Wawa offers catering with ezCater partnership
- Wawa is expanding catering at all of its stores.
- The c-store chain has partnered with ezCater to offer items like breakfast sandwiches and hoagies.
- Wawa is in the middle of an expansion, with plans to double its store count by 2030.
Wawa is expanding catering options as part of a new partnership with the catering platform ezCater.
According to a May 16 release sent to Retail Leader, Wawa will use the digital platform to offer a variety of items that range from breakfast sandwiches and hoagies to coffee. Items will come individually wrapped or on trays depending on a business’ needs, the release said.
“Thanks to this new partnership with ezCater, we now have the ability to reach more business customers with our fresh offers, perfect for breakfast, meetings and corporate events,” said Steve Hackett, director of digital experience at Wawa, in the release. “We see this as a great way to provide even more convenience to the business community.”
EzCater operates a catering marketplace for businesses that includes approximately 100,000 restaurants, the release said. These include both local restaurants and national chains. Wawa’s eZCater partnership is the latest example of the evolution of the convenience store sector.
“Retailers may take a different approach, but investing in prepared foods, full-service options and branding are all ways that c-stores have engaged consumers and built followings,” said Elizabeth Laftonaine, chief retail analyst for Retail Leader Pro. “Creating additional capacity for prepared foods and fresh items is key for chains in urban environments where third-party delivery continues to rise.”
- H-E-B, for example, this year began the process of rebranding its convenience stores as Fresh Bites stores with a greater focus on food options, including on-the-go meals.
- TravelCenters of America debuted a new Fork & Compass concept as part of a renewed focus on restaurants.
- Oklahoma-based Jiffy Trip this year opened a location in Arkansas that featured its comfort food restaurant concept.
- Love’s Travel Stops is planning a $1 billion renovation across 200 stores that involves adding new restaurant concepts.
As Retail Leader previously reported, Wawa is in the midst of an expansion across the U.S., with plans to double its footprint by 2030. This expansion includes its first stores in states like Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana and growth in the Southeast, including Alabama and the Florida panhandle.
The privately held Wawa operates more than 950 c-stores throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. In 2022, Wawa earned $14.9 billion in revenue, making it one of the top 25 largest private companies in the U.S., according to Forbes.