When people think of petrol stations, high-quality food and coffee aren’t usually the first things that come to mind. Wade Death is looking to change that with his New South Wales convenience store chain Jack & Co.
“I felt that there was a significant gap in the convenience market for a high-end food offer,” Wade says. “We actually sell a lot of the same products as the rest of the industry. Ours is made fresh and a significant step up in quality.”
Jack & Co caters to a diverse clientele through key markets such tradies and busy professionals. Given the broad customer base, Wade says it was important to find a coffee that could fit multiple taste preferences.
“A 16-ounce cappuccino with four sugars can be followed by a double shot macchiato only a minute later. So, it was essential to get a blend that was inoffensive but high quality,” he says.
Wade found the right coffee in Grinders’ Giancarlo and Source blends. As well as supplying versatile coffee, Wade says Grinders offers a significant amount of service and support to the Jack & Co chain as it grew.
“We find they’re a good all-round package in terms of equipment support, training capacity, and technical knowledge,” he says. “They have a very diverse range of blends in terms of quality and profiles, so we have found it good to be able to work through multiple options with them over the years.”
Coffee is prepared with Rancilio Classe 9 espresso machines, Puqpress automatic tampers, and Mazzer Robur grinders, all chosen for their reliability and performance during peak hour.
“Our stores are spread 300 kilometres from one end to the other so it’s key to have consistency and reliability everywhere,” Wade says. “One of our stores is inbound Sydney on the Pacific Highway and can regularly serve 180 coffees per hour in the morning, so we need absolute workhorse equipment to get through it.”
Wade attributes the success of Jack & Co, particularly its Northwood flagship, to its engagement with the community.
“Our stores have become a melting pot for their local communities,” Wade says. “People catch up in store and pass each other when they’re going in and out. We do everything we can to encourage our stores to be part of the communities and the communities to be part of us.”
Jack & Co
7/9 Northwood Road, Longueville, New South Wales, 2066
Open seven days 6am to 10pm
(02) 9418 6019
