We’re more of an energy partner rather than just a propane provider

After relocating to the US, Reena Mistry tells how she’s enjoying the challenge of working for a growth-minded organisation like DCC Propane – and growing alongside it

“The opportunity to take on a new challenge in a different country 4,000 miles away from home was incredibly appealing from a career perspective — particularly with a company like DCC that’s growing rapidly,” says Reena Mistry, Sales and Marketing Director at DCC Propane. “Of course, any international move is a big decision, especially with family in the mix.”

Having worked for DCC business Flogas Britain for almost a decade, Reena was well placed to head Stateside to build a presence for DCC in the highly attractive US propane market.

When she and her husband discussed the potential relocation, they thought: “‘We’ve got no family there. We don’t know anyone.’ But deep down I was thinking ‘I’ll regret it if I don’t take this opportunity,’” Reena says.

With a mix of nerves and excitement, she, her husband and twin girls, now 14, moved from Loughborough in the English Midlands to the outskirts of Chicago in 2022.

She arrived at a pivotal time for the US business. DCC entered the US propane market in 2018 and in 2021 acquired United Propane Group, almost doubling its customer base and increasing its reach to 21 states.

“When we acquire a company, we ensure that existing customers transition seamlessly under our leadership, that they’re taken care of and don’t experience significant changes, except maybe an elevated service,” Reena says.

Her focus is to lay strong commercial foundations, align brand and marketing, and foster a proactive, insight-led approach to the sales process across DCC Propane’s customers and geographies.

The customer base is wide, ranging from farms and food processing plants to wineries and spa resorts. A customer can be a food cart in a remote location or a large construction site running temporary heat in winter. North America’s wide, open spaces mean there’s no shortage of land for siting a liquid gas tank. “You see them everywhere,” Reena says, adding: “If you’re off the natural gas grid and you need propane, we’re here to support you.”

“Customers here like a local service. They want local people to answer the phone”

With around 4,000 suppliers across the US, propane is a highly fragmented market compared to the UK. Service and customer care are the differentiators.

“We operate through a network of strong regional propane businesses and brands, many of which have been part of their communities for decades,” she says. “That local knowledge, trust and responsiveness are a big part of who we are.”

“Customers here value reliability, affordability, safety and the relationship side of things. Residential customers, in particular, like a local service. They want local people to answer the phone.”

“We can offer remote tank monitoring, auto-refill, or priority scheduling for customers concerned about running out of fuel. Others will come to us with payment issues and we can support them with flexible payment plans, whether they want the assurance of pre-buying their gallons at a fixed price or budget billing. We’re more of an energy partner rather than just a propane provider,” she says.

In Reena’s part of the world: “We can get six inches of snow,” she says. “But snow ploughs keep the roads clear and with the sunshine and blue sky that follow, when you wrap up warm and go outside, it’s cold but gorgeous.”

Personal and professional growth at DCC Propane

She’s enthusiastic about the lifestyle shift the family’s experienced in the US, which she describes as more outdoor-focused and expansive. “The move made us step out of our comfort zones and brought us closer as a family,” she says. “We love it, and the girls have settled in really well.”

Professionally, she’s enjoying the challenge of working for such a growth-minded organisation as DCC Propane – and growing alongside it. “I feel we’re building momentum in the right areas and a clearer sense of who we are in the market,” she says. “There’s still work to do. We’re making great progress in telling our story about the depth of our local service and the level of customer care behind the brands. I’m really encouraged by the direction we’re going. Every day is different, and I like that.”