Wawa's new boss pledges a bread oven in every store: Update
CEO Chris Gheysens is even making room to sit down, in some stores
Wawa's new boss pledges a bread oven in every store: Update
Joseph N. DiStefano
UPDATE: After readers asked about changes to Wawa's cold-cuts prep, spokeswoman Lori Bruce says: "We have been phasing out slicers for a few years now; we currently have them in about 100 stores." Most stores now use pre-sliced meats and cheeses "received fresh... on a daily basis" through Wawa's South Jersey-based supplpy chain (there's a different chain for Florida stores) from Berks, Giordano's, and other cold-cut houses; Dietz and Watson has not been a supplier. EARLIER:
So he doesn't get downtown much, Gheysens admitted to the Irish American Business Chamber & Network (corrected) at its Pyramid Club luncheon today. "You know how it is. I've got four kids. So not a dollar on me" when he had to feed a meter this morning, he said. "So I stopped at the ATM. There was a three-dollar surcharge. What's Wawa's surcharge?" Wawa friends in the crowd yelled back, "Zero!" and applauded. "Right. So I went in Starbucks. They charged me $2.25 for a cup of coffee. What's Wawa's coffee price?" The shout came back: "A dollar." "And Wawa's coffee is better." Pause. "This is not an advertisement by any sense." That got the laugh line too.
He was story-telling: Center City has converted to card-operated parking meters. No matter; the crowd went right along as he sketched a "Blue Ocean" business strategy -- "Couple gas, with food service, in good locations, with great customer service... No one else is doing that" in Wawa's markets.
Wawa, Gheysens says, now wants to be seen, not as fast food, but as "Fast Casual," in a league with fresh-food but no-waitress-to-tip Five Guys, Chipotle, or Panera, only without all the seating. Except in Florida, and at some new stores, which are adding chairs outside, and seem more like the Sheetz I visited in Carlisle the other day, than the classic move-you-along Wawa way.
"In Florida, we're using the same feel, but a different store model," with glass walls, "and seating outside," Gheysens affirmed. "Go around Philadelphia, you don't see those stores." A majority of Wawas now sell gas, but he's still planning to upgrade smaller no-gas outlets, especially in Center City, and the popular but worn outpost at Penn: "That needs to be a landmark." Gheysens also said Wawa has made a decision on its store-baked bread experiment in partnership with Amoroso's, Wawa's bread supplier: "Fresh baked rolls. By the end of the year you will have an oven in every Wawa." Which means more bread baked on site (and maybe less from Amoroso's South Jersey industrial bakery).
There'll also be employees in "mock chef coats." "Less clutter. Brighter colors. More consistent," Gheysens says, "with what you find in a Panera or a Starbucks."
Amoroso's make a great roll. The flavor is everything. Just because it is fresh baked doesn't mean it'll taste better. Look at Subway, if they used a good roll, the sandwiches would taste good. Unfortunately, that is not the case. —MrPhilly
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Liscio's rolls are far superior.— Bradley85- Gotta agree with you there. Liscio's rolls and bread rock. Crusty outside, a bit chewy inside... mmmmm. — Jen D
- I am a lover of Wawa. No one has coffee as good. However I will agree that pre-sliced meats aren't as fresh tasting. If you will be using that frozen dough ... the bread will be [no] good. Return to fresh to order sliced meats.— RandiRN
Comment removed.- The bread made at the newly renovated Wawa on Arch between 17th and 18th is not good. It's not fluffy and soft like a true Amoroso is, and meatballs aside, the bread was the only thing Wawa has had going for it since they ditched D&W meats and began using their own brand of very waterlogged lunchmeats. Terrible move.— Reggie Noble
- Had the fresh hoagie rolls at WaWa in KOP where they test marketed. Much better than that Amoroso excuse of a roll.— kissamiazz
- If they bake their own bread, will it be like the mushy [stuff] from Subway? I'll take a day-old Amoroso over that any day. And Amoroso is the lowest I'll go.— dartvader
- I want to know when we're getting real Philly soft pretzels here in Florida? That's what I can't get here. Publix hoagies are as good if not better than Wawa....the Tastykake pies are $1.69 at Wawa but only $1.00 at Winn Dixie....until they get Philly soft pretzels or a genuine Philly cheesesteak, there's no reason for me to make a special trip to Wawa.— jimyd0315
- thanks for all the slim jims ive stolen over the years ... sincerely twitter.com/dannyoark— danny ozark
- A CEO complaining about money???— philly57
- have to make better hoagies they are a Disgrace!!!! No flavor maybe thats because their is no lunchmeat in the roll.I go to Primos " Now thats a Hoagie!!!— KOOLK777
- WAWA is the best!!!!— hawk
- Just another smell to be added to my clothes every time I walk in there...great...Can you say Subway? Way to be original Wawa!— dgabs
- He has a lot of nerve calling Wawa food fresh. The hot foods are boil in a bag, and the meats are sliced and packaged somewhere else. Even the new way they serve coffee is designed so you can't tell the fresh from the old. It is all poured into the same bucket.— superturtle
Please replace the overpriced gas station and overcrowded Wawa at Delaware and Tasker with a superwawa.— Pelti
