26/05/2025
Kilrea Service Station celebrates win at Maxol Excellence Awards
Kenny's Foodfare wins Excellence in Customer Experience
Kenny's Foodfare Service Station in Kilrea is celebrating after securing a big win at the annual Maxol Excellence Awards hosted at the Merchant Hotel in Belfast recently. The popular store took home an Excellence in Customer Experience Award for topping the league table, with the highest mystery shopper scores.
The annual scheme promotes and rewards excellence in station and store standards, customer experience, and community engagement across the Maxol network. Standards are assessed through store audits by regional managers and the team from head office, along with mystery shopper visits and reviews of each store’s local community engagement, which includes fundraising activities for Maxol’s nominated charity, Guide Dogs NI.
Under the ownership of Kenny Bradley and management of Liz Galloway, the store has built a reputation for exceptional customer service, with staff regularly praised for going ‘the extra mile’, from helping carry groceries to cars, fuelling vehicles, and delivering groceries to homes, to offering extra support for elderly and disabled shoppers.
Eileen, the store’s longest-serving employee with over 27 years of service, is a familiar and trusted presence in the community, often organizing grocery packs for families experiencing bereavement.
The store is also a strong supporter of local initiatives, contributing to sports clubs, schools, church fairs, and charities, including raising £30,000 to date for their nominated charity TinyLife. The store has also donated to Kilrea Community Early Years Playgroup to upgrade the playground.
The store’s deli is another huge draw, attracting customers who make the journey from nearby towns especially for a delicious and hearty breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Brian Donaldson, CEO of The Maxol Group, said: “Our stores are truly ‘at the heart of it’— serving local communities and that’s why it’s important we hold ourselves to the highest standards and champion best practice across our stores.
“The continued success of our business is driven by the passion, commitment, and drive for continuous improvement that we see from our fantastic teams, and it’s what makes us an industry-leading convenience retailer. I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Kenny, Liz and their team, who continue to set the gold standard across the Maxol network.”
Kenny Bradley said: “We’re delighted to receive this award from Maxol for Excellence in Customer Experience. It reflects the dedication of our entire team to making every customer feel welcome and valued. I am so proud and want to thank them for their hard work and dedication—this recognition belongs to all our loyal and hardworking team members.”
