Turning In for a Great Energy Experience It’s time for a confession. I have an affinity to a particular coffee shop on my route to the CHS office. More early mornings than I want to count, my car seems to automatically turn right in so I can grab my favorite cup of coffee. Why do I do this? And why this particular shop? The morning pick-me-up is a nice start to the day. And while we all have plenty of choices for buying coffee, this has become “my” spot. But what it comes down to is the brand. While the name and distinctive logo are physical symbols of this coffee purveyor, what’s behind the sign matters most. I know I’m going to get exactly what I want. The product is good. The transaction is fast and efficient; in fact, some-times they start making my drink when they see me coming. The person delivering my order does it cheerfully (not a bad thing in the early hours). In all, my total experience is good, so I’ve become a loyal customer. The lead story of this issue of C magazine is devoted to our Cenex ® retail brand. On these pages, you’ll learn why we think expanding the CHS presence in retail refined fuels is a vital part of our strategic direction. And you’ll learn about our commitment to making your stop at one of the more than 1,600 Cenex-identified locations a positive experience. As a diverse, global organization, CHS has many assets. Most are “bricks and mortar,” including our refineries, oilseed processing plants and grain terminals, plus trucks, leased railcars and a long list of other tangible items, each with its own financial value. Others are harder to put a price tag on, but are equally critical to our success. Among the most valuable is the bright red Cenex logo. The Cenex image has been visible in the communities CHS serves for more than 40 years, symbolizing dependable, high-quality energy products. Our research has shown we have great brand awareness in our traditional marketplace, and we’re hard at work extending that value to new customers through both our traditional member co-op base and the independent dealers who have embraced the Cenex brand. And we’ve cranked up our support with a major commitment to the new Cenex image with a $40 million to $50 million investment in upgrades over the next three years. Why do this? We certainly believe the value of our brand and what it stands for warrant this significant investment. In addition, you may recall from the last issue of C that CHS has invested more than $400 million to increase our refined fuels output from our Laurel, Mont., refinery. This helps us meet the tremendous commercial demand for diesel fuel, but also gives us many more gallons of gasoline available to consumers under the Cenex brand. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead as we build on the value of this strong brand. When it comes to fueling our nation’s heartland, we want those bright, inviting Cenex convenience store locations to be the place where customers’ vehicles get into the habit of turning right in. John Johnson President and CEO CHS “We’re excited about the opportunities ahead as we build on the value of this strong brand.” Your CHS Connection 5
Issue Articles
Turning In for a Great Energy Experience
John Johnson
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