UK: Ascona Group reaches 55 forecourt sites

Following the acquisition of four Jet-branded locations across Lincolnshire and Sunderland. The group's ambition is to grow to 60 sites by the end of April.

Ascona Group, one of the UK’s fastest-growing forecourt operators, announced the completion of four service stations across Lincolnshire and Sunderland, taking its total portfolio to 55 sites across the UK.

Ascona welcomes Wragby Road Service Station in central Lincoln, Luxmore West and Luxmore East Service Stations in North Lincolnshire, and Foxcover Service Station in Sunderland. The four sites Jet-branded were acquired from the Gradebrook Group.

All four stations will include a Nisa-branded shop and offer the ‘Smokin Bean’ coffee brand. Ascona has also signed a new five-year agreement with Jet to supply the sites.

Ascona is actively seeking to acquire more sites across the North of England to establish the group presence in the region, according to Ascona CEO, Darren Briggs.

Ascona has the ambition of growing to 60 sites by the end of April, and 300 sites in the next five years, becoming one of the top three independent fuel retailers in the UK market. The Group previously secured backing from Crestline Europe and Nash Business Capital to more than double its portfolio to 120 sites in 2021.

Ascona was founded in 2011 by CEO Darren Briggs, a former strategy executive for Total UK, and embarked on its current growth strategy in 2017. Since then, the business has gone from two to 55 sites across the UK.