Colonial Group Acquires Foster Fuels

Foster has been in the fuel industry for over a century.

Colonial Group has acquired Foster Fuels, a diversified distributor of fuel, propane and lubricants as well as a provider of fueling solutions for residential, commercial, industrial and government customers across the U.S.

Foster traces its roots to 1919, when Lou Hilton “L.H.” Foster Sr. and L.W. Roark Sr. started Brookneal Oil Co. in Brookneal, Va., delivering flour, ice and lamp oil throughout the local community. Over the following decades, the Foster family steadily expanded the business through new product offerings and acquisitions of local and regional fuel distributors. In the 1980s, Watt Foster Jr. joined the business as the third generation of the Foster family. During this time, the company adopted the Foster Fuels name and transitioned to operating as an independent fuel marketer.

Beginning in the early 2000s, Foster leveraged its fuel distribution expertise and logistics capabilities to expand into emergency and disaster response services. The company has served as a trusted FEMA contractor since 2006, supporting communities nationwide in the aftermath of some of the country’s most devastating natural disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina, Maria and Harvey.

Over time, Foster expanded its emergency response capabilities into a broader Mission Critical platform serving government agencies, data centers and other private-sector customers.

Today, Foster operates two complementary business divisions: Mission Critical and Delivered Fuels. The company’s Delivered Fuels business serves more than 16,000 customer accounts across Virginia and northern North Carolina and distributes propane, gasoline, diesel, heating oil, lubricants and other petroleum products through a large proprietary fleet. Foster’s Mission Critical business provides nationwide rapid-response capabilities and guaranteed fuel supply contracts supported by strategically located operating hubs, company-owned equipment and an extensive network of fuel supply and logistics partners.