Valero Stays With Corner Store Brand

By Barbara Grondin Francella

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Valero Energy Corp.'s plan to re-brand its 1,013 convenience stores Road Runner was shelved, CSNews Online has learned.

After reviewing customer surveys, Valero decided to stay with its Corner Stores brand, even rebranding it's initial Road Runner location, the first of its 5,500-square-foot stores, which opened early this year.

"We found that name recognition of the Valero Corner Store brand was very good, so we’re keeping that name, even for the larger-format stores that were to be designated Road Runner," Bill Day, a spokesperson for the chain told CSNews Online. "The original Road Runner store here in San Antonio already has a new Corner Store sign, and Corner Store will be used on all the large-format stores going forward."

Everything else about the larger store format remains the same, he said. "It's been very popular," Day said. "We are offering expanded food selections, including fresh baked goods and sandwiches, and of course we’re rolling out our proprietary Fresh Choices branded snacks and soft drinks."

The large-store format, built in a distinct yellow-and-blue color scheme with interior wood grain detailing, devotes 30 percent of the floor space to prepared foods, including never-frozen hot dogs, tacos, mini cheeseburgers, kolaches, ready-to-heat meals and other foods to go. Customers may customize their purchases at a topping bar.

The larger store features Valero's proprietary Cibolo Mountain coffee program, with more robust taste profiles, and a 30-head Flavors 2 Go fountain dispenser.

There are 5,800 Valero-branded locations.
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