Q&A on ReFuelForum USA – A new event for the industry
Published on: Oct 25, 2023
After two decades of successful global engagements, ReFuelForum, is making its highly-anticipated debut in the United States. We speak to Fiona Horan, Director of OpenRoom, about the upcoming event and the U.S. market.
Q. In November you will be celebrating the first edition of ReFuelForum USA. OpenRoom has organised events for the fuel retail industry in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Why did you decide to venture into the United States in this moment?
A For many years now, our vendor clients have been asking us to make the move into the U.S. – and we recently learned from McKinsey that the North American Mobility Retail (MR) market is the largest in the world and is growing at a rate of 5% per year. Our experience in convenience retail and our close relationships with innovative suppliers in this space means we have something to offer the American retailers for the future. It feels like our time has come – and we see this as the beginning of a long relationship!
Q. ReFuelForum brings together international suppliers with regional and global retailers. What are your expectations for this first edition?
A. The U.S. event space is crowded – and ReFuel is running just 5 weeks after the behemoth that is NACS. So, we have realistic expectations, and we view this first event as laying the foundations. That said, we’ve collected some of the best retailers in the business alongside some truly innovative suppliers. And we’ve made some inroads into the fast-developing market of Latin America!
Q. With 150,000 convenience stores, of which 79% sell fuels, the U.S. represents a huge fuelling market. What would you say are the main characteristics of this market?
A. The market potential is huge –equal to that of Europe. Across America, fuel is still a critical offer, but its dominance is being challenged by increased fuel efficiency and the rise of EVs. Gas station conveniencestores will become even more important, as traditional “fuel-first” missions give way to “store-first” trips.Leaders in this field will combine fuel retail, EV infrastructure, tech-enabled convenience, and food service. Exciting times lie ahead!
Q. Can you tell us which fuel and convenience brands that have confirmed their participation?
A. It’s a great mix – and it’s still building. So far, we have RL Energy, Campbell Oil Company, Jacksons, Marathon etroleum, AMPM Centro America, FEMSA, Murphy, Toot’n Totum, Wawa, Sprint Mart, Casey’s and Kroger.
Q. What can attendees expect from the panel sessions at this event?
A .We’re really proud of the content – and are focusing on panels to kick start the discussions that are the hallmark of an OpenRoom Event. The Vision Group Network with Founding Partner Myra Kressner at the helm will look at tech solutions, the business case for EV, AI and predictive pricing. From Kalibrate, Simon Martin will chair a discussion on mobility data, why it’s important and what it can tell us about competitors – and we’ll hear from PDI Technologies on navigating e-Mobility and EV Transition. And finally, there’s the all-important chance for retailers to exchange ideas in a retailer-only session moderated by Kevin Farley from Impact 21.
Q. You’ve selected San Antonio (Texas) for this first edition. What made you choose this location? Will the event rotate between various locations for future editions?
A. We’ve found the ideal location in San Antonio, Texas. The venue is stunning – everything you’d expect for an OpenRoom event, and there’s golf for those who arrive early – and we’ve arranged for dinner at a Heritage Ranch with live music and good old fashioned Texan hospitality! But the event will rotate around the country – we’re eyeing up Florida for the 2024 edition.
If you’d like to find out more or reserve yourself a spot please contact fiona@openroomevents.com
