Pearson Fuels
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Pearson Fuels firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pearson Fuels
- Legal name
- RTC Fuels, LLC
- Website
- https://pearsonfuels.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pearson Fuels industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Alternative Fuel Distribution
- NAICS
- Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers (457), Fuel Dealers (45721)
- SIC
- Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations (5500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Branded Fuels Wholesaling & Jobber Distribution (EUALAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fuel Pricing, Loyalty & Payments Platforms (POS, Mobile Pay, Fleet Cards, Loyalty Programs) (EUALAIAK)
Keywords
Where Pearson Fuels is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Pearson Fuels business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- E85 Fuel Distribution: Pearson Fuels generates revenue by supplying E85 flex fuel to retail gas stations across California. The company is the nation's largest distributor of E85 flex fuel with over 450 stations in their network.
- Station Branding & Decals: Pearson Fuels provides decals and branding materials exclusively to stations they supply, creating a unified brand presence across their retail network.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer E85 Fuel Pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Pearson Fuels product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pearson Fuels distributes E85 flex fuel — a high-octane renewable blend of up to 83% ethanol and 17% gasoline or renewable naphtha — to retail gas stations across California, operating the nation's largest E85 distribution network with over 450 stations. The company supplies partner stations, provides branding/decals, and supports consumers through a station-finder mobile app, real-time pricing, vehicle compatibility tools, and a rewards program.
Product overview
Pearson Fuels operates as a distributor and retailer of E85 flex fuel across California, combining a physical station network with a digital product suite. The core offering is E85 (a high-octane blend of up to 83% ethanol), sold through a network of over 450 company-supplied retail stations. This is supported by the Pearson Fuels E85 Station Finder App — a mobile application for locating stations, comparing real-time prices, and accessing promotions — and the Flex Fuel Vehicle Check Tool, which helps drivers verify E85 compatibility by vehicle make/model/year. The Rewards Program incentivizes app engagement through a points system for fuel pricing submissions and feedback, redeemable for merchandise. Station decals (yellow E85 handles) are provided to retail partners through a dedicated decal request portal. The products are unified by a shared brand and distribution infrastructure: the physical fuel network, the digital app ecosystem, and the station-owner portal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- E85 Flex Fuel (83% Ethanol Blend) High-octane renewable alternative fuel with 51% to 83% ethanol content blended with 17% gasoline or renewable naphtha; over 100 RON octane rating; up to 80% lower carbon intensity than California unleaded gasoline. Sold to retail gas station partners across California for resale to flex fuel vehicle drivers.
- E85 Retail Station Network Network of more than 450 partner retail gas stations across California exclusively supplied with Pearson Fuels E85, identified by yellow fuel handles and Pearson Fuels branding. Customers transact fuel purchases directly at these partner stations.
- Pearson Fuels E85 Station Finder App Consumer-facing mobile application enabling FFV drivers to locate nearby Pearson Fuels E85 stations on a map, compare real-time fuel prices, access exclusive flash sales, and verify vehicle compatibility with E85 flex fuel.
- Flex Fuel Vehicle Check Tool Interactive online tool that allows drivers to look up whether a vehicle is a flex fuel vehicle (FFV) compatible with E85, with searches organized by make, model, engine size, and model year.
- Station Decal Request Service Service provided to retail station owners to request official Pearson Fuels E85 decals (yellow handle markers) for installation at their fuel stations, exclusive to stations in the Pearson Fuels supply network.
Quantifiable outcome
- On average 30% cheaper than California gasoline
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Pearson Fuels
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pearson Fuels technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Pearson Fuels partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- H&S EnergycoreH&S Energy is a key station ownership partner, owning the 100th Pearson Fuels E85 station at 11971 Valley View St, Garden Grove, CA 92640. The company also operates multiple H&S branded stations across California including H&S Los Angeles, H&S Montebello, H&S Murphy, and H&S Santa Monica locations.
- G&M Oil CompanycoreG&M Oil Company is a major station ownership partner, owning the 150th Pearson Fuels E85 station at 14250 Bear Valley Rd, Victorville, CA 92392 and the 400th station at 1640 Crenshaw Boulevard, Torrance.
- Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri Corn BoardsminorThe Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri Corn Boards partially funded the opening of Pearson Fuels' 250th E85 station at 201 Monterey St, Salinas, CA 93901. This partnership supports local agriculture and reduces California's carbon emissions.
- Ethanol ProducerscorePearson Fuels works closely with ethanol producers to source ethanol for their E85 blends. The company has transitioned to using renewable naphtha to create a nearly 100% renewable fuel blend.
- California Air Resources BoardcorePearson Fuels works with California regulators including the California Air Resources Board to ensure compliance with California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard and to expand renewable fuel access.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pearson Fuels competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Clean Energy Fuels: Clean Energy Fuels is the largest US distributor of renewable natural gas (RNG) for transportation, directly analogous to Pearson Fuels as a California-anchored alternative-fuel distributor selling through a partner-station network. Both monetize regulatory carbon credits (LCFS/RFS) on top of fuel margins and target fleet and consumer customers seeking lower-carbon alternatives to gasoline and diesel.
- Protec Fuel: Protec Fuel is one of the largest US E85 and ethanol-blend fuel distributors, supplying retail stations and fleets with high-ethanol fuels. Direct competitor to Pearson in the E85 wholesale and station-network space, with overlapping customer base of FFV owners and station owners.
Broad incumbents
- Murphy USA: Murphy USA operates one of the largest US retail fuel station networks and supplies fuel through wholesale and direct channels. Comparable to Pearson in fuel distribution and station-branding at scale, but operates conventional gasoline and diesel rather than E85, and serves a national footprint versus Pearson's California-only.
- Sunoco LP: Sunoco LP is a major US wholesale motor-fuel distributor and one of the largest fuel distributors to independent stations in the country. Comparable to Pearson's wholesale E85-to-station model, but at vastly larger scale and across gasoline, diesel, and renewable fuels nationwide.
- Casey's General Stores: Casey's operates a multi-state network of fuel-and-convenience stores with a vertically integrated fuel supply. Comparable to Pearson in operating/partnering a multi-station retail fuel network with brand-level customer engagement, but at much larger scale and focused on conventional fuels in the Midwest.
- RaceTrac: RaceTrac is a large private US convenience and fuel retailer operating hundreds of company-owned stations across the South and Midwest. Comparable to Pearson as a private, multi-station fuel brand, though focused on conventional gasoline and in-house operations rather than E85 distribution to partner stations.
- Kwik Trip: Kwik Trip is a major privately held US convenience and fuel retailer operating over 800 stores across the Midwest. Comparable to Pearson as a private, vertically integrated fuel-and-convenience brand with strong regional identity and a focus on in-house fuel supply, although Kwik Trip operates its own stations rather than supplying partner stations.
- Sheetz: Sheetz is a large private, family-owned US convenience and fuel retailer operating 700+ company-owned stores. Comparable to Pearson in being a privately held multi-state fuel brand, but Sheetz is an end retailer of conventional fuels rather than a wholesale E85 distributor to partner stations.
- World Fuel Services: World Fuel Services (now World Kinect) is a major global fuel marketer and distributor serving aviation, marine, and land transportation. Comparable to Pearson's wholesale fuel distribution model at vastly larger scale and broader geographic and product scope including renewable fuels.
Others
- Pacific Ethanol (now Alto Ingredients): Alto Ingredients (formerly Pacific Ethanol) is one of the largest US producers of ethanol and specialty alcohols and is a key upstream supplier to E85 distributors like Pearson Fuels. Comparable as an ethanol-industry counterpart — not a direct downstream competitor, but a critical supply-chain partner for Pearson's E85 blending operations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pearson Fuels social profiles
Digital presencePearson Fuels financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pearson Fuels leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Pearson Fuels funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pearson Fuels M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pearson Fuels
What does Pearson Fuels do?
Pearson Fuels distributes E85 flex fuel — a high-octane renewable blend of up to 83% ethanol and 17% gasoline or renewable naphtha — to retail gas stations across California, operating the nation's largest E85 distribution network with over 450 stations. The company supplies partner stations, provides branding/decals, and supports consumers through a station-finder mobile app, real-time pricing, vehicle compatibility tools, and a rewards program.
Is Pearson Fuels a public or private company?
Pearson Fuels is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pearson Fuels founded?
Pearson Fuels was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pearson Fuels based?
Pearson Fuels is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pearson Fuels make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. E85 Fuel Distribution is the primary driver. The others are station Branding & Decals.
Who are Pearson Fuels's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Clean Energy Fuels and Protec Fuel. Broad incumbents are Murphy USA, Sunoco LP, Casey's General Stores, RaceTrac, Kwik Trip, Sheetz and World Fuel Services. Pacific Ethanol (now Alto Ingredients) is listed as an others.
Does Pearson Fuels have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pearson Fuels.
What industry is Pearson Fuels in?
Pearson Fuels's product category is Alternative Fuel Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALAIAB, Branded Fuels Wholesaling & Jobber Distribution, with a secondary code of EUALAIAK, Fuel Pricing, Loyalty & Payments Platforms (POS, Mobile Pay, Fleet Cards, Loyalty Programs). Its NAICS code is 457 and its SIC code is 5500.