Taco Bell will debut its first Irish location at a new €15m service station on the M3, as announced by Applegreen.
Applegreen, a subsidiary of industrial conglomerate DCC, is leading a €15 million investment to open Ireland's first Taco Bell at a new motorway service area on the M3 at Junction 6 in Dunshaughlin, County Meath. The facility, set to open in September 2025, will also include an M&S Food shop-in-shop, a Burger King, a Braeburn Coffee Cafe, and Applegreen’s deli concept "Crafted," alongside a fuel forecourt and ultra-fast EV charging points.
This expansion is part of a broader €1 billion expansion plan covering Ireland, the UK, and the US, with Applegreen planning to open several additional Taco Bell restaurants across its Irish locations over the next five years. This move aims to introduce Taco Bell’s unique dining experience widely in Ireland and supports both companies’ growth ambitions in Europe and globally.
The new motorway service area will create around 100 jobs and operate 24/7, with food outlets open daily from 6 am to 11 pm. The partnership between Taco Bell and Applegreen is positioned as a strategic move to solidify Taco Bell’s presence in Ireland and enhance Applegreen’s food and retail offerings at its service stations.
Meanwhile, another forecourt operator, Certa, is also making strides in the green fuel market. Certa, which recently opened Ireland's first fully fledged hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel station in Liffey Valley at a cost of €1 million, plans to open five more HVO fuel sites later this year. HVO, produced from waste plant matter and can be used as a direct replacement for diesel without engine modifications, can help motorists lower their carbon emissions by between 65 per cent and 90 per cent.
Demand for HVO is being driven by diesel drivers who want to go green but have put off switching to an EV for various reasons, including the cost of buying an EV, the lack of charging infrastructure across Ireland, and not having their own driveway or off-street parking for a home charger.
The Dunshaughlin facility will be Applegreen's largest single investment project in Ireland this year and will feature an Applegreen convenience store, a service station forecourt, and initially, eight ultra-Fast EV charging ports, capable of speeds up to 400kW. As of this week, Certa is operating its 25th HVO fuel site in Ireland, in Portlaoise.
This investment in renewable fuels and food offerings is a testament to both companies' commitment to sustainability and customer satisfaction. The new motorway service area in Dunshaughlin is set to be a significant milestone in Ireland's journey towards a more sustainable future.
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