Nearly 30 petrol shops in the Netherlands revamped to Circle K: ‘Many petrol stations are all the same’

This November marks exactly one and a half years since Circle K opened the first shop at a petrol station location in the Netherlands. It was the beginning of a transformation project that will see some 2,000 petrol station shops in Central Europe converted to Circle K, about 250 of them in the Netherlands. How is the transformation going? Mobility Energy had an exclusive interview with Bas Overkamp, Vice President of Circle K Netherlands since 1 November, and Nathalie Baras, who is moving from the Netherlands to Belgium.

At service area Bijleveld along the A12 motorway near Harmelen, the first Circle K in the Netherlands opened in April 2024. Now, a year and a half after the launch, there are 27 Circle K locations at petrol stations across the country. It is expected that by mid-2027, all shops in the Netherlands will be converted to the Canadian convenience brand. In Central Europe, around 2,000 locations will be converted. In Belgium, where the rollout also began in April 2024, the counter currently stands at 17 Circle K stations; Luxembourg has five. Both countries will add dozens more. Nathalie Baras will lead this rollout as Vice President of the newly created BeLux business unit from 1 January 2026. The decision to merge operations in Belgium and Luxembourg and appoint Baras reflects the company’s ambitious growth strategy for the region. For the Netherlands, Bas Overkamp was appointed vice president on 1 November. According to the company, which acquired TotalEnergies’ retail and cards business in January 2024, this leadership change marks “a new chapter for Circle K in the Benelux”.

Growth

“The coming period is all about further growth and strengthening Circle K’s brand awareness in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg,” says Baras. “So far, we have opened nearly 30 Circle K locations in the Netherlands. Eventually, some 155 company-owned stations will get a new shop. And that’s not all: dealer-operated stations that have a shop arealso scheduledto be upgraded in consultation with the dealer,” Baras says, noting that the pace of renovations has slowed down slightly. “We are not aiming to open as many Circle Ks as soon as possible. We want to get it right. Adjust where necessary. That is why we are now taking a short break before scaling up again.”
Overkamp stresses that no petrol station is the same and customisation is needed. “This transformation by Circle K in Central Europe is unprecedented in the industry. Every station is different and that takes time. We have neighbourhood stations, motorway stations and so you can’t just copy a shop concept to more than 150 locations. We strive for the best solution, tailored to each location.”

Modular concepts

According to Overkamp, Circle K can adapt a location quickly because the shop concept consists of five modules: food, coffee, hot dogs, chilled drinks and promotions. “How we design a location and allocate space to each module is based on extensive research. On which road is it located? Is the shop performing well? Who are the customers and how many are there? Do they stay long or short? How many square metres are available? What product range fits best? What opportunities are there? We answer these questions with data. Then we decide whether to implement all five modules or just a selection. Although no two Circle K shops are identical, the concept remains recognisable at all locations. Ultimately, the goal is to offer visitors a pleasant experience and encourage purchases.”

Customer magnet

Coffee is one of the main draws at petrol stations, and Circle K is no exception. But the company says it takes a different approach. “Customers do not have to pay at the coffee machine,” says Baras. “They can checkout at the counter, the bakery or via self-checkout. If they want a snack with their coffee, they can grab it and checkout all at once. Unlike other concepts, you don’t have to use your card twice. That’s convenience and speed. We are data-driven and the figures show that our system is driving coffee sales. I can’t share exact figures, but sales have increased by several percentage points.

Overkamp points to the new self-service coffee island installed at Circle K Den Ruygen Hoek West this summer. “This coffee island focuses more than others on hot and cold coffee specialities. Visitors can choose from eight new coffee varieties. We pay great attention to flavour, with numerous tastings with different beans to find the best flavour profile per country.” The new coffee island also offers self-serve matcha lattes, two iced coffees and matcha tea for the first time. “Hot chocolate, tea and syrups are also part of the self-service offer. To accompany the drinks, there is a range of sweet and savoury snacks.”

Promotions

Another feature of the Circle K formula is the prominent placement and promotion of confectionery and soft drinks. Overkamp: “Visitors cannot miss the on-the-go products. We call it the queue-line: from the entrance to the counter, customers follow a winding path past impulse purchases such as energy drinks, sweets, biscuits and chilled drinks. There is also a hot display case with ready-to-eat sandwiches and snacks. Products are placed in multiple places, left and right. Many petrol stations are all the same. They offer a Mars once. At Circle K, a customer encounters an impulse purchase as many as three or four times. That makes a difference – especially if there is a good deal,” says Overkamp, who stresses that combo deals and promotions are essential to the concept. “Coffee with something sweet, a soft drink with a sandwich – we offer countless combinations. Strong deals with real value for the customer. No one else does that. It’s part of Circle K’s retail DNA. We see that customers respond to it and come to Circle K especially for that offer.”

Efficient process

Speed and customer convenience require an efficient process, says Baras. “Many processes within the Circle K concept are automated. Everything is recorded in data – not only in the Netherlands, but in thousands of locations worldwide. As a result, we have a very clear picture of what the customer wants, which buns need to be prepared in advance because they sell best at that location, and where products need to be placed to achieve the best sales result. Anything made fresh in the bakery for the customer is ready within two minutes. A hot dog bun even in as little as ten seconds.”

Increase brand awareness

If a product is not performing well somewhere, or a process is inefficient, adjustments are made, says Overkamp. “We constantly ask ourselves: what can we offer the customer in terms of food? What could be different, what could be better? We have been operating in the Netherlands for a year and a half now and have already made great strides. We are not there yet, but are well on track to make this a success.”
Baras stresses that increasing brand awareness is another key focus for the coming period. “We see that customers don’t know Circle K well enough yet. But they do notice that the concept is different: the promotions we do, the shelf presentation, the products customers ask for and the service we offer. Or as David Allen once said: ‘You can do everything, but not everything at once.’ We want to win in food and be number one in it.”

Also read:

• Bas Overkamp succeeds Nathalie Baras as vice president Circle K Netherlands
• New step for Circle K: company opens first 1000 kW charging station in Sweden
• Circle K opens first service station with charging stations only: ‘Strengthen e-mobility offer’