AUSTRALIA – Puma Energy has launched its new 7th Street Café concept in Australia, offering barista-made coffee and free Wi-Fi and phone charging to time-starved customers.
Puma Energy Australia General Manager Ray Taylor told Hospitality Magazine that the concept evolved after consumer research revealed why many customers failed to embrace service station convenience stores: “Consumers were really visiting service station café and convenience stores as a last resort, rather than a first port-of-call for a decent meal and good service,” he said.
“7th Street stores were designed for the customer, which means a store layout that’s easy to navigate with clearly labeled portals for food, coffee or service, and other features like free Wi-Fi, phone recharging, and comfortable seating areas,” Taylor told the news source.
“Essentially we’ve taken the traditional service station and given it a makeover into something that more closely resembles the products and service you would expect from your friendly, local café.”
Singapore-based Puma Energy, which owns 125 service stations across Australia, is rolling out 20 of its new 7th Street Cafés and kitchens across the country after testing the concept in Queensland.
7th Street menu items include Brubecks salads, freshly made gourmet chicken wraps and Brazilian coffee beans.
“Where we can, we source fresh food from local Australian suppliers, helping to support the local communities,” Taylor said.
Puma’s retail network is quickly expanding, with more than 2,300 retail sites across 47 countries.
