Consumers in Minot, N.D., have different tastes and needs than those in Miami. So while Parkland Fuel Corp.’s 50 company-owned U.S. stores aim to give customers a consistent experience, it is more important that they see the store as part of their community—and not an international corporation.
That is the view of Doug Haugh, who has led Parkland USA as president since November 2017. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Calgary, Alberta-based Parkland Fuels Inc., Canada’s largest independent refiner and fuel supplier, and owner of more than 2,600 stores in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. Parkland is on a U.S. growth tear for 2020, and it recently opened a Parkland USA office in Charleston, S.C.
Haugh—formerly president of fuel supply and distribution giant Mansfield Energy—said Parkland USA will have a strong focus on retail growth for 2020, aiming to build 50 stores per region. It enters new markets fuels first. This is reflected in its most recent acquisition: Miami-based Tropic Oil Co. Inc., a fuel and lubricants distributor for central and South Florida.
“Tropic’s a good example of how we think about a market,” Haugh said. “We like to get our supply, logistics [and] transportation assets in order first.”
Parkland’s new store prototype is typically about 4,200 square feet and features two stories with an atrium and room for multiple foodservice options, tailored to the local consumer’s needs. You won’t see the Parkland name on its stores—its fuel and store brands include Chevron, Esso, On the Run, Marche Express, Fas Gas Plus, Pioneer, Race Trac and Ultramar.
“We’re really focused on marketing brands that are relevant to their communities,” Haugh says.