Casey's Pilots New PayNearMe & Blackhawk Network Financial Services

ANKENY, Iowa — Casey's General Stores is offering the services of a partnership between cash transaction network PayNearMe and Blackhawk Network, a global financial technology company that connects brands and people through branded value solutions.

PayNearMe now enables Casey's consumers to pay with cash for rent, bills, online purchases, and other goods and services at retail locations within Blackhawk's extensive network of retailers.

Adding PayNearMe to Casey's General Stores allows more rural Americans to make electronic payments with cash, including the 27 percent of U.S. households that are unbanked or underbanked, according to PayNearMe.

"Blackhawk Network is an outstanding provider of branded value and works with some of the largest, most specialized and unique retailers in the world," said Danny Shader, PayNearMe founder and CEO. "We are incredibly excited to offer their retail partners new options for cash consumers. Together, we can help ensure that all payment methods are considered equal and easy to use."

Users of PayNearMe can use a barcode on their phone or on paper that can be scanned by the c-store cashier for cash payment to ensure near real-time payment posted.

Implementation of PayNearMe at Casey's adds nearly 2,000 stores across 15 states covering predominantly rural areas to PayNearMe's network. PayNearMe's current retail store count is nearly 30,000 locations.

"We are pleased to be adding PayNearMe's services within our network," said David Tate, senior vice president, U.S. retail at Blackhawk Network. "Our new partnership provides consumers with additional convenience by making it even easier for them to make electronic payments, while creating value for our retail partners by driving traffic and new opportunities for customer engagement."

Ankeny-based Casey's General Stores operates 1,978 convenience stores.