Wawa Embarks on Historic Coffee Makeover
WAWA, Pa. -- Wawa Inc. is embarking on a chainwide Coffee Station Makeover initiative, through which the convenience store retailer will completely redesign the coffee areas at every one of its 572 stores.
Wawa, which has served more than 1 billion cups of coffee in the last decade, plans to retire all of the glass coffee pots currently used to serve and heat coffee in its stores and replace them with energy-efficient thermals. The move is designed to update and refresh the systems and design of the coffee area, while also reducing waste, conserving energy and providing the ultimate level of coffee freshness to customers around the clock, according to a news release issued by the c-store retailer.
As part of the initiative, Wawa is embarking on a Brew Tour, holding specialized events throughout its five-state area. During the tour, Wawa's glass coffee pots are ceremoniously retired and replaced with the new coffee thermals as part of the unveiling of the fully made-over coffee stations. Over the course of the Brew Tour, Wawa will give away more than a quarter-million cups of free coffee in addition to other coffee-inspired prizes and giveaways.
Wawa's third Brew Tour event is set to take place tomorrow at its store located at 61 S. Main Street in Vineland, N.J. At 8:30 a.m., Wawa's President and CEO Howard Stoeckel will usher in the dawn of a new era of coffee convenience by ceremonially unveiling the new coffee thermals and newly redesigned coffee station area. At the event, area coffee hosts and hostesses will be recognized for their incredible customer service throughout their years of service, and for their key roles in keeping Wawa's coffee hot and fresh on a daily basis, the company said.
Vic Musso, a Wawa veteran who served one of the first cups of Wawa coffee 35 years ago, will receive the retired pot for posterity sake. Musso also will serve a cup of coffee to one lucky customer who will receive a month's worth of free coffee. In addition, 10 pre-selected coffee hosts and hostesses from surrounding Wawa stores will be recognized for the special bond they form with customers and celebrated with a special toast.
The Vineland store represents one of the final stores in Wawa's central/southern New Jersey market area to receive the makeover. To date, more than 158 stores in New Jersey and a total of 380 stores chainwide have been transformed. Immediately following the coffee conversion in the Vineland store, the 67 remaining New Jersey Shore area Wawa stores will be completed in less than 30 days.
The entire chain including the Maryland and Virginia stores will be transformed by Dec. 10.
Wawa's Brew Tour events are being held at the first store to be converted in each market. Immediately following each event, the entire market area will be transformed within 30 days to include the redesigned coffee area and thermals. Each store conversion takes about 12 hours.
As each store is converted to include the new coffee area and thermals, Wawa said it will launch an in-store sweepstakes that will go on for four weeks in each store, giving customers a chance to win one week's worth of free coffee, as well as one of 75 limited design, stainless-steel coffee mugs. Free coffee also will be provided all day on the day each store converts.
"We're thrilled to be giving away over a quarter-million cups of coffee during the events and in-store sweepstakes, as we invite our loyal customers and associates to celebrate our recommitment to coffee and our new look," Stoeckel said in a statement. "So many people come to Wawa to start their days with the perfect cup of coffee they've come to rely on, and we are confident our new thermals will provide our associates with the enhanced tools they need to consistently provide the most fresh and appetizing coffee out there."
Including Vineland, there are a total of seven stops along the Brew Tour, which began in May and will wrap up in December. The stops include:
• May 19: Store 170, 721 Naamans Creek Rd., Chadds Ford, Pa.
• June 22: Store 270, Route 940 and the Turnpike, Kidder Township, Pa.
• Sept. 15, Store 999, 61 S. Main Rd., Vineland, N.J.
• Sept. 24: Store 857, 1400 Beaver Brook Plaza, New Castle, Del.
• Sept. 28: Store 581, 3500 Woodsdale Rd., Abington, Md.
• Nov. 17: Store 8618, 5048 Ferrell Parkway, Virginia Beach, Va.