Maxol, Ireland's leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, has secured one of the most prestigious honours in European retail after its flagship site, Long Mile Road in Dublin was named NACS Convenience Store of the Year Europe 2026.
The accolade was presented to Maxol CEO Brian Donaldson at last week's 2026 NACS Convenience Retail Awards Europe ceremony, held as part of the NACS Convenience Summit Europe in Warsaw. Chosen from convenience retailers across the continent, the recognition highlights Ireland's growing reputation for innovation and excellence in the convenience sector.
The NACS Convenience Store of the Year award celebrates the most innovative and customer-focused convenience retail operators in Europe. The win recognises Maxol's €4.5 million redevelopment of its Long Mile Road site, which has transformed the location into a benchmark for modern convenience retailing through its focus on customer experience, food innovation, sustainability and community engagement.
Unveiled earlier this year, Maxol transformed the long-established service station at Long Mile Road into a modern roadside retail destination featuring an expanded Maxol Deli, Zambrero, Burger King drive-thru, ROSA Coffee, an enhanced Dunnes Stores food offering as well as new digital ordering kiosks in-store for commuters and locals on the go.
Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group, said: "We are incredibly proud that Maxol Long Mile Road has been recognised as NACS Convenience Store of the Year Europe 2026. This award is a tremendous endorsement of our strategy to create best-in-class roadside retail destinations.
“We place food, convenience and customer experience at the heart of everything we do, and Long Mile Road represents the very best of what Maxol stands for today: innovation, quality and a relentless focus on meeting the evolving needs of our customers.
“To be recognised as NACS Convenience Store of the Year Europe is a tremendous honour and a testament to the hard work, passion and dedication of our entire team. This award reflects our continued commitment to investing in world-class retail experiences for our customers and the communities we serve.
“Long Mile Road demonstrates how we are evolving beyond traditional fuel retailing and investing in destinations that offer customers exceptional food, grocery and service experiences.
“Our Licensee at Long Mile Road, Thomas Ennis, is a standout retail operator with a strong commitment to food-to-go excellence. He and his team consistently deliver best-in-class standards across both food service and retail operations, creating an exceptional customer experience.”
The redevelopment forms part of Maxol's five-year €175 million investment strategy and reflects the company's continued commitment to enhancing its network across Ireland. Located at the junction of the Naas Road, Long Mile Road and Nangor Road, the site occupies one of Dublin's busiest commuter corridors.
The revamp includes the construction of a new 547 sq. metre retail facility, expanded foodservice offering, upgraded forecourt facilities, increased parking capacity and the implementation of Maxol's latest energy-efficient store design.
Thomas Ennis, Licensee at Maxol Long Mile Road, said: "The award is a fantastic recognition of the hard work and commitment shown by our entire team. Every aspect of the redevelopment was designed with our customers in mind, from the expanded food offering and improved store layout to enhanced parking and convenience features.
“We are delighted to see the site recognised on the European stage and would like to thank our customers and local community for their continued support."
Over the last decade, Maxol has invested more than €225 million in expanding and upgrading its service station network, including the acquisition of 23 freehold properties, the large-scale development of 25 sites and around 50 smaller projects.
The news comes after Maxol Long Mile Road made the top 12 shortlist in the Global Convenience "Smartest Store in the World 2026.” The Irish-owned company has long established a strong track record of success at the NACS Convenience Retail Awards Europe. In recent years, Maxol Ballycoolin in Dublin was named NACS European Convenience Retailer of the Year, while Maxol Newbridge in County Kildare received the NACS European Convenience Retail Best of the Best Store Award.
In 2024, Maxol CEO Brian Donaldson was honoured with the NACS Industry Leader of the Year Award in recognition of his contribution to the convenience retail sector.
The prestigious programme brings together more than 150 senior retail leaders from over 20 countries to explore emerging trends, innovation and best practice across the global convenience retail industry.
