North Coast Petroleum was awarded the 2023 Marg Taylor Award for Community Spirit at the inaugural Australian Fuel & Convenience Awards Dinner in Brisbane.
The Award was presented to Director Michael McKinlay by External Judge Amy Harvey, CEO Retail Media Group.
“The AFC Awards are an externally and independently judged merit based awards program that recognises excellence. The Marg Taylor Award for Community Spirit is one that is very special to the industry. It is fitting that this inaugural award go to North Coast Petroleum for their amazing community support through the Lismore floods,” explains ACAPMA CEO Mark McKenzie.
“All of the Nominees and Finalists were exceptional operators who really do enrich their communities by being part of them, and they all have a reason to be proud. The judges really struggled with awarding this one, and were forced to issue a Commendation to Tasco Petroleum, but in the end there can only be one winner, and this year its North Coast Petroleum”, added Mark.
North Coast’s Mick McKinlay gave a heartfelt acceptance speech that stunned and completely silenced the audience as he recounted the experience of his team pulling out all stops to first put the business back on its feet, and then to support the Lismore (NSW) community as it struggled to recover from the disastrous 2022 North Coast floods – a process that continues more than 18 months on.
As the industry congratulates the Winner of the 2023 Marg Taylor Award for Community Spirit we take a moment to look a little deeper at this Award Winning Business.
AFC Award Profile: North Coast Petroleum
COMMUNITY FOCUSED DELIVERY
North Coast Petroleum addresses local initiatives, including its response to Lismore’s devastating floods.
Lismore-based North Coast Petroleum (NCP) is a wholly Australian, family-owned delivery of quality petroleum and oil products to an area extending into central Queensland to the north, and in NSW west to beyond Brewarrina and south to Morisset.
The company supplies to a wide range of customers across retail, commercial, industrial and rural operations. With a team of professional fully accredited drivers backed by experienced operations staff, NCP says it has the tried and proven systems and processes in place to keep fuel and convenience businesses moving. “We pride ourselves on constantly looking for innovative new ways to further increase our high service levels and enhance the partnership that we forge with each of our customers,” the company said.
Supporting local business
NCP is a supporter of the Northern Rivers NSW brand, born from a collaboration between business and organisations in the tourism, education and local authority sectors. The brand represents the region in the north-east corner of NSW, which includes Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina, Grafton, Kyogle, Casino and other centres. “We have a responsibility to support other businesses and continue to expand opportunities for our future”, NCP Director and owner Mick McKinlay said, pointing to the company having developed as a substantial business and employer in the region.
“It just makes sense to support local business. That’s what we do and in turn new opportunities come to us all. “The Northern Rivers NSW brand will encourage increased recognition of this place, which has so much to offer our enviable lifestyle, supporting healthy lives, helping to create sustainable growth and employment opportunities for the future of our children.”
NCP Retail/Foodservice Contract Manager David Brezac believes the company’s support of local initiatives sets the business apart from its competitors.
“As a local family business, we feel a big part of our community, and anything we can do to support, we do,” he said. The initiative that involves NCP’s retail sites selling bottles of Our Kids Water, with $1 of each sale being donated to the Our Kids charity, raising funds and awareness for local hospitals, is considered one of the company’s “proudest community achievements” “The money we’ve raised so far has gone towards lifesaving equipment for local kids in the Northern Rivers,” Mr Brezac said.
Floods
The recent devastating floods in Lismore were “tragic and heartbreaking for NCP and the community, says Mr Brezac who points to the company’s “two pronged approach to recovery with “all hands on deck-setting out to rebuild its network first, followed by then rebuilding its community. [We] provided the community with fuel, care parcels and essentials to get them back on their feet as soon as possible,” he said.
What’s next
Looking ahead, Mr Brezac predicts that the P&C channel will increasingly become a “one-stop shop” with groceries and a post office in the mix. The NCP business will continue to grow along with its community, he adds.
More Information
For more information on the Australian Fuel & Convenience Awards, the Nominees, Finalists and Winners; to nominate for the AFC Awards; or be there to support the industry visit: https://apfiforum.com/afc-awards
Elisha Radwanowski BCom(HRM&IR)
ACAPMA
Portions of this Profile first appeared in the September Issue of Convenience World – https://convenienceworldmagazine.com.au/magazines/cw-september-2023/
