New Family Express Fuel Pumps Will Offer E15

VALPARAISO, Ind. — Family Express Corp. will soon roll out new fuel pumps capable of pumping E15. The Valparaiso-based convenience store retailer will market the renewable fuel as Unleaded E15.

E15 is a blend of 15-percent ethanol and 85-percent gasoline. It is approved for use in all cars manufactured in the model year 2001 or newer.

"What is going on here is a continuation of our fundamental belief that domestic fuels and renewable fuels need to be a fundamental part of the energy future for our country," Family Express CEO and founder Gus Olympidis told NWTimes.

The rollout of the new pumps should take place within the next couple of months, the news outlet reported. The project is being funded in part by a $789,000 grant obtained via the Hoosier Homegrown Fuels Blender Pump Program. The grant was awarded for the installation of 45 flex-fuel blender pumps at Family Express locations in the counties of Jasper, Lake, Porter, LaPorte, St. Joseph and Starke in the northwestern portion of Indiana.

Family Express currently offers E85 as its only higher-ethanol blend. E85 has been offered for a decade at Family Express c-stores and is now its second-largest selling fuel, according to the news outlet.

As CSNews Online previously reported, more than one million gallons of E15 is sold annually. Kum & Go LC, Sheetz Inc., MAPCO, Murphy USA Inc., Thorntons Inc., Cenex and Protec Fuel are among the other c-store operators currently offering the renewable fuel at their pumps.

Family Express operates 63 convenience stores throughout northwest and north central Indiana.