FAST-GROWING Blackburn firm Euro Garages has secured a deal with Sainsbury’s to introduce the firm’s high-class convenience stores to its service stations.

It will trial six of the supermarket giant’s outlets in its forecourts as the next step in its expansion.

Sainsbury’s will officially confirm the link-up next week.

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The firm, headquartered on Blackburn’s Beehive Trading Park,was named earlier this year as one of the top 75 private companies in the UK after securing a £1.3billion private equity investment.

Euro Garages, founded by brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa in 2001,started with a single petrol filling station in Bury and now has more than 330 sites across the UK.

In recent years has established itself as one of the Britain’s fastest-growing businesses building high-profile partnerships with Subway, Starbucks, Greggs and Burger King.

The new link up with one of the big four supermarket chains is seen a significant further step and if the six store trial is successful it could see more Sainsbury’s outlets on its premises.

Blackburn with Darwen Council regeneration boss, Cllr Phil Riley, said: “Euro Garages is one of the most dynamic businesses not just in Lancashire but the UK which this new link with Sainsbury’s confirms.

“The fact they remain headquartered in Blackburn is a major asset to the borough.”

Euro Garages and Sainsbury’s declined to comment last night in advance of the official announcement.

Euro Garages posted a total turnover of £815.6m in its most recent set of accounts. This represented a 26 per cent rise on the previous year to July 31 2014.

Pre-tax profits increased by 127 per cent to £34.8m over the same year to 31 July 2015.

The firm has also announced that it has merged with a private equity-backed counterpart to create a new group with around 1,450 locations and 8,500 employees.

It’s joining forces with European Forecourt Retail Group (EFR), creating a new holding company called Intervias.

A new combined board and a small corporate office will be based in London.

Euro Garages will still be focused on the UK while EFR is focused on the Benelux countries and France.

They will continue to operate under the own names.

Euro Garages and EFR will collectively serve more than six million customers a week.

Intervias, governing both Euro Garages and EFR, will be chaired by Tony DeNunzio, it has been announced.