Franchising has partnerships in its DNA, with the continued success of any franchise business dependent on these collaborations, so it makes sense for alliances to extend across sectors for the benefit of consumers: Service stations sell fuel; Galito’s sells great flame-grilled chicken.

Galito’s is now Engen’s preferred partner in Namibia with a planned expansion of 10 forecourt stores across the country during 2022. This is in addition to two new stand-alone stores, the first of which is under construction.

Galito’s Group Marketing Executive Caitlin Winson believes the franchising environment is playing an important role in the service station sector: “Partnerships with retailers play an important part in drawing customers in.  It is clear that this benefits customers, giving them more convenience, quality and choice.”

Changing shopper habits have resulted in considerable changes to the structure of forecourts: “It is imperative for everyone involved to understand that forecourts are now not seen only as petrol stations but rather as convenience stores, which also sell fuel. Customers are looking for more than just a fill-up when they drive onto forecourts and that is about delivering a complete service station experience.”

In a competitive environment, forecourts need to provide services that simply people’s lives. Galito’s offers different store options, including the innovative entry level GaliPod, whose set-up costs and ROI’s are greatly value engineered compared to competitors. This means Galito’s is a well-priced business opportunity that makes ownership of a franchise accessible to a larger segment of the population while maintaining its position as an aspirational brand.

It is also perfectly sized for the forecourt environment and easy to set up. Galito’s has recently rolled out 25 forecourt stores across SA, partnering closely with Global and Total, with more on the horizon for 2022.