BP Connect
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BP Connect is brand name for corporate owned stores belonging to BP, as opposed to jobber owned stores. BP Connect locations combine a convenience store with a "Wild Bean Cafe", and are open 24/7.
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[edit] United Kingdom
The first BP Connects were opened in the UK in 2000, the first being a "new-build" in Raunds, Northamptonshire, and a raze-rebuild at Hammersmith Flyover, both of which are now Simply Food Connect stores, a joint-venture between BP and Marks & Spencer Simply Food. Over the past six years the Connect brand has been rolled out to a large proportion of the BP network, at first to larger stores only. More recently, the Small Format Connect design has been perfected, with a slightly more limited range than a standard-sized store, but still offering the essentials such as a Wild Bean Cafe, off-license, and at many sites LPG, car wash and jet wash facilities. BP Connect sites are open 24 hours a day.
Many stores are currently being converted to the Simply Food Connect format, including all of BP's GCS (Grocery Convenience Stores) which were formerly BP Safeway sites.
The UK also saw the launch of BP Ultimate performance unleaded, and Ultimate Diesel, the world's first diesel equivalent of "Super Unleaded". Independent tests have shown that BP Ultimate diesel produces more power and better fuel economy than ordinary diesel. It contains a higher level of cetane (same as octane but the diesel equivalent) than other brands of diesel.
[edit] USA
Operated by BP, the innovative BP Connect stores were first opened in the Orlando and Nevada regions in 2002. Featuring the trademark "Wild Bean Cafe", the BP Connects sport a sleek design and suntiles on the top of the gas station. In addition, the BP Connects are also known for having a kiosk offering internet connection, and also Amoco Ultimate gasoline.
As of 2007, the BP Connect gas station chain in the United States carries the slogan "A Little Better Gas Station". The song in the commercials is LA (by the Indie Rock band Message of the Blues). The song is featured in several TV and radio ads.
[edit] Worldwide
The BP Connect and Ultimate brands have also been rolled out across a number of other countries including Australia and New Zealand. BP Ultimate is also sold in Europe by the Aral chain.
In November 2007 BP announced that it was planning on selling all of its company owned company operated "connect" branded sites to fracnchisees with a 20 year contract, also closing its United States headquarters in Chicago ultimately eliminating over 9,500 jobs in the us even effecting about 100 logistic and pipeline workers. It will be re-branding itself in the US as well to its west coast arco popular brand am/pm. While the Wild Bean Cafe dangles on a thin line with sales lower than ever it might be the end of the road for the bean.
