Wawa, a 550-plus convenience store chain in the Pennsylvania/Virginia region, has set its sights on the Sunshine State. It plans to open 50 stores in the “underserved market” within the next two years, the company’s CEO Howard Stoeckel told Philly.com.
The company’s name is a Native American word for the Canada goose found in the Delaware Valley. The chain, known for its made-to-order sandwiches, soft pretzels, and fresh coffee, is suprisingly well-loved for a convenience store, as is apparent in the glowing reviews online written by Wawa fans. “Every state needs a Wawa,” says one fan on Twitter. Half of Wawa locations sell gas.
The company has used the downturn in the economy to grow, by increasing its store openings and taking advantage of low land costs. A perpetual problem in the retail industry, turnover has been less of an issue in the uncertain job market.
The privately-held Wawa is looking for growth in the fragmented $355 billion US convenience store industry. Stoeckel says the company is ”leapfrogging” the areas adjacent to its immediate market to avoid competitors QuikTrip and Sheetz, both also known for their fresh foods selection. Competitors in the Orlando and Tampa regions where Wawa is opening its first stores include Hess, Kangaroo Express (a brand of The Pantry), and Circle K (part of Alimentation Couche-Tard).
Wawa is taking a chance by flying south for more customers, but at least it’s helping to educate them on regional food terms, like its popular “hoagie.” The company’s website explains what a “hoagie” is, for all the Florida customers who are not snowbirds. Wawa has high hopes that it will find more birds of a feather in Florida.
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Photo taken by taberandrew, used via a Creative Commons license.
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