The Methodist Church in Fiji this week broke ground for its $4.4million service station at Adi Davila Road in Davuilevu, Nausori.
The project will be operated under the subsidiary company of the Methodist Church Holding Trust and the Methodist Church in Fiji — Lako Yani Retail.
The service station will also feature a convenience store.
Methodist Church Holding Trust board member Sereana Qoro said Mobil Oil Fiji had approached the church company in 2020 to enquire about the piece of land at Davuilevu.
She said at that time, the petroleum company had surveyed the area and was aware of future developments that translated into the potential future demand for fuel.
“We readily said yes to them. Not because they came but because the business was already part of the 10-year development plan for the Methodist Church Holding Trust,” Ms Qoro said.
“It’s a new chapter, it’s a new beginning, it’s the first service station of many more service stations for the Methodist Church in Fiji.”
Ms Qoro said Mobil Oil Fiji will contribute part of the cost — it has already paid the Methodist Church Holding Trust $450,000 and the Methodist Church Holding Trust has already paid $300,000.
“So we have already paid $750,000, which is more than half a million to purchase the fuel systems, underground tanks, and pipes that were already ordered overseas and we expect all these to arrive in May.
“Funding has always been easy because any bank will fund a service station. Service station is one of the best businesses because it is a cash business.”
The service station will operate under the DODO concept – dealer-owned and dealer-operated.
There will be five employees and one manager at the service station that will operate 24-7.
Phase one of the project is the construction of the service station and the second phase will involve the construction of other retail outlets at the same spot.
The construction contract has been awarded to a Chinese company.
