Gulf Oil Acquires Brand Rights for Entire U.S.

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Gulf Oil, L.P., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cumberland Farms Inc., today announced its intentions to execute a significant geographic brand expansion. Effective January 12, Gulf Oil LP acquired all rights, title and interest to the Gulf brand in the United States.

For the last 20 years, Gulf-branded gasoline in the continental United States has only been available in an 11-state region in the Northeast through a licensing agreement between Gulf Oil's parent company and Chevron USA Inc.

Gulf Oil now controls the right to market the brand throughout the United States and its territories. This acquisition enables Gulf Oil to expand its use of the Gulf brand throughout the United States for the first time since it first acquired certain rights to the brand in 1986.

Gulf Oil, based in Framingham, Mass., is one of the Northeast's largest wholesalers of refined petroleum products. Gulf Oil distributes motor fuels through a network of more than 2,000 branded gasoline retail centers, 12 proprietary oil terminals and a network of more than 50 other supply terminals. Gulf Oil supplies gasoline, heating oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel and kerosene through its Gulf Oil terminal network. Through its unbranded subsidiary, Great Island Energy, Gulf Oil L.P. also supplies petroleum products as well as risk management and financial services to industrial, commercial, and independent retail firms.

Free Cups of Coffee to Kick Off 2010

For those in need of an extra jolt to avoid dozing off this new year, the Framingham-based convenience store chain, Cumberland Farms will offer some assistance for what is sure to be the best price for a cup of coffee in 2010 - free.

From 5 p.m. on New Year's Eve until 5 a.m. New Year's Day Cumberland Farms locations across the Northeast and Florida - except for those with Dunkin' Donuts service - will be offering complimentary hot cups of Farmhouse Blend coffee for the third year in a row.


“We encourage drivers to have fun and stay safe and alert this holiday season,” the company's president, Ari Haseotes, said in a press release today announcing the promotion. “Offering free coffee on New Year’s Eve is one way for us to let our customers know we care about them.”

Good Customer Service

Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won’t be profitable for long.

Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy – happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers.

If you’re a good salesperson, you can sell anything to anyone once. But it will be your approach to customer service that determines whether or not you’ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. The essence of good customer service is forming a relationship with customers – a relationship that that individual customer feels that he would like to pursue.

How do you go about forming such a relationship? By remembering the one true secret of good customer service and acting accordingly; “You will be judged by what you do, not what you say.”

Cumberland Farms Chill Zone

The Cumby's Chill Zone is a delicious frozen drink sold at Cumberland Farms for 79 cents plus tax. The Chill Zone comes in many delictable flavors including coke, cherry, clue raspberry, sour apple, leomonade, and grape. There is an awesome variety of fountain and frozen flavors that you can blend, combine an concoct to your hearts desire.

After drinking a Chill Zone, you'll probably want to become a fan on Facebook!

Cumberland Farms needs great Customer Service Associates to help out in the store. Stop by your local Cumberland Farms to apply for a job today!

Cumberland Farms' New Norton, MA Store Fundraises for Area School

To celebrate the grand opening of its latest remodeled convenience store here, Cumberland Farms kicked off a communitywide fundraiser yesterday to support the students at Norton High School.

"We are dedicated to making life a little bit easier for the residents of Norton," Ari Haseotes, president of Cumberland Farms' retail division, said in a statement. "This fundraiser is our way of saying thank you for the support the town has given us through the years."

Beginning yesterday, the company will donate 20 cents from every ChillZone fountain beverage and cup of coffee sold at the revamped store to the Norton High School Student Activity Agency, with a minimum donation of $1,000, the retailer stated. The donation will support students in need of financial assistance, as well as fund class field trips and awards ceremonies, among other activities, according to the convenience store chain.

"We are grateful for Cumberland Farms' support as our extracurricular activities are vitally important to our students' experience at Norton High School," Norton High School Principal Raymond Dewar said in a statement.

The newly remodeled Cumberland Farms store design features a fresh-food focused menu, a variety of sandwiches that can be toasted on site, milkshakes, flatbread breakfast sandwiches and personal pepperoni pizzas. The store also boasts a self-service coffee bar featuring the chain's new Farmhouse Blend coffee, as well as its trademark ChillZone fountain drink area.

Looking for a job in Norton, MA? Check out retail job a career opportunities at our great new Cumberland Farms location. Apply within.

Believe and Achieve Scholarship Program

Cumberland Farms today announces that eligible 2010 high school graduates can apply for its Believe and Achieve Scholarship program. This is the fourth year the New England based company has been able to provide individual $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors bound for college.

The Believe and Achieve Scholarship program is open to students who live within 30 miles of any Cumberland Farms retail convenience store. The scholarship program is also open to children of Cumberland Farms employees. While the initiative takes academic performance into account, the award also considers the student’s financial need. Applications can be submitted online through www.cumberlandfarms.com/doinggood and will be open until December 15, 2009.

“We know how difficult it can be for some students to afford college, that’s why we are proud to have a program that can make the cost of college a little bit easier for these families,” says Ari Haseotes, President of Cumberland Farms Retail Division. “The Believe and Achieve scholarship is a way for us to give back to the communities that patronize our stores.”

Information about the Believe and Achieve Scholarship program, including entry criteria and deadlines, is available online at www.cumberlandfarms.com/doinggood as well as in all Cumberland Farms store locations.

CUMBERLAND FARMS PUTS A FRESH FACE ONLINE WITH A NEW WEBSITE

(Framingham, MA –October 21, 2009) - Extending the refreshed brand image that customers are beginning to experience at its convenience stores, Cumberland Farms is sharing its retail story and vision with a new website www.CumberlandFarms.com

Visitors to www.CumberlandFarms.com will see photos of the newest store design as it continues to roll out across the Northeast and Florida. The site features information about the company’s popular, fresh new products, from the custom-made Farmhouse Blend Coffee to the latest ChillZone cold beverage flavors. But rest assured the company’s traditional dairy and grocery products are included too.

Those interested in the company’s farm family legacy will learn how Vasilios and Aphrodite Haseotes grew Cumberland Farms from a cow and a dream to what today is the largest convenience store and gasoline marketer in the Northeast, run by their grandson, company President Ari Haseotes. The site also has detail on the organization’s longstanding commitment for doing good by giving back to the communities it serves.

“As we set out to recast what today’s convenience store experience should be, we wanted a fast and easy way to update our busy customers about all the changes. We are excited that our new website delivers on that pledge,” said Mr. Ari Haseotes, president of Cumberland Farms Retail Division.


"We're so excited and proud of the launch of the Cumberland Farms retail website”, said John Young, Partner/ Chief Strategist, Full Contact Advertising which designed the site in partnership with MNET. “This initiative represents the foundation of the company's growing digital strategy and rejuvenated brand experience. Simply put, the goal is to foster extraordinary and valuable relationships everywhere customers want to interact with Cumberland Farms. The company is here to serve and hopefully, delight."


About Cumberland Farms

Cumberland Farms makes life easier for busy people every day. Its network of convenience stores across 11 states reflect the values of three generations of providing customers with value, convenience and unparalleled service - whether you're buying a cold ChillZone drink, a hot cup of Farmhouse Blend Coffee or filling the gas tank. Rooted in a family-farm heritage today's Cumberland Farms also has a long heritage of giving back to the communities where it operates. For more information about a Cumberland Farms near you, please visit us at www.CumberlandFarms.com.

Cumberland Farms holds benefit for Mansfield, MA High School

Cumberland Farms is kicking off the grand opening of its newest convenience store located in Mansfield, with a fundraiser to support the students at Mansfield High School.

Starting Sept. 14 the company will donate 20 cents from every ChillZone beverage and cup of coffee sold at the new 30 Chauncey Street, Mansfield store to the Mansfield High School Student Activities Fund. The fund benefits class trips, proms, dances and senior activities. Cumberland Farms intends to raise at least $1,000 for the school fund, with the help of the community.

“We are pleased to have Cumberland Farms’ support for the many co-curricular activities that are of critical importance to our students,” said Mansfield Principal Joseph Maruszczak. “Cumberland Farms’ fundraiser will help to ensure that after school enrichment activities will continue to add to the experience of Mansfield High School.”

“We are looking forward to making life a little bit easier for the residents of Mansfield, and that goes for our next door neighbors at the high school too,” said Ari Haseotes, president of Cumberland Farms Retail Division. “This fundraiser is our way of saying thank you for the warm welcome the town has given us.”

Visitors to the new Cumberland Farms will notice a change upon taking the first step through the front door. From a wide variety of sandwiches that can be toasted on site, to thick chocolate milkshakes, flatbread breakfast sandwiches and even personal pepperoni pizzas, the new menu is squarely focused on fresh food, and is steeped in the company’s farm-family heritage. Customers can be their own baristas at the coffee bar, stocked with the delicious new Farmhouse Blend, or opt for a cold beverage at the trademark ChillZone.

The Mansfield store is the company’s third new model store in Massachusetts, part of a multi-year, multi-million dollar investment in the brand.

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Free Cumberland Farms Chill Zone!