Road-Trip Ready

Going to the lake each summer is nearly as American as mom, baseball and apple pie. This year, record numbers of Americans may head to the lake with the help of Cenex® convenience stores.

“We expect a good season for summer road travel,” says Julie Hall, public relations manager, American Automobile Association (AAA). “Driving reached an all-time high in 2015, and holiday road trips remain popular with travelers. With gas prices the lowest they’ve been since 2009, it’s a great year to get out on the road.”

In the state nicknamed the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Community Co-ops of Lake Park, Minn., is gearing up for summer business at its four Cenex convenience stores. “We’ve already seen a pretty substantial increase in our business in 2016. People are driving more because of lower gas prices, and we anticipate that will continue this summer,” says Dave Blomseth, general manager.

“Being located in an area with many lakes and resorts generates significant traffic for our stores. Business more than doubles in the summer at some of our locations,” says Blomseth. Summer festivals attract vacationers, too. The annual WE Fest Country Music Festival draws approximately 50,000 people to the area each August, many filling up with gas, food, beverages and supplies at the Community Co-ops c-store in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

The summer customer wave will add to significant growth in c-store business the cooperative has experienced in the past few years, says Blomseth. “Some of that growth is because we built a new store and some is due to CHS making investments that build awareness and preference for the Cenex brand, which drives people to our locations.”

To help build sales, the co-op uses local advertising materials available to Cenex marketers, including radio ads, billboards, point-of-purchase displays and promotional messages played at the pumps. This summer’s advertising campaign highlights the benefits of Cenex TOP TIER™ Detergent Gasoline, which has more than double the amount of detergent recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to provide better fuel efficiency and keep engines running cleaner, longer.

“Any time you can advertise that you have a better product with superior performance, it gives you an advantage in the marketplace,” says Blomseth. “Cenex TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline gives customers an even stronger feeling of confidence: ‘I’m choosing the best quality gasoline for my vehicle and relying on a location where I like to do business.’”

Across the region, all Cenex gasoline pumps now dispense the higher-quality fuel, regardless of octane level. In Missouri, where the Lake of the Ozarks draws summer tourism, having Cenex TOP TIER Gasoline at all the pumps is going to be “a very positive influence for summer traffic, as well as future growth,” says Tony Gier, president of Gier Oil Company, a convenience store jobber based in Eldon, Mo.

“Consumers may not all understand the TOP TIER difference, but they know it’s a sign of quality,” says Gier. “Consumers want quality gasoline, especially when they are away from home. Nobody wants car trouble on vacation.”

Gier Oil Company has grown from having just one Cenex location 15 years ago to now owning nearly four dozen Cenex outlets in Missouri, with plans to possibly expand into northern Arkansas. “We market on the interstate highways, so I’m a firm believer in the power of branding. The Cenex brand has been a big part of our phenomenal growth,” Gier says.

“Working with CHS is different from working with the big oil companies,” adds Gier. “People at CHS are flexible and responsive. I can have a chat with the CEO if I want to. I appreciate their honesty and integrity.”

Akhtar Hussain, CHS Refined Fuels marketing manager, believes consumers are becoming more aware of what TOP TIER means. “It’s part of the conversation at auto dealerships, it’s recommended by a number of leading car manufacturers, and it’s a preferred product for vehicles of all makes and models,” he says.

“Cenex TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline will get you farther down the road on summer trips because it delivers better fuel economy than conventional gasoline. It also helps maintain optimal injector performance,” Hussain says. “Consumers will see those same tangible benefits — including improved fuel economy and engine cleanliness — in recreational vehicles, as well.”

Americans with full-time jobs save an average of 37 percent of their vacation days for summer

30.6 miles driven daily on average in summer vs. 25.7 miles driven daily on average in winter