Forecourt Focus

Circle K research reveals customers attitude to on-the-go food choices

The new Circle K ‘Grab and Go’ range includes options like a gourmet hot dot and a veggie omelette bagel.

COVID may have changed our lives considerably since the start of 2020, but when it comes to sustenance on-the-go, the one thing that has, and will remain a constant through all of this is convenience retail and the provision of breakfast, lunch and all-day hot snacking options for people on the move. 58% of Irish people continued eating on-the-go since Covid-19 interrupted our lives, and over a quarter (26%) buy readymade meals from a convenience retailer at least once a week, according to new research by Circle K, (from a sample of 1,000 Irish adults, conducted by iReach Insights on behalf of Circle K in August 2020). Forecourts are a key aspect of Ireland’s convenience retail sector but almost half (48%) of Irish people think that there is a lack of food options to choose from at the forecourt. Overall, 60% felt they were compromising their food preferences when choosing to eat on-the-go. When asked to rank what was most important to them when choosing food on-the-go, the majority (28%) of people said taste, 25% said quality, 14% said value, 10% said convenience and 7% said choice. Circle K set out to challenge these perceptions and deliver upon the public demand for quality, choice, taste, value and convenience, and in response has just launched its new ‘Grab and Go’ range that significantly ups the game in the forecourt food market. Circle K’s new offering represents the tastiest and highest quality food range it has ever produced. With a huge choice of new convenient ready-made sandwich and baguette options, including a Southern Fried Chicken and Cheese Baguette, Cajun Chicken Baguette and tasty salad products, lunch and all-day hot snacking for people on the move has reached great new heights. In addition to the ready-made options, Circle K has also added new items to its hugely popular breakfast range. Joining the breakfast range line-up are several delicious meals such as sausage or egg and bacon on a brioche bun, a breakfast muffin complete with Ballymaloe Relish, a veggie omelette bagel and a tasty breakfast baguette, garnished with a sauce of your choice and served on sourdough bread. A firm favourite, Circle K’s selection of Irish, Gourmet Chilli, BLT and French hot dogs, all made from the same high-quality ingredients and toppings, are also available in sites nationwide as part of the new ‘Grab and Go’ offer. “At Circle K, we strive to make our customers’ lives easier every day and have been listening to what consumers want from food options while on-the-go: taste, high quality, great value, excellent choice and convenient access,” noted Judy Glover, Senior Market Director, Circle K Ireland. “We have developed a new ‘Grab and Go’ range that delivers on these needs, is consistent at all sites and will assure consumers that they do not need to compromise on their food preferences when they opt for a lunch or hot snack on-thego. “One of the busiest times in-store is at the start of the day, when our customers stop by our sites to look for morning fuel, both for their vehicle and for themselves. “Research shows that while people are buying food while ‘on-the-go’ in convenience retailers regularly, when it comes to forecourt food, there is a perception amongst many that there is a lack of quality and taste in what’s available. Our new breakfast range has products to satisfy the morning cravings of any food connoisseur and make sure that no one feels they must miss out on the most important meal of the day.” For more information on the new food ranges, visit www.circlek.ie, Circle K Ireland on Facebook or @circlekireland on Twitter and Instagram.

Texaco initiative to reward sports clubs across the country

VALERO Energy (Ireland) Limited, the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand, has announced the setting up of Texaco Support for Sport, an initiative for which a fund of €130,000 has been set aside for distribution to sports clubs on a county-bycounty basis, with successful applicants receiving €5,000 each. Open to clubs across the 26 counties, irrespective of their sporting discipline, size, membership, age, cultural appeal or gender, the initiative recognises the important contribution that clubs make to communities and throughout Irish society as a whole, and comes at a time when many may be experiencing financial strain. It is open for entries until the end of December, with winners announced early next year. Details can be viewed at www.TexacoSupportforSport.com.

Pictured launching the Texaco Support for Sport initiative at the new Texaco Portlaoise Plaza outlet is renowned former Irish rugby international, Donncha O’Callaghan (centre), ambassador to the programme and lead adjudicator, with Tom Naughton, National Sales Manager, and Bronagh Carron, Marketing Manager, Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited.

Applegreen offers Irish customers CarbonNeutral driving

APPLEGREEN is pioneering a new climate initiative that gives motorists the opportunity to drive CarbonNeutral as part of the company’s ‘Drive Change’ sustainability strategy. “As a fuel retailer, we feel a responsibility to think and act more sustainably and we are taking steps to address our most material issues, among which are carbon reduction and climate change,” said Joe Barrett, Chief Operating Officer of Applegreen. Since September 16, Applegreen is offsetting all carbon emissions from fuel used by customers who fill their tank with PowerPlus the company’s premium fuel. In addition, Applegreen is committed to planting more than 300,000 native trees in Ireland. “For every litre of PowerPlus that is purchased at our pumps, we will offset those fuel emissions and give our customers the opportunity to drive CarbonNeutral,” said

Pictured at the launch of Applegreen’s ‘Put Carbon Into Neutral’ initiative are Rebecca Duffy, Marketing Manager, Applegreen; Bob Etchingham, CEO; Fiona Matthews, Commercial Director; and Joe Barrett, COO.

Barrett. “This programme accelerates our sustainability journey in line with our transition to cleaner energy, including electricity – a key element of the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals.” To achieve CarbonNeutral certification, Applegreen is supporting a clean water initiative in East Africa that will offset more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon each year. The company is working with the global climate finance and carbon neutral specialist Natural Capital Partners to purchase carbon offset credits from Irish NGO, Vita, whose project involves restoring community water points to provide easy access to clean water for families in East Africa. This reduces the need to burn fuel wood, resulting in deforestation, in order to boil water. In addition, Applegreen has announced that it will be planting 300,000 native trees, including Pedunculate Oak, Birch, Scots Pine, Rowan, Holly and Hazel, around Ireland over the next three years, beginning in selected locations in Limerick and Mayo later this year. This includes planting one tree for every tonne of carbon generated by the use of PowerPlus fuel, with a minimum of 100,000 trees per year and no upper limit on the number of trees to be planted. Applegreen has committed to investing a minimum of €1.5m in carbon reduction initiatives over the next three years. “In launching our CarbonNeutral programme, we have selected climate initiatives that will deliver tangible benefits,” said Applegreen’s Joe Barrett. “If all customers purchase PowerPlus fuel where it is available, our corresponding carbon reduction initiatives would be equivalent to reducing emissions from 180,000 cars, which amounts to almost 10% of the entire national car population. “Through this programme, we are offering customers a simple solution to drive change,” said Barrett. “By putting carbon into neutral, we can all reduce our environmental impact today and help to leave a lasting, positive legacy for future generations.”