Maxol Northern Ireland announces £17m investment programme for 2022 and reveals profit of £14.45m for 2020

Maxol, Northern Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, has announced a £17m investment programme for 2022 across multiple sites including Kinnegar, Edenderry, Downpatrick and Fortwilliam.

The firm has also provided an update on the performance of their retail business during 2020 which highlighted the contribution that staycations made to a stronger than forecasted H2 performance in the current year.

The latest figures for the company showed a profit before exceptional items of £14.45m for 2020, a not unexpected fall of 7.5% on 2019 given the Covid-19 impact on trading conditions that included lockdowns.

Notwithstanding the challenging conditions that prevailed between January and May 2021 that included Brexit and full or partial lockdowns, the outlook for the full year 2021 is positive and is set to outperform 2020, according to Brian Donaldson, CEO Maxol Group.

“There are a number of factors that have contributed to the strong company performance since May, but we have pinpointed one that has probably had the most positive impact on our business. The significant rise in staycations provided not only the tourism sector with a bounce, but the forecourt and convenience sector has also been a beneficiary,” said Brian.

“Not only were consumers visiting our forecourts for fuel, but the Maxol network proved a convenient pit stop for snacks, confectionery and deli items and we anticipate that this trend will continue for the coming months.”

2021 investment programme

While the impact of Covid-19 saw a number of development and refurbishment programmes delayed, Maxol continued to invest in the business.

A £2m investment programme in 2021 extended to a number of sites across NI including Eglinton, Saintfield, Townparks in Antrim, A26 Tannaghmore and Scarva Road, Banbridge which saw new indoor seating areas, extended outdoor seating areas, additional car parking spaces, car wash upgrades, the creation of more retail space, larger Maxol deli counters and the introduction of Premium fuel pumps to additional sites as part of Maxol’s carbon neutral programme, which sees 100% carbon emissions off-set on Premium fuel purchases. Since 2012, Maxol has invested over £195M in its network across the island of Ireland.

Brian continued: “Our investment programme was an important undertaking not only in terms of alignment to our growth strategy, but because we have a strong sense of purpose that includes recognising the role we can play in helping to rebuild local economies. Maxol is a local brand. Our sites are run by local people, employing local people, serving local people. This model has served us well for more than 100 years and its vigour was tested, and resilience proven during the past 20 months.”

Robust model – new foundations in food and grocery

While people moved in their droves to shop online during the height of the pandemic, an increase in ecommerce doesn’t mean that high street or convenience stores will become obsolete, according to Brian Donaldson.

“There are many advantages to online shopping and indeed, a move to online kept many Irish businesses afloat when their doors were shut. But consumers have not abandoned what they see as a more experiential, personal way to shop that isn’t purely transactional. People are sociable beings by nature and our network model, and the importance we place on our food service, stood up to the test of significant behavioural change during Covid-19,” he explained.

Over the past five years, Maxol has been transitioning from its position as a fuel brand selling food and grocery to a convenience food service brand that also sells fuel, along with other energies for mobility.

“If anything, the Covid-19 crisis proved the robustness of our evolving business model,” added Brian. “While fuel sales dropped by up to 70% during the first week of lockdown, sales of food and grocery remained strong. Many people didn’t want to shop in large, busier stores so their local Maxol became the go-to for their everyday essentials.”

The Maxol Group is investing in more eat-in areas in forecourts where there is space to expand, and the aim is to become a destination for friends and families looking to catch up over a cup of coffee, a hot meal or a freshly prepared lunch from the deli.

Local and loyal

Maxol continues its strategic alliance with the Henderson Group, the company that owns the SPAR franchise in Northern Ireland. Last year, Maxol announced a new deal with the Group worth £425m over five years.

Maxol supplies fuel to 30 Henderson Group owned service stations while the Henderson Group continues to supply 24 Maxol service stations under the SPAR brand, with its strong emphasis on supporting local suppliers.

Maxol has introduced SPAR daily Deli to enhance choice and convenience for their customers throughout the day, at six new sites, including Glenabbey, Townparks in Antrim, Eglinton, Scarva Rd in Banbridge, Portrush and Saintfield.

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

Car wash – future proof

More than 100,000 vehicles will pass through a Maxol car wash this year, with 36% of all car washes taking place at the weekend. While volumes were hit during the January – March lockdown period,

Brian Donaldson says that the car wash facility is a critical part of the Maxol offering that will endure long after the demise of internal combustion engine vehicles: “A staple of the forecourt model, which is an often overlooked and undervalued jewel in the crown, is the car wash facility. As we transition to alternative fuelled vehicles, we can’t forget that they too will need to be washed. And, by making our car wash more environmentally friendly, using recycled rainwater wherever possible, we are future proofing a key, sustainable service offering that is really important to our business.”

Maxol invested £100,000 in rebranding and upgrading Maxol car wash facilities in Northern Ireland in 2021.

Maxol – on a journey to reducing its carbon footprint

Maxol’s environmental journey continues to evolve as the company looks to reduce its environmental footprint and support customers in making more sustainable choices.

With Barista Bar coffee, discounts are provided to customers who use a reusable cup when purchasing hot drinks, and the company has been installing recyclable bins across its service stations to support customers’ recycling efforts.

The company recently marked the first full year of its carbon offsetting programme that aims to offset 100% of carbon emissions with its Premium fuel range, which has fewer pollutants and is now available at 40 Maxol sites across the island of Ireland. The programme also supports a number of green initiatives such as the planting of 10,000 trees in Ireland, local community projects and global projects designed to offset carbon emissions.

Concluding Brain said: “The Maxol Group is very transparent and also very serious about its commitment to the environment and investing in ways to reduce our carbon footprint. We do not pretend to be something that we are not. We sell diesel and we sell petrol and will continue to do so as long as these fuels are needed. There’s no silver bullet that will suddenly transform the automotive market overnight, but we are looking at all of the ways that our business can change and make better, greener choices. Every investment and every decision begins with an examination of the impact it will have on the environment; we take a ‘sustainable first’ approach to every operational decision.

“We are working with KPMG on a programme that will allow us to better benchmark and measure our carbon savings year-on-year and that is an important step in our sustainable journey.”

The journey for Maxol continues following the celebration of its centenary in 2020. Twelve new dealer sites were added to the Maxol network during 2021, bringing the total number of Maxol service stations across the island of Ireland to 242. More than 80 people are employed directly and more than 1,000 indirectly by The Maxol Group across the island of Ireland.

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