The TV ad, which was created by Havas Dublin and produced by H2 Films, shows a young couple who drive to their local Maxol. In the film, the guy pops into the Maxol store to grab coffees, only to return to the car, much to his partner’s surprise, with “bags more” than she expected, including a mountain of household staples such as cereals, bread, tea bags, coffee, bin bags, wine, ice cream and fire logs.  This brings to life visually that Maxol has a wide range of convenience grocery items to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner. It even has dog food!

Maxol has invested significantly in their network over the last 10 years and the Bags More campaign helps bring this to life for large audiences across Ireland and sets out Maxol’s ambition to be a leading convenience retailer across Ireland.

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Maxol has completed its transformation of Maxol Braid River Service Station in central Ballymena following an investment of £2.35 million.

The investment is part of a wider five-year £84M capital investment programme across The Maxol Group to create a network of convenience-led forecourt services that offer customers quality, value and choice on everything from fresh coffee and groceries to food-to-go on their doorstep.

New Maxol Recharge EV Hub 

A new Ultra Rapid EV Charging Hub – the second to be developed by Maxol and the second of its kind in Northern Ireland – has opened and features four high-powered 200kw ultra-rapid chargers that charge a single vehicle* in as little as 15 minutes. The chargers are powered using renewable electricity, as part of Maxol’s sustainability strategy.

The latest SPAR store 

Maxol Braid River offers the latest SPAR concept with a new store of 246 sq. meters. Customers can now shop for everyday grocery essentials including a greater choice of fresh, locally sourced fruit & vegetables, a wide range of dairy and chilled produce and a huge selection of frozen foods. Other new additions include a locally produced range of pre-packed butchery items and a wide selection of ready-made meals perfect for tonight’s tea.

From breakfast through to lunchtime, a brand-new Delish deli offers customers a delicious range of hot food to go – freshly prepared on-site to take-away. Also new, is an in-store bakery offering a range of pastries and sweet treats alongside the popular Barista Bar Coffee which has doubled to two units making it easier for customers to grab and go. For something colder there are two new refreshing Frozen Coca Cola and Frozen Fanta slushie machines.

Two self-checkouts have also been installed to give customers even more choice, efficiency and convenience. Non-food items available include a comprehensive range of Maxol own-brand engine oil, adblue and car care products.

On the forecourt 

Car parking facilities have more than doubled to 32 spaces to provide greater customer convenience, particularly during busy trading periods. Premium Fuels have been introduced to enable customers to make greener motoring choices and Pay at Pump technology is now available at two islands, giving our fuel customers a quicker and more convenient way to pay.

Sustainable development 

Maxol’s innovative and sustainable forecourt design has been fully implemented at Maxol Braid River. Cutting-edge technology has been used to reduce the site’s carbon footprint which include photovoltaic (solar) panels to reduce electrical import requirements; solar efficient glazing; the use of LED lights; low energy CO2 refrigeration systems with doors fitted throughout the store; exhaust air-heat pump technology to reduce heating loads; and an energy management system to monitor and control the overall energy usage on the site.

 Investment

Brian Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer of The Maxol Group said: “We are delighted with our latest investment at Maxol Braid River, it is now a modern, welcoming store that marks a further milestone on our journey towards becoming known for our convenience-led retail offer.

“Customers can now pop into this store to enjoy freshly prepared food to go from the Delish deli or they can do a basket shop in our newly expanded SPAR store packed with an extensive range of groceries for every meal occasion from breakfast through to dinner as well as plenty of snacks and treats.

“The in-store offer reflects the ‘Bags More’ advertising campaign we launched some weeks ago to highlight the range of goods now available at Maxol stores and Braid River is now a leading example of that in Ballymena with our partner SPAR.

Latest technology

“This is our second EV Charging Hub designed to offer the latest technology and fastest speed of charging available for our customers along with the continued rollout of our sustainable forecourt design. This investment reenforces our continued commitment to being a more sustainable forecourt convenience retailer offering the highest quality of facilities and products. The site is operated independently by our licensee Aramark and I wish Nicola and her excellent team every success at Maxol Braid River.”

Sarah Halliday, Channel Sales Manager at Henderson Group which owns the SPAR franchise in Northern Ireland added; “The Braid River site is a fantastic example of how we can collaborate with our retail partners to create modern forecourts that are delivering exactly what our shoppers need, right on their doorsteps. This is a store which puts the shopper first with facilities which work towards both Maxol and Henderson Group’s sustainability goals. The futureproof forecourt is complemented by efficient coffee and food to go services in-store, which also provides a huge choice of fresh and locally sourced products and everyday essentials at a high level of quality and value that our shoppers have come to expect from their neighbourhood SPAR store.”

Maxol Braid River also offers customers an ATM, customer toilets and air, water and vacuum services and operates 24/7, 7 days a week.

* The speed of charge depends on the vehicle and battery.

(L-R) is Brian Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer, Maxol with Nicola Farrell, Braid River site manager

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€53k to breed, train and care for one guide dog

Maxol has announced the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind as its newly appointed charity partner.

In selecting the charity, CEO of the Maxol Group, Brian Donaldson explained that it wasn’t until he met and spoke to a guide dog owner that he fully appreciated the life-changing impact these highly trained and intuitive dogs can have, giving a person not only confidence but independence too.

Over the course of the two-year partnership, Maxol, Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, aims to support the charity by increasing awareness and the impact of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind’s work. The family-owned company has also committed to funding the training of at least six assistance dogs.

It costs approximately €53,000 to breed, train, and care for each of these special dogs over the course of their working lives.

Guide and Assistance Dogs, of which there are over 360 in Ireland but with a need for many more, play a vital role for those with visual impairment and for children with autism, transforming their day-to-day lives and enabling them to feel safe and take part more in their communities.

Compelling case

Brian Donaldson said: “With so many charities in need of urgent funding selecting just one to which we will commit our resources is hugely challenging. But when we looked not only at the work of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind but the positive and tangible impact the charity can have on so many people’s lives – children, adults, and their families – we saw a really compelling case. This is a national organisation but with a strong and widespread community presence, much like our own business, and together with our local retailers we are looking forward to getting behind their work and ensuring Maxol makes a difference.”

Maxol will leverage its all-Ireland retailer network of more than 240 Maxol service stations to raise much-needed funds to help transform a person’s life.

Life-changing

The saying ‘A dog is for life’ takes on a special meaning for those who require the assistance of a guide dog because, for them, the dog is their ‘enabler’, allowing them to live life to the full.

Tim O’Mahony, Chief Executive Officer of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind said: ”We are delighted to be chosen as Maxol’s charity partner. Their support will have a huge impact; ensuring that we can deliver more guide dogs and assistance dogs over the next two years – essentially bringing independence and mobility to the lives of our clients and many families. The partnership will have a life-changing impact across communities as we develop links with our nationwide volunteer branches and their local service stations.“

Many blind and visually impaired people experience isolation and fear, and doing things that most people take for granted such as going shopping, attending college or work, having a social life and travelling can present enormous challenges. The dogs trained by the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind offer a lifeline to people in these situations, allowing them to live their lives with a newfound sense of safety, mobility, and independence.

Autism support

For children with autism and their families, assistance dogs can be incredibly impactful. These dogs are trained specifically to work with children with autism, acting as a calming presence, helping with behaviour regulation, and improving social skills and confidence.

All-Ireland

Every cent donated to funding a guide dog or assistance dog has the capacity to give someone the kind of life they might only dream of otherwise.

An all-Ireland partnership, Maxol and its retailers are planning for a host of exciting fundraising and retail initiatives. The company has committed to supporting Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and in Northern Ireland, Guide Dogs NI with direct funding that will ensure more people will be matched with trained dogs over the coming months and years.

Maxol’s six-year partnership with mental health charity, Aware, which concluded this year raised more than €600,000.

www.maxol.ie and www.guidedogs.ie

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Maxol, Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, is returning to our TV screens with the launch of Bags More, an integrated marketing campaign that will highlight the convenience, value and wide range of grocery products Maxol offers customers every day.

Created by Havas Dublin, with media by Zenith Media, the all-Ireland campaign will run across TV, Radio, Outdoor, Digital and instore. Brian Donaldson, Maxol CEO, said: “This campaign is an important strategic milestone for Maxol, which follows a significant investment in our retail network of over €200 million in the last 10 years and sets out our ambition to be a leading convenience retailer across Ireland”.

Directed by Jim Owen and produced by H2 Films, the TV and VOD (video on demand) commercial highlights Maxol’s great range, with a story of a young couple who drive to their local Maxol. In the film, the guy pops into the Maxol store to grab coffees, only to return to the car, much to his partner’s surprise, with ‘bags more’ than she expected, including cereals, bread, bin bags, wine, ice cream and fire logs. Chris Upton, CEO Havas Dublin, said: “This campaign is the result of a brilliant partnership between everyone involved. From the evolution of the strategy to the fantastic creative, we look forward to seeing the Maxol retail brand grow from strength to strength.”

In addition to the two protagonists played by Brendan Quinn and Cate Russell, the Bags More TV ad stars dog actor Jeffy, cast for his particular skill of barking on command.

With the exception of the final frame, the ad was shot entirely in the car, a very intimate setting for two actors who had never met, and who had to embrace the role of husband and wife. “Casting was critical to the authenticity and humour of the ad and production company, H2 did a great job in filling these two central roles,” Jim Owen said.

Nikki Maguire, Head of Marketing at The Maxol Group said: “We worked closely with Havas to develop the new Bags More campaign and the team responded to our brief brilliantly.  The new TV and radio ads are humorous and fun while also helping to reposition Maxol to be known as a convenience retailer, with Bags More to offer beyond fuel.  We’re delighted to be back on TV after an absence of seven years with something that’s fresh and fun, and we’re confident that Bags More will resonate strongly with today’s busy, value-driven consumers.”

Maxol Rathnew is a particularly busy site and required some clever thinking from the production team at H2 films to ensure that it was business-as-usual throughout the shoot, while ensuring background continuity across the day.

Bags More will run across TV from 28 August and feature on radio, out of home (OOH), digital, PR and instore.  To view the advert click HERE.

With more than 240 company and dealer owned stores across Ireland, the family-owned Maxol business has been at the heart of Irish communities for more than 102 years.

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Investment to deliver greater customer choice and convenience   

  Maxol, Northern Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, is investing £2.35 million in a significant redevelopment and expansion of Maxol Braid River Service Station in central Ballymena and a modernisation of Maxol Marino near Holywood.  

The investment is part of a wider five-year capital investment programme worth £84M that Maxol recently announced across its network to meet the growing demand for convenience-led forecourt services that include coffee, groceries and food-to-go.   

Sustainable development  

Maxol’s innovative and sustainable forecourt design will be fully implemented at Maxol Braid River. A host of cutting-edge technologies will be used to reduce the site’s existing carbon footprint which include photovoltaic (solar) panels to reduce electrical import requirements; solar efficient glazing; the use of LED lights; low energy CO2 refrigeration systems with doors fitted throughout the store; exhaust air-heat pump technology to reduce heating loads; and an energy management system to monitor and control the overall energy usage on the site.  

Maxol Braid River Ballymena  

A new EV Charging Hub will be developed and operated under Maxol’s Recharge brand. It will have up to four 200kw EV charging units serving 1 vehicle each, providing charging for four cars at any one time.   

Elsewhere on the forecourt, Premium Fuels will be introduced to enable customers to make greener motoring choices; car parking facilities will more than double from the current 11 to 32 and Pay at Pump technology will be available at two fuel pumps to ensure greater convenience for customers during busy trading periods.  

Braid River’s current retail space will grow by 140% from 102 sq. meters to 246 sq. meters.  With a doubling of frozen food provision and the number of grocery and chilled bays increasing significantly, customers can expect to find a much bigger range of locally produced food including an expanded grocery offer, and an extended fruit & veg, dairy, and frozen food ranges.  

A new Delish Deli with a self-serve chicken bar will be introduced, along with new Frozen Coca Cola and Frozen Fanta slushie machines. The popular BARISTA BAR Coffee for quality coffee on the go will be expanded to two units for improved speed of service and enhanced with a new bakery for pastries and sweet treats.    

For customers’ speed and convenience two self-checkouts will also be installed.  

Maxol Braid River is closed for the duration of the development and work is expected to be completed in October. Alternative Maxol sites that can be used while the work is ongoing are: Maxol Service Station Doury Road, Ballymena; The Phoenix Maxol Service Station, Antrim Road, Ballymena; Maxol Service Station Graham’s Ahoghill; Maxol Service Station Cullybackey:  Maxol Service Station Raceview Road, Broughshane; Maxol Service Station Campbell’s Largy Road; and Donnelly’s Maxol Service Station.  

Maxol Service Station Marino Holywood 

The investment at Maxol Marino Service Station on the main Belfast to Bangor Road at Cultra will enhance and upgrade current customer facilities both on the forecourt and in-store.   

Customer flow around the store will be improved by the relocation of the entrance and parking will be increased to accommodate 23 customer vehicles.  

The retail space will be refreshed with new flooring, ceiling, lighting and new check-outs. There will also be more refrigeration space added for Grab & Go and dairy produce and additional shelving for an enhanced grocery offer.  

Frozen Coca Cola and Fanta slushie machines will be introduced and the forecourt will be refreshed to create a warm welcome for customers with better signage amongst the improvements.    

Brian Donaldson, Chief Executive Officer of The Maxol Group said: “These investments reflect our ambition to develop our service stations with a convenience-led offer that provide our customers with the latest food concepts and convenience goods.   

“With Maxol Braid River set to have only the second EV Charging Hub in our Maxol estate and with the continued rollout of our sustainable forecourt design, these investments reaffirm our commitment to being a more sustainable forecourt retailer. I look forward to the completion of these projects that will ensure we can continue to meet the needs of our customers in modern, vibrant, sustainable and welcoming environments.” 

Artists impression of how Maxol Braid River will look following the investment including the new EV Charging Hub) 

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