• 1966 Heron opened its first service station in St. Albans.
• 1967 26 service stations operational by the year-end. Heron sold 35 sites to SHELL MEX and B.P. Under a management agreement, Heron agreed to operate two thirds of the sites.
• 1970 Over 100 service stations developed and owned mainly in the South of England. Throughput at these stations averaged in excess of 600,000 gallons per annum, six times the national average.
• 1971 Heron continued to operate stations for B.P. and SHELL MEX and entered into a longstanding relationship with TEXACO to develop 160 sites.
• 1972 During the financial year, Heron opened 46 service stations, following planned expansion into the Midlands and North West of England.
• 1975 By the year-end, Heron was the largest independent retailer in the U.K., operating stations for all the major oil companies, including TEXACO, SHELL, B.P., ESSO and MOBIL. The company also developed its own Heron petrol brand, which sold in the Midlands and North West of England.
• 1984 Commendation received from the Road Transport Industry Board for Heron’s management training.
• 1986 Heron announced its intention to develop 200 fully owned service stations. Heron announced its appointment as consultants to the Spanish National Petroleum Marketing Authority.
• 1988 Heron launched its big “H” petrol brand.
• 1991 Heron announced the sale of around 150 service stations to ELF.
• 1992 Heron unveiled the SNAX 24 retailing concept.
• 1993 Management buyout and the formation of SNAX 24.
• 1994 The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) features SNAX 24 to over 7,000 delegates at their convention in New Orleans. SNAX 24 moves its network from directly managed to Commission Operated.
• 1995 SNAX 24 is nominated for the “Forecourt Shop of the Year” award at the annual industry convention. SNAX 24 dispenses with the big “H” petrol brand and signs up with major oil company brands such as B.P., SHELL, and JET.
• 1997 SNAX 24 unveils its latest design in the SNAX 24 retailing concept. This latest store design includes the best of the existing store layouts as well as the latest innovations in respect of equipment, layout and customer services.
• 1999 SNAX 24 introduces Off-Licences and Cash Machines into its network.
• 2002 SHELL asks SNAX 24 to run some of their company owned sites in Scotland and East Anglia, terminating in 2006.
• 2007 SNAX 24 becomes a Business Partner of the Travelex Group, terminating in 2007
• 2005 BP asks SNAX 24 to run some of their company owned sites in Scotland and England.
• 2008 ESSO asks SNAX 24 to run some of their company owned sites in England, Scotland and Wales.