March 29th is National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day, a recognition for all small business owners. A group of independent corner fuel station owners in Minnesota have adopted a common brand name for their businesses – Minnoco. Most of the nearly 40 Minnoco stations in Minnesota offer ethanol blend fuels like E85 and E15 for their customers. These fuels are almost always priced less than regular unleaded and they have played a big role in the success of these small businesses.
Like the neighborhood Minnoco station, ethanol is local fuel, produced nearby and used by thousands of Minnesota drivers who make a clean air choice at the pump whenever possible. Last year was a record year for ethanol fuel sales in Minnesota, with 59 million gallons of E15 sold and nearly 18 million gallons of E85 sold.
A Minnoco station in south Minneapolis was the first in the state to offer E15, which can be used in most vehicles made in 2001 or later. The fuel quickly became popular after its state debut in 2013. Today, more than 300 stations offer E15, also known as 88 Octane gasoline.
National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day encourages people to shop locally, which helps to boost the local economy. The next time you need to top off your tank, consider stopping at your nearby Minnoco station. A listing of all their locations can be found here.