Jack Clifford founded Clifford Fuel in 1961 in Dolgeville, N.Y. The company supplied home heating oil, propane gas, farm gas and diesel. In 1966, the company expanded into Utica as a commission agent for Sinclair Oil. BP Oil took over from Sinclair but left the state in 1973. Chevron took over from BP. Nice N Easy and Clifford Fuel formed a business relationship in the late 1980s.
Utica, N.Y.-based Clifford Fuel owns 24 locations, which include 19 c-stores and five car washes. It also supplies gasoline and diesel fuel to more than 40 locations owned by independent operators. It markets CITGO, Sunoco and unbranded products. The company operates its own fleet of delivery trucks throughout central and northern New York.