Blue Earth Resources Introduces Fuel Brand for Small Operators

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Blue Earth Resources Inc. is launching a new fuel brand to serve independent convenience store operators in the southeast United States.

The fuel marketer is conducting the first site surveys for BluePetro, with branding agreements to follow. Blue Earth expects the first stores will come online by the end of May.

"The lack of branded fuel supply options available to smaller convenience store operators in the southeast is a void in the marketplace where we can apply our expertise and business advantages to grow volume and annual recurring revenue," said CEO Scott M Boruff. "During a time of unprecedented gas price volatility, consumers will demand and benefit from more choice and from the success of local, small business owners."

Small operators make up the majority of the convenience store channel. Of the 148,026 c-stores operating in the U.S., single-store operators account for 60.4 percent (89,336 stores), according to the 2022 NACS/NielsenIQ Convenience Industry Store Count.

While they account for nearly two-thirds of the industry, the number of single-store operators has been on the decline — driving the 1.5-percent dip in the number of overall c-stores from 2021. Single-store operators made up a record 63.2 percent of the industry in 2017. Meanwhile, the percentage of single-store retailers that sell fuel dropped to 54.6 percent in 2021, the lowest since the metric has been tracked in 2005, according to NACS.

According to the company, features for the operators include a complete branding package — LED price sign, canopy wrap, pump decals, paint refresh, safe and secure point-of-sale processing and 10-year fuel supply contract through Blue Earth Resources. 

Knoxville-based Blue Earth Resources is a fuel marketer that provides custom-designed solutions to refined fuel procurement supply issues and logistics challenges faced by fuel customers in the U.S. Customers include retailers, jobbers, commercial, industrial, power plants, municipalities, government, agricultural and manufacturers.

The new fuel brand comes at a time when motorists are experiencing pain at the pump. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of gasoline continues to rise to levels not seen in 14 years, reaching $4.06 on March 7 as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues. This is 45 cents more than the prior week, 62 cents more than a month ago and $1.30 more than a year ago.

The national average has not been this high since July 2008.

The nation's top 10 most expensive markets are California ($5.34 per gallon), Hawaii ($4.69), Nevada ($4.59), Oregon ($4.51), Washington ($4.44), Alaska ($4.39), Illinois ($4.30), Connecticut ($4.28), New York ($4.26) and Pennsylvania ($4.23).

News of gas topping $4 a gallon comes as a AAA found that nearly six in 10 participants in a new survey (59 percent) said they would make changes to their driving habits or lifestyle if the cost of gas rose to $4 per gallon. If gas were to reach $5 per gallon, which it has in the western part of the country, three-quarters of respondents said they would need to adjust their lifestyle to offset the spike at the pump.