On Monday, Iowa Corn and Growth Energy announced that they have partnered with Hy-Vee to update the branding for Unleaded 88 at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience stores across the Midwest.
Unleaded 88 is a fuel blend with 15% ethanol, usable in 96% of today’s cars and trucks. As availability grows nationwide, Hy-Vee is working to standardize branding to give consumers consistent fuel choices. New signage and pump labels aim to boost Unleaded 88 sales and support corn farmers in Iowa and beyond.
As I just happened to be in Washington, D.C. for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Washington Watch event, I talked with Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor about the announcement on Monday afternoon. She praised Hy-Vee for joining fuel retailers to bring consistency to the consumers of E15, or as it is also known, Unleaded 88. Skor says it helps cut down confusion for the consumers and helps them build on their customer base by offering another option that drivers are looking for.
Skor says that it takes a partnership with retailers to not only make the labeling consistent, but also to make sure that the employees understand what they are selling, so they can confidently answer questions from consumers about why E15 is cheaper and how it differs from other fuel blends.
Skor adds that one area where more work is needed is coming out of car dealerships. That’s what leads to most of the confusion customers have when they get to the pump. They see more ethanol choices, but their dealerships are telling them their cars cannot run on E15, when any vehicle 2001 or newer is completely capable of handling this fuel without any issues.
Dan Keitzer, a farmer from Mediapolis, Iowa, and Chair of the Iowa Corn Industrial Usage and Production Committee, emphasized the importance of ethanol in both agriculture and transportation. “We are consistently striving to promote the value of ethanol, as a cheaper, cleaner, and homegrown fuel for drivers to have access to,” he said. He added that “Iowa Corn invests in opportunities to build demand for corn in all forms,” and called ethanol “a top market for Iowa’s corn farmers” that benefits both drivers and the 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.”
Lucas Glasgow, Hy-Vee’s senior vice president of merchandising, said the new partnership will benefit both farmers and customers. “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,” he said. “This summer, customers will also see us hosting special events to help educate drivers about the benefits behind this fuel option.”
Hy-Vee currently has more than 50 locations across the Midwest that offer Unleaded 88 and plans to add the fuel grade to more locations in the future. To find a Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh location that offers Unleaded 88, visit https://www.hy-veefastandfresh.com/find-a-store/.
