Sunoco Introduces New APlus Format

Sunoco Inc., the Philadelphia-based oil refiner and marketer, has rolled out a new APlus-branded convenience store layout. Sunoco operates more than 4000 branded retail outlets located along the East Coast, as well as upstate New York and Ohio.

CBX (New York), a strategic branding, design, and consultancy agency, was retained for the project to better position Sunoco’s recently upgraded foodservice areas. The APlus stores average 2850 square feet and offer on-the-go snacks, beverages, packaged foods for lunches and grocery items, such as bread, milk and eggs.

Sunoco’s bright primary color palette found on the architecture and gas canopy signage makes its way inside the stores by way of counters, fixtures and floors, as well as departmental graphics and promotional messaging. “Our challenge was to take those existing assets and package them in a much more consistent way,” says Joseph Bona, president of CBX’s retail division. “We looked at what graphic elements could be modified or refined and identified what new graphic elements were needed in order for the stores to be more productive, and to transmit the idea of cleanliness and quality to customers.”

Specifically, the existing perimeter department signage, graphics and menu boards were redeveloped and the checkout counter was reorganized to improve transaction efficiency and to increase impulse purchases. The company also wanted to put more focus on its coffee and packaged foods offer, so the design includes reworking the left-hand side of the store layout to position coffee and fresh on-the-go foods in a way that would create greater awareness of Sunoco’s new offer.