The Issa brothers left school with few qualifications but an evident appetite for enterprise. They learned the forecourt trade helping their father run his filling station, then bought their first site in Greater Manchester in 2001. The business expanded rapidly across the UK, before a 2016 merger with private equity firm TDR Capital's European forecourt business took it into Europe, leaving TDR with a 50 per cent stake and each brother with 25 per cent. Acquisitions in the US soon followed, and tie-ups with brands such as Greggs, Subway and Starbucks helped define its roadside offer. In 2020, both brothers were appointed CBE for services to business and charity.

Success bred further ambition. The Issas have also backed UK ventures including the Glasgow-based hydrogen vehicle developer HVS and the Manchester sportswear brand Castore. Not every deal has gone smoothly, however. In 2021 the brothers and TDR completed a £6.8bn takeover of Asda. The supermarket has struggled since and posted a near-£1bn pre-tax loss in 2025.

In 2024, Zuber sold his Asda stake to TDR and bought EG's remaining UK forecourts for £228m, forming his own business, EG On the Move, and stepped down as co-chief executive. Mohsin, who retains his Asda stake, followed less than a year later, handing the CEO role to Russell Colaco in April 2025. Today, both brothers act as co-owners and minority shareholders of EG Group.

Next, EG is undergoing a rebrand to Cumberland Farms, named after its biggest US chain, ahead of a planned Nasdaq listing – although in October 2026 that was put on hold amid rumours of a takeover.