Adrian Portelli is taking his cheap petrol model to the supermarket aisle

If Adrian Portelli involved, chances are there’s going to be some noise around it.

After giving away cars, big prizes and online promotions that attract instant attention, the billionaire turned to cheap petrol, causing a Preston service station to become the subject of discussion over the cost of living.

Now he needs groceries.

Portelli has confirmed that Deer Park IGA will be built in Melbourne’s west. 1st LMCT+ The work of converting supermarkets and stores is about to begin. It’s a local move, but the pitch is much bigger than a store.

Portelli wants to take the same subscription-discount model he tested with cheap gasoline and bring it to the supermarket aisle.

This gives the idea a clear audience. Australians are tired of rising grocery prices, fuel costs and household bills. Portelli is going straight into that frustration with a simple proposal.

Join the club and pay less for the things people already buy every week.

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From cheap fuel to cheap groceries

Portelli’s petrol station gave him the proof point he wanted. They claim the Preston site saved motorists more than $725,000 in its initial month and say a larger rollout could return millions of dollars to Australian consumers every month. These are their figures, but they explain why the supermarket move has attracted attention.

This model is expected to fall within the LMCT+ membership, with previous reports indicating that petrol and groceries are being included in the wider everyday savings offering. This would make the supermarket less like a typical grocery store and more like a Costco-style club built around fuel, food and member discounts.

Portelli isn’t just replacing one supermarket sign with another.

He’s trying to get LMCT+ out of the giveaway feed and into everyday spending, where members buy petrol, groceries and probably everything else that comes next.

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supermarket testing will be tough

Selling cheap petrol is one thing. Running a supermarket is another matter. Groceries mean suppliers, stock, margins, fresh food, local expectations and shoppers who compare prices every week.

Portelli also said that small Australian businesses could get shelf space, which gives the project a useful local perspective if it actually happens.

Deer Park is not a random starting point. Portelli grew up near Melbourne’s west, giving the supermarket launch a hometown feel.

The hard part begins once the doors open.

A petrol station and a supermarket do not make a national retail empire. The next test is whether LMCT+ can offer real savings without turning the whole thing into a short-term stunt.

But the thought is intense. The fuel carried people out the door. The groceries may decide whether they stay or not.