OREANDA-NEWS. Parallel has increased the share of non-fuels sales to 20% of total revenues across its chain. The result came firstly, from the rapid growth of a mini-market network Zzzip!! that includes 116 outlets now and the development of self-service car washes.

“The margin on petroleum products has clearly tended to reduce in the fuel retail market recently. I mean, the revenues from fuel sales are dropping that encourages retailers to develop other higher margin businesses,” noted CEO of Parallel Yelena Khiliyenko. “Expanding related services, e.g. mini-markets, car washes, fast-foods, repair shops, etc. will be a priority for fuel networks.”

Parallel says the car owners showed the biggest interest in hot dogs and coffee in 2013. The company sold over 2.6m cups of coffee and hit the record in hot dogs - more than 700 per shift per filling station.

“We initially placed bets on premium grain coffee brands and chose products made by a vintage Swiss-based roaster Blaser. The opinion of our customers proves that we were right,” said Svetlana Kebalnikova, chief of Parallel's mini-market network development. “As to the equipment, the increased sales of coffee at our filling stations encouraged us to buy more powerful machines to speed up the coffee making and extend the range of offered beverages.”

The company also began to remake coffee zones into self-service areas with two launched in Donetsk and Lugansk and other five expected at other stations soon. “Arranging self-service coffee areas is, firstly, a new step towards extending the offering of related services at filling stations. It helps to save our customers' time as they can make their beverage by clicking a button and pay separately from the general system,” continued Svetlana Kebalnikova. “It also frees cashiers who can serve customers faster.”