C.N. Brown Company began operations as a retail and wholesale lumber company owned and operated by Carlton Brown. He extended the business in the short span of five years to include many other operations such as auto sales and oil distribution.

By 1956 Carlton Brown and company had acquired the Tydol (branded oil) distributorship for the Rumford Area, Western Oxford county and Eastern Carroll County in New Hampshire. Brown had also purchased 3 bulk plants one in Fryeburg, South Paris and Rumford, as well as eight service stations in Maine.

In the early 1970’s the C. N. Brown Company began concentrating efforts in the gasoline and heating oil markets, recognizing that there was a significant change occurring in the lumber industry. At this point then president, Carlton Brown, appointed Harold Jones as General Manager and CEO of C. N. Brown Co. Jones had previously held the position of district representative for the Philips Petroleum Company. This marked the beginning of a new era for C. N. Brown.

The following decade C. N. Brown realized the huge potential represented by convenience stores. Through a process of slowly renovating service stations to create selling space for grocery items, C. N. Brown created and grew "The Big Apple Food Stores." In August of 1989 a detergent additive, known for its fuel cleansing capabilities, was introduced into the fuel oil sold by C. N. Brown. The additive became known as Red Shield. The additive then distinguished Red Shield Heating Oil from competitor's inferior products.

The company is currently owned and operated by the Jones and Brown Families. It has been providing communities with the steady employment of over 1000 employees for over 50 years, as well as offering the best service and products at competitive prices. The Company currently owns and operates over ninety Big Apple Food Stores, 34 Red Shield Heating Oil Offices, and services over one hundred fifty gasoline stations in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont that are owned or leased by independent operators.

C.N. Brown Company has become one of New England’s leaders in the petroleum and convenience store industry. Committed to quality products and legendary customer service.