Spain: First autonomous c-store opens at car wash

Spanish startup Ghop and Grupo Moure have opened Spain’s first autonomous store.

Ghop has opened an autonomous convenience store at a Elefante Azul car wash in Alcalá de Henares (Spain). It is the first shop developed between the Spanish startup and Grupo Moure, a national operator of service stations and car washes.

This modular store consists of 15 square metres and includes a total of 250 food, beverage and other products. It will open 365 days a year and operate independently through the technology developed by Ghop.

"Our shops are the solution for many companies to complement their services and make their surplus space profitable. Elefante Azul is one example but our business can be adapted to any environment such as a university, a transport station, a housing estate or almost any location. Running a shop like this has never been easier," explains Lino Monteagudo, co-founder and CEO of Ghop.

To make a purchase through Ghop, customers must first register through their website. The customer can then access the module to pick up the item they need.

The technology used automates and centralises all the operations carried out in the shop, from user registration to video surveillance and automatic stock management in real time.

"Service stations are areas where innovation is rare. While other countries such as the United States or China have already opted for this type of smart shop, in Spain this shopping format is not common. Betting on the installation of a Ghop shop is betting on the future", says Manel Montero, general manager of Grupo Moure.

Grupo Moure is a holding company founded in 1996 with a presence in the energy and carwash sectors, including the companies Elefante Azul, Autonetoil, Petronet and Washnet Factory.

The opening of this store takes place a month after Galp’s roll out of their first autonomous convenience store in Portugal.