MOL Group announced the acquisition of 100% of Normbenz Slovakia s.r.o. from Normeston Group Cyprus Limited by Slovnaft (through sale of shares) consisting of 16 Lukoil service stations in Slovakia. MOL also entered into a transaction with Marché International AG in order to acquire the company, which operates 9 restaurants in Hungary under the Marché brand.
The agreements are part of the Group’s updated long-term strategy “SHAPE TOMORROW” 2030+ which places particular emphasis on the development of the Consumer Services segment.
“The continuous development of food and non-food offerings in service stations, as well as the expansion of the network are part of our updated strategy and support our goal of becoming a regional leader in the retail sale of fuels and daily shopping. In this sense, we are even more determined to identify new opportunities. The addition of the 16 Lukoil service stations in Slovakia gives us the opportunity to expand our presence in this country and to introduce the Fresh Corner concept in the new Slovnaft stations. The acquisition of the company that operates Marché restaurants in Hungary also creates new prospects for MOL, as it can complement the gastro offering and reach a wider audience with its Retail services,” said Réter Ratatics, Executive Vice President for the MOL Group’s Consumer Services Segment.
Acquisition of 100% of Normbenz Slovakia s.r.o. consists of 16 Lukoil gas stations in Slovakia, with a national coverage. The stations perfectly complement the country’s Slovnaft network, which currently consists of 254 service stations. The network will continue to operate under the Slovnaft brand. Slovnaft also intends to introduce the Fresh Corner concept after takeover, with the best quality gastro products and other services that are already part of the offer marketed through the Slovnaft network. The transaction is to be approved by the Antitrust Office, the competition authority of the Slovak Republic (“AMO”).
Seven of the nine restaurants purchased from Marché International have been an integral part of MOL service stations for more than 10 years. Thanks to the concept of freshness and à la carte preparation, the restaurants and their employees offer premium quality on the European market. Over the years, MOL has gained regional experience and expertise, which allows the company to now operate self-employed restaurants, with the intention of including them in the Fresh Corner concept. The acquisition is subject to the approval of the Hungarian Competition Authority (“GVH”).
The Fresh Corner concept was launched in 2015, so customers on the go can enjoy quality coffee, hot dogs, sandwiches and fresh pastries at service stations, in addition to refueling. The Fresh Corner chain currently comprises 955 units, and the concept has contributed significantly to the record result recorded by the Consumer Services segment in 2020 – generating an increase of USD 510 million in the Group’s EBITDA result.