Is Wawa’s ‘Better for You’ food Better than Partnerships

Wawa’s relationship with TastyKake is a retail partnership built on shared consumer attributes and professional respect according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  So we ask and yes we suspected Wawa’s ‘Better for You’ food banter and consumer messaging will not displace it TastyKake partnership.

When the CSNews’ Foodservice Advisory Council announced that Wawa had been chosen Foodservice Innovator of the Year winner we were not surprise. Wawa as regular readers of this blog know scores near the top of our Grocerant ScoreCards every year and has been number one in the past. 

According to the CSNews Foodservice Advisory Council, Wawa is touching most, if not all, of the bases on the most important menu trends, now and for the foreseeable future at retail. These trends include providing customers with foods and beverages that deliver on consumer health priorities and preferences for healthier foods and beverages.

CS News went on to explain that consumers define these healthier preferences to include: GMO-free, antibiotic-free, gluten-free, grass-fed beef, organic, natural and unadulterated products, vegetarian items, as well as a clear preference for local sourcing and sustainably sourced products.

The judges specifically cited Wawa’s continuous improvement; enhanced food quality mission to source and provide safe, high-quality and fresh food products; and its launch this year of H4U (healthy-for- you), a compelling offer that delivers on customers’ healthier eating preferences.

Other impressive steps the company has undertaken include:

·         Established a quality foods program that includes comprehensive operating procedures for its retail business, as well as for all suppliers of Wawa’s food and beverages;

·         Created an audit process with specific criteria and guidelines to oversee and provide continuous improvement opportunities for Wawa’s enhanced quality food and beverage supply chain;

·         Formed an independent, multi-disciplined oversight expert council in the food, food technology and healthier-for-you food sectors. The stated objective of this panel is to provide Wawa with ongoing, independent and expert oversight and continuous improvement insights of its overall enhanced quality foods program.

·         Announced publicly that the retailer will introduce throughout its fresh food program only poultry products that have been raised without antibiotics. Reportedly upwards of 23 of Wawa’s menu items will be changed to adhere to this new standard.

Now after all of that was said the team at Foodservice Solutions® insist that the partnership with TastyKake will not change.  Why because time and time again consumer say one thing and due something else.  What they do is treat themselves to foods that like, remember, or crave filled with fats, calories or not.  Wawa is successful because they sell what consumer want to buy not what they say they will buy.

Invite Foodservice Solutions® to complete a Grocerant Program Assessment, Grocerant ScoreCard, or for product positioning or placement assistance, or call our Grocerant Guru®.  Since 1991 www.FoodserviceSolutions.us  of Tacoma, WA has been the global leader in the Grocerant niche. Contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or 253-759-7869