PHOTO GALLERY: Inside Volta Oil's New C-store Concept
MILFORD, Mass. — When a new industry site became available a few years ago in Milford, Volta Oil saw the site as a blank canvas and an opportunity to develop a whole new brand and convenience store concept — one that would answer consumers’ call for convenient fresh foods.
Volta Oil is no stranger to the convenience retailing industry. In 1991, the petroleum distributor opened its first convenience store in Falmouth, Mass., and just shy of a decade later, it debuted the Rapid Refill banner in 2000. Today, there are 15 Rapid Refill stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, with the mission to be “your one stop for fuel, food, and a friendly smile.”
To create a new brand and c-store concept, the Plymouth, Mass.-based petroleum distributor and c-store operator tapped Mosely Group, a global consultancy based outside of Boston. Together, they conceptualized and designed what is today Garrett’s Family Market.
“The goal was to develop a unique offering that answered today’s consumer needs, with a focus on ready-to-consume fresh foods and everyday convenience needs, together with the development of several proprietary signature food items,” Peter Garrett, president of Volta Oil, told Convenience Store News.
Garrett’s Family Market opened in January and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 3.
Situated on two acres of property, Garrett’s Family Market is a 5,000-square-foot store that’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Conceptually, the store is designed to be heavily focused on foodservice and to give customers the feeling of a market — one where they’d expect to find fresh-food offers.
A variety of signature items are available — from craveable grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, calzones, snacks and desserts, to handcrafted and organic beverages.
The fare is merchandised and displayed using characteristics associated with New England, including wood textures and soft color palates. The warm aesthetics flow from the forecourt to the inside.
In the short term, Volta Oil plans to closely monitor the success of the Milford Garrett’s Family Market to see what’s working and not working. The company is also building a second market on Cape Cod, which is expected to open by the end of the year.
“Long term, we will evaluate the success of Garrett’s Family Market and potentially build additional stores and/or convert existing Rapid Refill stores,” Garrett shared with CSNews.