Hundreds of petrol stations in South Africa are ditching their red-and-blue colour schemes for a snappy new orange-and-purple aesthetic as part of a major rebranding campaign in South Africa.
The Caltex service stations that local motorists are familiar with are being converted to new sites under the banner of Astron Energy – South Africa’s up-and-coming new petrol retailer.
A rapid change
Astron Energy recently celebrated the rebranding of its 300th forecourt in South Africa, marking its rapid expansion into the local motoring scene.
The petrol provider manages a retail network of more than 800 sites, making it the second-largest fuel service in the country.
Its ongoing goal is to rebrand 400 Caltex sites before the end of 2024, marking the halfway point of the new logo’s takeover.
At its current rate, Astron is rebranding approximately 20 sites every month with a dedicated team assigned to each service centre.
According to the company, teams on the ground logged over 27,000 hours by the time the 300th site was completed.
Astron is a relatively new face on the block within the fuel distribution space, as it formally entered the country in 2018 when Glencore South Africa Oil Investment acquired a majority stake in Chevron South Africa.
Caltex is part of the Chevron family and has a history in South Africa dating as far back as 1936.
The new entity is currently managing Caltex’s business through a licence agreement with Chevron, which is scheduled to expire in 2024.
In 2021, Astron consolidated its operation in Southern Africa, announcing that it would be rebranding over 850 petrol stations in both South Africa and Botswana.
The takeover also includes Caltex’s refinery in Cape Town, its lubricant manufacturing plant in Durban, 180 commercial and industrial sites, 15 terminals, and corporate facilities.
According to Astron Energy CEO Thabiet Booley, the company has been met with a huge amount of interest from the public, investors, and retailers, and its future goal is to become the biggest fuel brand in South Africa.
The brand revealed its first revamped petrol station in September 2022, sporting a new orange colour scheme distinct from the nation’s other major fuel retailers.
Its convenience stores are managed by the retail chain FreshStop, which is part of the Food Lover’s Market Group and has been in charge of the quick shops at Caltex garages for over 15 years.
More than 330 Astron and Caltex stations feature a FreshStop, and several are also decked out with other outlets such as Seattle Coffee Company, Crispy Chicken, Grill-to-Go, Fill A Kota, Sausage Saloon, and Manhattan Coffee.
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