Motorway Services Online

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MFG

MFG
Often accompanied by:BP, Shell, Texaco, Budgens, Londis, Costa, Subway, Greggs
Introduced:2002
Predecessors:MRH, Murco, Shell
Head office address:Motor Fuel Limited
Gladstone Place
36-38 Upper Marlborough Road
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL1 3UU
Phone number:01727 898890
Four electric vehicle charging points under a canopy.
An MFG EV Power charging hub, in front of one of their forecourts.

MFG (Motor Fuel Group) is currently the biggest forecourt operator in the UK. Not everyone will know the name, as they tend to let their fuel and retail brands do the talking, but in fact they own many of the forecourts both along major roads and in urban areas.

MFG are now focusing on food sales, by creating new 'food to go' environments and investing in stand-alone coffee shops and fast food units. New partner trials include B&M and Pret A Manger, as well as Greggs and Burger King, and they are looking at options with their sister company, Morrisons. MFG previously worked with BP to incorporate M&S Food into some of their Londis stores, but this was withdrawn.

They are developing new 'charging hubs', both attached to existing service areas and standing on their own, all under the 'MFG EV Power' name. MFG intends to rapidly expand the EV Power brand, and is considering franchising to bring it to more partners.

History

MFG was formed on the basis that a new subsidiary company would be formed every time the founders acquired a new series of sites, making the business easier to manage. Under its own independent banner, MFG grew to over 900 sites.

Retail

MFG used to use Costcutter as a shop brand, but entered a deal with Booker in 2016, bringing Budgens and Londis into their network. Most Costcutter stores were re-branded by the end of 2016.

Sites which were acquired from MRH operated with either a SPAR store or 'Hursts'. With priority on the rebranding of their SPAR stores, the vast majority of these stores have now been refurbished and rebranded as Londis.

While MFG have been redesigning their shopping areas to focus more on 'food to go', they are also looking at potential new shopping brands, such as M&S and B&M.

Acquisitions

MFG acquired Murco in 2014.

Some Shell-operated forecourts were acquired in 2015, including some sites on A-roads. Their stores were refurbished to include the standard MFG offering of Costcutter, later Londis.

MFG completed a major acquisition of the their larger rival MRH in June 2018. This made MFG the UK's largest forecourt operator.

All six forecourts that were managed by AUK Investments Limited, based in the Lake District, were acquired in December 2020.

George Hammond PLC's six forecourts in south east England were acquired on 30 June 2021.

MFG's owners sought to acquire the supermarket chain Morrisons in 2021. The Competition and Markets Authority blocked the sale until MFG agreed to sell 87 sites, most of which would go to Shell and SGN. The Morrisons partnership could potentially allow for new crossover opportunities.

Locations

MFG operate forecourts at the following signposted service areas:

Former Locations

MFG used to operate forecourts at the following signposted service areas: