Pamma Retail Group (PRG), the NZ licensee of Circle K, one of the world’s largest convenience store brands with over 14,000 locations, has plans to open 100+ New Zealand outlets. The New Zealand stores will be opened through PRG’s (Circle K NZ) multi-million-dollar franchising drive, which aims to see 2% of the country’s 5,000 convenience stores converted to the Circle K brand and retail fit-out.
Circle K NZ is also planning to transform the New Zealand retail fuel market – opening some of the first purpose-built EV charging and petrol stations at sites around the country.
Iqubal Basra, Circle K NZ’s site development director, says the next decade will see a seismic shift in convenience and oil retail as income from traditional revenue streams evolve through the introduction of new technology and a focus on a sustainable growth platform. “The growth in EVs is set to impact the way fuel outlets are designed, and to address that change, Circle K NZ is planning to transform the New Zealand retail fuel market – opening some of the first purpose-built EV charging and petrol stations at sites around the country as the industry closely watches how the EV trend will reinvent the traditional petrol station.
“We’re now actively searching for service station sites and operators throughout New Zealand that will be designed specifically to accommodate the local growth in the country’s EV fleet,” he says.
Basra says achieving their rapid outlet growth target will mean Circle K will become one of NZ’s largest grocery convenience and food service retail chains. He says they are looking for 200m2 sites that can open 24 hours a day but can also work with sites with smaller footprints or operate on reduced hours in rural or lower traffic areas.
“What New Zealanders can expect to find in one of our stores is a significantly different retail experience from the traditional corner dairy and service station. The larger stores are a hybrid of a convenience store and prepared food outlet.”
“They will carry over 2,000 different SKUs – a mix of our Circle K private label brand, self-serve frozen and chilled beverages, world famous hot dogs and food to go, with menu items such as fish & chips as well as a wide array of well known international foods.
“In addition, customers will also be able to purchase self-serve coffee for $1 – a move that is set to have an impact on this part of the industry as well.
“We have a comprehensive training programme and team of specialists who can help convenience store owners move away from a dependence on tobacco as a revenue source, which is planned to be eliminated by the New Zealand Government by 2025.
“With us, they will be able to leverage the buying power of a multinational along with the market intelligence and data insights that will help them progress with these changing customer behaviours and regulations,” he says.
