unlock the meal deal opportunity. Sector controller Jason Simpson says: ’’We know that food-to-go is an increasingly profitable offering for retailers and a single bar such as Nature Valley is the perfect type of product to incorporate into deals, so we’re keen to show retailers how easy and simple it can be to create a great food-to-go offer.’’

Alongside offering advice on which of the Nature Valley range to stock and where to merchandise it in store, the team will be on hand to show retailers how to enhance and maximise their meal deals and demonstrate the point-of-sale material which is available to promote the cereal bars.

Post Office Ltd will be at the show to match retailers who have an interest in offering post office services with current regional vacancies. Having developed innovative counter solutions which require only a fraction of the space of a traditional Post Office counter, the possibility of incorporating additional customer services into a store’s offering has never been greater.

The Post Office team will be keen to talk to any retailers including forecourt traders who currently operate in an area where they are seeking new franchisees. There are many benefits, including the potential to drive footfall and add an average of 15% to annual retail turnover through the addition of Post Office services. To check whether your area currently has a Post Office business opportunity, you can log onto www.postoffice.co.uk/business-opportunities

Deli-cious ideas

And if you want ideas on how to make your store stand out from the crowd, it might be worth dropping into the Farm Shop & Deli Show. Although some of the products on offer there may be a little too niche for your customers, you might come away with some ideas to take back to your business.

This year’s Farm Shop & Deli Show will be the biggest show yet with a 100% increase in exhibitors compared to 2014, which means more than 400 speciality food suppliers will be present.

Exhibitors already confirmed range from artisan jam makers, crisp producers and bakers through to soft drinks and tea manufacturers. They include established names as well as new companies looking to gain listings for their innovative and original food and drink products.

In addition, the show will be growing its machinery, packaging and equipment offering along with services through to furniture and flooring.

As well as the exhibitors, the show will also host the Farm Shop & Deli Live area where demonstrations, live debates and tastings will be hosted. All of the activities are focused on helping retailers improve their bottom line.

The Farm Shop & Deli Live will also incorporate the Dragon’s Pantry and the announcement of the overall winner of the Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2015.

Visiting the shows presents some great networking opportunities bumping into colleagues and competitors in the busy aisles or catching up with them over a coffee or a beer in the café’s and bars. Emails and phone calls are great but everyone knows that often more business gets done in the bar.

Up for discussion

The Forecourt Show is well known for its panel debates and this year’s event will be no different. Debates will take place in the new Retailer Hub, which will bring together a selection of the leading suppliers, retailers and industry experts to share the latest insight and advice with visitors, to help them stay ahead of the game. See page 40 for more details. The Retailer Hub also includes the Digital Zone, where visitors can get help in getting connected whether that’s via Twitter and Facebook or learning how to use LinkedIn more effectively to connect with local and national suppliers.

ACS Summit 15

You could combine your trip to the Forecourt Show with a visit to the ACS Summit 15 which takes placed at the NEC on April 21.

It will be well worth it as the line-up includes presentations from oil giant BP and coffee behemoth Starbucks.

The Summit programme for 2015 is split into three sections:

The Big Download

The Big Download will be bursting with information about the convenience sector, presented by a host of research experts from within the industry, including Jill Livesey from him!. The session will seek to uncover the depths of the sector, looking at how c-stores have changed over the years, how they are now embracing current trends and how they are expected to evolve in the future.

The Master Plan

Starbucks’ UK managing director, Kris Engskov and BP’s retail director, Catherine Nunn, will be kicking off The Master Plan an inspiring session to change the way retail is perceived. Regardless of your business size, there will be a wealth of things to take away to help improve, expand and drive footfall into your store.

The Ideas Studio

The Ideas Studio is a session jam-packed with retail innovations from all over the globe. The ’Ideas Wall’ will showcase the very best the world has to offer in the sector with images featuring new methods to interact with customers, technology and more. And the popular Road Trip feature has now evolved, becoming the ’Battle of the Best’ with two top retailers scouring the country, both trying to find the most cutting-edge convenience store.

Vital information

The Forecourt Show runs from Monday 20 April through to Wednesday 22 April at the NEC, Birmingham in Hall 10. Opening times are 10am to 5pm on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21; and 10am to 4pm on Wednesday 22.

Register now at www.forecourtshow.co.uk. Remember: registering for the Forecourt Show gives you access to the National Convenience Show and Farm Shop & Deli Show.

The 2015 Retailer Hub schedule includes:

Success with Shell Monday, April 20 11.30-12.00
Markus Hofmann, global category manager for food and coffee at Shell, will help you ’super charge’ your store. Hear his inspiring retail insights, pick up practical hints and tips and learn how to get closer to your customers.

Forecourt Market Report Monday April 20, 13.30-14.00
This is a must-attend event as industry experts will provide an update on the latest political, economic and consumer trends that are affecting the forecourt retailing sector. Hosted by Merril Boulton, editor, Forecourt Trader and including Brian Madderson, chairman, PRA; Blake Gladman, research director, him!; and Arthur Renshaw, UK & Ireland manager, Experian Catalist.

Chilled Champions Monday, April 20, 14.50-15.30
Join David Rees, editor of Convenience Store, plus a panel of top chilled suppliers for the lowdown on the range, traffic flow and industry best practice to make your store a destination for chilled food. It can be a tricky category to master, but our expert tips will help you cash in.

Fighting Forecourt Crime Tuesday April 21, 11.30-12.00
Fuel theft costs forecourt retailers more than £30m every year and this workshop will outline the types of criminal activity retailers experience.
Real life examples will help retailers spot fuel theft before it occurs and, when it does, show the best way to record and report incidents, tackle repeat offenders and how to recover monies owed.
Hosted by Kevin Eastwood, executive director, of the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS); with Alison Green, forecourt crime analyst, BOSS; Chris Hearn, ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service; and Carole Hughes, debt recovery services, BOSS.
On a Mission Tuesday, April 21, 12.50-13.20
To grow your business, you need to understand what drives customers into a store in the first place. With this in mind David Rees, editor of Convenience Store, joins convenience shopper experts him! and some successful independent retailers to share the latest insights on how consumers’ behaviour and expectations of their local stores is changing.

Price Yourself into the Market Tuesday, April 21, 13.30-14.00
What should you charge your customers for daily basic items? Which categories give you the opportunities to make more profit? What are the best promotions? And what role can price-marked packs play in your business?
These questions and more will be answered by our panel of experts on pricing and promotions, including leading retailers and suppliers, plus convenience shopper experts him!

Forecourts of the Future Tuesday April 21, 14.10-14.40
With forecourt development currently in overdrive, what kind of service stations are retailers building to drive future success for their businesses? Hosted by Merril Boulton, editor, Forecourt Trader with a panel of leading retailers including Forecourt Trader of the Year 2014 winner Mike Garner, of the Garner Group.

Best Forecourt Loo 2015 Tuesday, April 21, 14.40-14.50
See page 45 for full details.

Loving local Wednesday, April 22, 12.10-12.40
Customers have a growing appetite for local food so how c-stores help satisfy it? Budgens retailer David Knight, an acknowledged expert on local sourcing, tells David Rees, editor of Convenience Store, how he has worked closely with local suppliers for mutual benefit.

Spotlight on... JetStand B50

Demonstrating its continued commitment to the UK’s fuel retail market, Jet will once again be exhibiting at this year’s Forecourt Show. The show remains one of the highlights in the industry’s calendar and this year will see Jet take a bigger presence than ever before at Stand B50. Guy Pulham, manager, regional sales of Phillips 66 UK & Ireland marketing, comments: "The Forecourt Show presents an ideal opportunity for us to meet face to face with new and existing dealers and bring them up to speed on our latest dealer-focused initiatives. It’s a really exciting time to be part of the Jet network with our continued growth and investment plans, our transparent dealer package, our secure supply of quality fuel and our commitment to helping our dealers thrive in a competitive marketplace. We would encourage visitors to come and talk to our dedicated and knowledgeable team and find out why Jet is increasingly being recognised as the fuel supplier of choice for independent dealers."

The Best Forecourt Loo 2015

Tuesday April 21, 14.40-14.50
Find out how the public voted as Forecourt Trader, in association with pump-top promotions specialist Fast Trak, announces the UK’s favourite forecourt convenience. See which retailer wins the prestigious title, and takes away an iPad Mini as their prize. BUT remember there is still time to enter and to get your customers to vote.
All you have to do is send us your nominations with photography so that we can put your facilities online to face a public vote.
You will need to encourage your customers to ’like’ your loo on Facebook.
The deadline for votes is Friday, April 10.

Enjoy a night in the club

After a busy day at the show, we can help you unwind with an evening of comedy and entertainment. A Night in the Club, brought to you by The Forecourt Show and Forecourt Trader, gives you the chance to relax and, at the same time, network with the industry in an informal setting while enjoying a few great gags along the way. Join us for A Night in the Club where you can enjoy a drinks’ reception, a two-course meal, and beer and wine during dinner. There will also be a pay bar.
The event will take place on Monday April 20 from 7-11pm, in the Gallery Suite, NEC, Birmingham. Dress code is smart casual. Individual tickets cost just £60 +VAT. Tables of six guests cost £300 +VAT book before 9am on Monday March 9 to receive a 10% earlybird discount.
To book your place now, visit www.networkingbookings.com

Spotlight on... gadJetStand B80

he Gadjet Mini Station measures just 36cm wide x 15cm deep x 55cm high but can house more than 10 fast-selling and profitable product lines.
These include phone chargers; phone leads; earphones, charging docks and portable batteries. All items are stylishly packaged complete with bar codes.
Gadjet offers retailers free installation and delivery throughout the UK as well as next day stock delivery.

Spotlight on... Jack’s Beansstand F79

ack’s Beans Coffee Company will be exhibiting at the National Convenience and Forecourt Show to showcase its coffee-on-the go offer. The coffee team will be on hand to talk to retailers interested in how they can diversify their store with a Jack’s Beans coffee bar. Find out how you can capitalise on a growing market opportunity with the best competitive terms tailored to your business. Jack’s Beans delivers premium Fairtrade coffee via the smallest full-size coffee machine on the market and retailers will have the opportunity to sample some of the coffee shop-style hot drinks. 
Jack’s Beans takes the hassle out of running a coffee offer as installation, training, point-of-sale and all consumables are included, and delivered daily. Many Jack’s Beans retailers have endorsed the product. Ian Lewis, a Spar retailer in Minster Lovell, says: "Since we’ve had Jack’s we’ve been selling between 15-20 cups per day and our food-to-go sales are up 20%."

Spotlight on...WayneStand A61

or more than 100 years, Wayne has provided fuel retailers with leading forecourt technology such as site control systems, multimedia marketing and pay@pump solutions. Known for innovation, reliability and long-lasting quality, Wayne technology is a sound investment for years to come and with the new Helix fuel dispenser, the firm says it is helping the global fuel retailing industry advance even further. Designed in close collaboration with fuel retailers, the Wayne Helix fuel dispenser is setting the new standard for fuel dispenser design and technology. Visit the stand to find out why the likes of BP and Top 50 Indie The Brookfield Group are already using Helix fuel pumps.