Dive Brief:
- Zuber Issa, co-CEO of EG Group, has launched a new gas station brand in the U.K., EG On The Move, according to a Tuesday announcement and a source familiar with the situation.
- Last month, Issa revealed plans to step down and acquire EG Group’s remaining forecourt business in the U.K. and certain standalone foodservice locations for 228 million pounds. EG On The Move — which will be completely separate from EG Group once the deal finalizes this fall — will be the banner for those locations moving forward, the source said.
- Issa has ambitious plans for EG On The Move, with intentions to surpass 120 sites in the next three years, according to the announcement.
Dive Insight:
In addition to the 32 sites Issa has agreed to acquire, EG On The Move is opening seven new convenience stores in a trial with The Co-operative Group (Co-op), the largest consumer co-operative in the U.K., according to the announcement and as confirmed by the source. Those c-stores bring EG On The Move’s location count to 39 locations.
The seven new EG On The Move sites are located in Doncaster, Sussex, East Lothian, Suffolk and Buckinghamsire, England; as well as Glasgow and Aberdeenshire, Scotland, according to the announcement. All locations are set to open this summer, with the Doncaster store to debut on July 11.
Each location is part of Co-op’s franchise business, which aims to surpass 500 stores by 2030, according to the announcement. They are all new-to-industry locations, a source familiar with the situation confirmed on Tuesday.
Issa — who is listed as CEO of EG On The Move in the announcement — called the new brand “an acknowledged petrol forecourt and convenience retail destination operator.” It’s unclear if Issa plans to bring EG On The Move to the U.S, EG Group’s largest operating region.
“Following on from this seven store trial, we look forward to working with Co-op to consider other locations across the network,” Issa said.
According to Tuesday’s announcement, EG On The Move was at one point part of EG Group but is now a subsidiary of a division called EG Retail Services. A spokesperson from EG Group was not immediately available to offer details of this division.
Blackburn, U.K.-based EG Group currently has more than 5,500 c-stores across the U.S., U.K. and Ireland, Europe and Australia. EG America is EG Group’s largest operation globally, with 1,500-plus sites across 10 banners in 30 states, including Cumberland Farms, Fastrac, Kwik Shop and Tom Thumb.
