Supermarket, convenience-store and gasoline retailer Hy-Vee Inc., Iowa Corn and Growth Energy are partnering to update the branding for Unleaded 88 fuel across the retailer’s Fast & Fresh convenience-store brand in the Midwest.
Unleaded 88 is a fuel blend made with 15% ethanol. It is approved by the EPA for use in all passenger vehicles released after 2001.
As availability continues to increase nationwide, Hy-Vee is working to create brand uniformity to give consumers consistent fuel choices. New signage and pump labels with Unleaded 88 will aim to increase sales of higher blends of ethanol that will support corn farmers in Iowa and across the country, said Iowa Corn in a statement.
Hy-Vee now has more than 50 locations across the region that offer Unleaded 88. The Des Moines, Iowa-based retailer plans to add the fuel grade to more locations in the future, Iowa Corn said in a statement.
“In addition to supporting Iowa farmers, our partnership with Growth Energy and Iowa Corn will help us enhance the fueling experience at the pump, making it easier for our customers to identify Unleaded 88 from other fuel grades,” said Lucas Glasgow, Hy-Vee’s senior vice president of merchandising. “This summer, customers will also see us hosting special events to help educate drivers about the benefits behind this fuel option.”
Ethanol is a renewable resource made from plant materials such as corn, sugar cane and grasses, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).
“We are consistently striving to promote the value of ethanol, as a cheaper, cleaner and homegrown fuel for drivers to have access to,” said Dan Keitzer, a farmer from Mediapolis, Iowa, and chair of the Iowa Corn Industrial Usage and Production Committee. “Ethanol is a top market for Iowa’s corn farmers, and it provides many benefits for drivers and our state. With this partnership with Hy-Vee and Growth Energy, our goal is to simplify the choice at the pump and positively highlight Unleaded 88 as a great choice for any driver with a car 2001 and newer.”
Johnston, Iowa-based Iowa Corn is an organization comprised of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Promotion Board. Growth Energy is a Washington, D.C.-based biofuel trade association.
West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee operates more than more than 285 retail stores including 180 Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh locations in eight Midwest states.
- Hy-Vee Inc. is No. 43 on CSP’s 2024 Top 202 ranking of U.S. convenience-store chains by store count.
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