As part of the 2021 C&I Industry Leaders Forum we speak to Metro Petroleum’s Managing Director, John Dib, who tells us about the evolution of the company’s retail offer and its plans for continued expansion.
C&I: Highlight one achievement at Metro Petroleum that you’re particularly proud of from over the past 12 months.
Dib: We implemented our new convenience store offer, which includes Mr. Whippy, Cold Rock, DG Tobacconist, and the Petit Café.
At Metro Petroleum, we hold great pride in our people and our mantra is: ‘Our people are our fuel’. Our people all work together and across many different areas of the business. We treat all our employees like family and have found that this helps drive performance and loyalty. We value our staff and assist them to achieve the best they can and promote cultural diversity. We continue to increase our staff numbers as we continue to grow and expand. Without the right, quality people, the business would not have grown to what it is today.
C&I: What do you enjoy most about convenience and what is one challenge you’d like to see addressed in the industry?
Dib: The most enjoyable part of convenience is the dynamic nature and opportunity, and the continual evolvement of offers. We have found that we need to focus on what the customer wants and needs, which has changed since COVID-19 happened. At the same time, we aim to seek a point of difference in the industry to encourage consumers to support the independent network. Every week we see the changes in consumer trends and habits, and we work hard to meet these requirements. As we are a family operated business, and Australian owned, we can change and adapt very quickly, which has greatly assisted in the evolution of our offer.
C&I: What is the primary focus for Metro Petroleum in 2021?
Dib: The priority of Metro Petroleum is to be the number one independent fuel and convenience offer. We will continue to expand our network and ensure that consumers get a quality fuel and convenience offer at a fair price. We are known for the price of our fuel, which continues to drive in customers and shows how important it is to complement your entire offer.
C&I: How do you envision the next six months for convenience retail?
Dib: The next six months in convenience will continue to attract more, and new, consumers through the evolution of our offers. We see consumers wanting the convenience of a one stop offer and we will be working towards meeting these needs. We are sure that convenience retail will become more of a norm for people as they continue to hesitate to return to large shopping centres.