Blackhawk Network Announces New Relationships With Hess Express

Leading Convenience and Gas Retailer Launching Gift Card Mall(TM) and Prepaid Center

PLEASANTON, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 04/17/12 -- Blackhawk Network, a leading provider of prepaid and financial payments products for consumers and businesses, today announced its award-winning Gift Card Mall? and popular Prepaid Center will be available in Hess convenience store locations throughout the East Coast.

Blackhawk Network's Gift Card Mall offers consumers a wide variety of prepaid cards from some of the best brands, including popular entertainment, fashion, dining, home improvement and digital content prepaid cards, all in one convenient location. Its Prepaid Center features PayPower? Visa? prepaid debit cards, REloadit Packs and telecom products.

Hess customers are now able to purchase prepaid cards from a selection of leading brands, including Lowe's, Sears, JCPenney, Applebee's and Outback in over 800 Hess convenience stores locations throughout the East Coast. The Prepaid Center will feature products from Verizon, Tracfone and T-Mobile.

"Our prepaid cards and telecom products are perfect for these locations," said Talbott Roche, President, Blackhawk Network. "This new partnership provides an important avenue to reach consumers with our innovative products that offer convenience and added-value. This is what consumers look for in Hess locations."

In addition to offering Gift Card Mall in store, Hess-branded gift cards will also be available throughout Blackhawk Network's network of retailers located near Hess locations.


About Blackhawk Network

Blackhawk Network, a subsidiary of Safeway Inc., is a leading provider of prepaid and financial payments products for consumers and businesses. The company's Gift Card Mall? offers the industry's most popular prepaid gift card and telecom products from leading brands. Gift Card Mall, with access to 165 million unique customer visits each week, is available through a network of leading grocery stores, big box, convenience, pharmacy, specialty stores and Internet retailers including GiftCardMall.com. Blackhawk Network's business solutions include reward and incentive programs that offer choice and flexibility through a wide array of card brands, custom designed Visa? prepaid cards and fulfillment options. Headquartered in Pleasanton, California, Blackhawk Network Inc. has offices in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Mexico and the United Kingdom. For more information about Blackhawk Network visit www.blackhawknetwork.com and www.giftcardmall.com.


About Hess Corporation

Hess Corporation (NYSE: HES), with headquarters in New York, is a global integrated energy company engaged in the exploration, production, purchase, transportation and sale of crude oil and natural gas, as well as the production and sale of refined petroleum, natural gas and electricity products. Hess is one of the leading independent gasoline-convenience retailers on the East Coast with more than 1,350 stations and convenience stores in 18 states including 290 Hess branded locations in Florida. For more information, please visit www.hessexpress.com.