Gulf Oil Unveils E85 Fueling Station

Last week Gulf Oil, LP opened its first e85 fueling station in New England to service commuters with Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs).

According to Gulf Oil officials the station is an important milestone to expand Massachusetts and New England's fuel resources, providing greater access to affordable and environmentally friendly alternative fuels. There are more than 75,000 FFVs registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, about 4,000 of which are located within a 5-mile radius of the new Gulf Oil e85 fueling station, located at 100 Service Road at Logan Airport.

According to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, there are more than 1,800 E85 ethanol fueling stations in the U.S. E85 is also more affordable and environmentally friendly than conventional gasoline. For instance, drivers who filled up with e85 in August paid on average 68 cents a gallon less than their counterparts who used conventional gasoline. In addition, e85 reduces ozone-forming pollution by 20 percent, green house gases by 30 percent, according to the Argonne National Laboratory.

Gulf Oil CEO Joseph Petrowski said the opening is the result of two strong partnerships that seek to bring alternative fuels to the state. The first is between Gulf Oil and the station's operator Energy North and its President Ken Black who is committed to broaden its fuel options from traditional petroleum to a more varied and secure domestic source of bio fuel. The second partnership is between the public and private sectors including the federal Energy Department and Massachusetts Representation Bill Delahunt, Governor Deval Patrick, and state Energy Secretary Ian Bowles.

'Forbes' Names Top Private C-Store Companies

The 2008 Forbes list of the 100 largest U.S. private companies is out, and nine convenience stores made the cut.
Flying J topped the c-store segment at No. 16 (moving up from No. 19 last year. Love's Travel Stops made the list at No. 25 (jumping up from No. 42 last year). Cumberland Farms held its spot at No. 35 (same as last year).
QuikTrip moved up three places from last year to No. 37. Sinclair Oil came in at No. 45 (losing a little ground from last year's No. 38 spot). Colonial Group, operating Enmark gas stations and convenience stores, took dead center of the list at No. 50 (moving up seven spots from its place last year).
RaceTrac Petroleum skipped up five places from last year, earning the No. 56 spot of this year's list. Wawa came in at No. 69, dropping five places from its position in 2007. Sheetz made the list at No. 82, gaining ground from its place last year of No. 98.Beyond just the Top 100, Forbes total list of top private companies in the United States (with $1 billion or more in 2007 revenue) included 441 companies employing 6.2 million people and accounting for $1.8 trillion in total revenues.
Other convenience store companies that made the expanded list include: U.S. Oil (No. 211), Thorntons (No. 250), Kum & Go (No. 283), and Brookshire Brothers (No. 361).

Cumberland Farms offers free coffee on Fridays

Cumberland Farms is offering free cups of coffee on Fridays through early December at its roughly 500 convenience-store-and gas-station locations.

Cumberland Farms said in a press release: "The company dedicated six months to researching, testing, and tasting blends with its coffee roaster to create a delicious new taste, at an unexpected price. Farmhouse Blend is a medium roast with a smooth, harmonious flavor. Because Cumberland Farms understands the importance of offering its consumers a great cup of coffee at an affordable price, customers can pour a cup of Farmhouse Blend for free every Friday through Dec 5. Additionally, all hot beverages, of any size, will be just 99 cents, every day of the week. (For those loyal to Cumberland Farms original coffee, that's still available too.)"
Cumberland Farms press release included a statement from Ari Haseotes, the chain's president and chief operating officer.

"We felt the time was right to offer our customers an updated and delicious coffee choice at a great price," Haseotes said. "A great cup of coffee shouldn't cost as much as a gallon of gas, nor should anyone have to take a lot of time out of the day to get it. Farmhouse Blend is another way we provide our customers with value and convenience."

Do you have experience working with coffee, fast food and providing great customer service? Looking for a great career? Apply now to some of the best jobs in the convenience store industry.