After years of planning and market testing, Chestnut Petroleum Distributors Inc. (CPD) has begun launching its new Chestnut Market brand to convenience stores in New York.

The new brand, which features warm and inviting earth tones and modern graphics, will roll out to dozens of stores over the next two years, said Corporate Brand Manager Sharif Jamal.

“Our goal with the new Chestnut Market design is to create a destination for customers that they can trust,” said Jamal, who also serves on the board of the National Advisory Group’s Young Executives Organization (YEO).

“As a company, we have been around for nearly 40 years, but we have operated under multiple retail brands,” Jamal said. “We recognized how the industry has changed over the years and how important a consistent brand is to customers, so this was the right time to introduce a retail concept that connects with consumers and focuses on their daily needs.

”The Chestnut Market brand will feature a host of amenities for customers, including a Dunkin’, locally made and freshly prepared foodservice items inside the store, and ExxonMobil’s Synergy brand in the forecourt. Both the Dunkin’ brand and ExxonMobil fuels are strong in the New York market, according to the Chestnut team.

CPD has a long history of meeting the daily food and fuel shopping needs of its guests. The company is a family-owned business that began with one station in 1981 located in New Paltz, N.Y., and has grown to become a leading petroleum marketer in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Today, the company operates and supplies more than 200 sites in both the retail and wholesale markets. Its fuel brands include ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Sunoco and Gulf.

“CPD is an innovative and forward-thinking company geared towards thriving in a dynamic environment. The new Chestnut Market brand aspires to become the preferred destination for convenience and fuel in the tri-state area,” CPD’s CEO Mickey Jamal said. “Our aim is to offer the same easy shopping experience, the same fast and friendly service and the products you want, all designed for people on the go.”

According to Jamal, CPD is a lot more than just a fuel business. “We are a local, family-owned company that cares about our customers,” he said.

In c-stores, CPD determines the right merchandising and product mix. Some traditional categories remain strong; others are declining or emerging. The company understands that the focus can no longer be on lottery and tobacco. On the other hand, foodservice is an area primed for growth.

“Categories constantly change, and we try to accommodate new products wherever it makes sense,” Jamal said.

CPD will continue to focus on upgrading and improving assets and new-to-industry sites where they best fit. This is part of the company’s goal to be a best-in-class operator. CPD is also likely to continue to expand.

“We will continue to grow our footprint and attract a strong range of dealers, allowing us to provide quality products and services,” Jamal said.

Story originally published by CStore Decisions.