7-Eleven Australia is continuing to grow its network in Victoria with new stores at Tarneit North, Delacombe, and Braybrook opening in December, bringing the total number of stores opened in the state in the past two years to 13.
According to 7-Eleven Australia Area Lead South, Nick Maddox, the retailer has further plans to secure new sites in 2022 and beyond.
“We’ll open our first store in Shepparton in early 2022 and expect to open at least five other new stores in Victoria in the next 12-18 months,” he says.
Overcoming Covid challenges
Despite the challenges of Covid-19, 7-Eleven Australia has continued to open new stores in Victoria in the last two years, including expanding its network to the Colac and Albury Wodonga communities.
Mr Maddox believes CBD locations are certainly the hardest hit by the impacts of the pandemic, but thinks being agile and adapting to customer insight at a store-by-store level is key to navigating the changes.
“While traffic patterns are certainly evolving, we’re continuing to focus on having our offer in the right locations, in the right format, to provide convenient solutions for our customers. Recruiting good people who can deliver an extraordinary offer is also a key priority,” he says.
“We’ve supported our teams and franchisees through these tough times and adapted to serve our communities safely.”
Agility and adaptation
“Being agile and adapting at pace has meant we have been able to adjust to have the products and services our customers need, when and where they need them. This has been critical for us over the last two years,” says Mr Maddox.
“While CBD locations have had a slower recovery, the changes in customer behaviour patterns have been beneficial for sites such as those in suburban areas, regional centres or outer metro locations.”
The company is continuing to look for new sites across the state that have high customer traffic.
“We’re investing in bringing our offer to new communities and regions and the potential for regional expansion for us is a significant opportunity for growth,” says Mr Maddox.
