Challenge (company) explained

Challenge
Location Country:New Zealand
Locations:78
Area Served:New Zealand

Challenge is a chain of independently owned petrol stations around New Zealand.[1]

The chain is made up of 78 petrol stations, including five in Auckland. Most of the petrol stations are based in small towns and stock petrol and diesel; many have amenities and small convenience stores.[2]

History

The first Challenge petrol station was opened by Fletcher Challenge in April 1998.[3] The lower prices of Challenge and Gull New Zealand contributed to a price war in the New Zealand fuel retailing industry.[4]

The Challenge brand was purchased by Caltex New Zealand from Rubicon in 2001. It became part of the Rubicon business during the split of Fletcher Challenge in 2001, and was sold to Caltex New Zealand later that year.[5]

Z Energy purchased Caltex New Zealand in 2016, bringing the Challenge service station brand ownership into Z.[6] While the Challenge brand is owned by Z Energy, Challenge stores are all independently owned and operated. Store owners are all Shareholders of Dealer Co (NZ) Ltd, and the stores trade under the Challenge brand.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Corporate name change for Caltex . 17 May 2006 . Scoop . 20 December 2014.
  2. Web site: Challenge . challenge.net.nz . .
  3. Book: Michael . Pickford . Cameron . Wheeler . 2001 . The Petrol Industry: Deregulation, Entry and Competition . Wellington . NZ Trade Consortium . 4, 21 . 20 December 2014.
  4. News: Hickey . Bernard . Q+A: Will the fuel probe find profiteering? . . 4 December 2018.
  5. Web site: Rubicon announces the sale of the Challenge brand to Caltex NZ . 28 June 2001 . Rubicon Ltd . 20 December 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141220062257/http://www.rubicon-nz.com/main.cfm?menu=news&itemid=18 . 20 December 2014 .
  6. News: Burrow . Alicia . Z Energy cleared to buy Caltex and Challenge! petrol stations . . . 29 April 2016.
  7. News: Z Energy shares soar after Caltex buy . . . 2 June 2015.