Mexico’s state-owned oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) is trying to expand its brand outside Mexico. Its first foreign foray is Houston, Texas, U.S.A., which has a large Hispanic population and where the company believes that brand penetration could be easier.

The station south of downtown Houston is the first of five that will be opened in Houston. These stations will be franchises owned by third parties. The company said that the fuel to be sold at these stations will actually be sourced from the U.S. and not Mexico.

Pemex said that establishing the Pemex brand stems from its mandate to generate value as part of Mexico’s energy reform. The results from these initial pilot sites will help gauge similar opportunities elsewhere, the company said.