bp Europa SE and Lekkerland SE are continuing their convenience partnership in Germany with a five-year extension of their agreement to deliver REWE To Go stores at Aral retail sites—bp's German retail brand. This is bp’s largest European convenience supply agreement, the company announced in a press release.
Continuing the ongoing development of the REWE To Go at Aral concept, bp will develop new foodservice offers in addition to operating the sites. bp will invest in trialing new offers and testing new concepts, including freshly prepared food in partnership with Lekkerland.
"The convenience sector in Germany is growing, with more people eating on-the-move and carrying out top-up grocery shops. As the energy transition progresses, customers will spend more time at our sites charging their EVs. We will keep evolving our offers to meet their needs, transforming forecourt convenience with new product ranges, store layouts and digital solutions," said Jo Hayward, bp vice president convenience Europe.
In REWE To Go stores, customers can pick up coffee specialties, snacks and drinks, as well as fresh food such as salads, fruit, wraps, desserts, hot and cold dishes, baked goods for self-service and vegetarian products. The stores also provide products at Aral retail sites including tobacco, car care products and engine oil.
In 2014, 10 pilot REWE To Go stores were opened—today, the store concept can be found at more than 850 Aral retail sites. The concept will continue to be rolled out at more locations nationwide.
“We are pleased that we will continue to work together to develop the convenience offer at Aral retail sites. We are proud that REWE To Go is now one of the leading convenience formats in Germany. We want to expand this position in the coming years," said Lekkerland CEO Patrick Steppe.
In 2022, hundreds of convenience industry partners saw firsthand thriving convenience retail concepts in Berlin, Germany, during the NACS Convenience Summit Europe Ideas 2 Go store tours. A bp-owned brand Aral site on the tour featured the food partnership with REWE To Go where customers could pick up their online food orders from on-site lockers. The forecourt offered petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG, hydrogen and 320kw superchargers along with access to electric scooter rentals and a battery exchange for e-bikes.
Customers aren’t only stopping at REWE To Go stores to grab a snack while on the move. Top-up grocery shopping (buying additional, last-minute items not purchased in main trip) is now prevalent in Germany with 80% of consumers visiting top-up shops—and doing it at least once a week.
Convenience is one of bp's transition growth engines, along with EV charging, hydrogen, bioenergy, and renewables and power, the company said in its release. By 2030 bp wants to increase the number of strategic convenience sites from around 2,450 globally to more than 3,500.