Three Keys too Dinner Sales Success at Wawa

 

Industry leaders are successful in large part because they understand that the consumer is dynamic not static.  Wawa is one of the highest volume convenience store chain in the U.S. averaging close to $5.5 Million in sales per store. They have evolved from basic dairy and beverages to fresh food with flavor.

Now they are exploring driving incremental top line sales and bottom line profits with dinner.  Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes they will be very successful if they incorporate the following three success clues:

1.       Fresh fast proportioned flavorful seasonal meals & meal components.

2.       Create via evolution / trial craveable two menu entrees as branded entities with identity.

3.       Leverage mix and match meal bunding with Beer, Wine, Fruit, Deserts.

At Foodservice Solutions® the Five P’s of Food Marketing were perfected, developed and tested over time utilizing the Grocerant Guru’s time-tested formula: Build, Measure, Learn, Repeat. Creating branded entrees that are craveable using our Grocerant Guru’s formula as a platform helps evolve the entrees identity.

So, as Wawa calls customers for dinner with the official test and pilot of several new dinner menu items at select convenience stores.  Menu items become available after 4 p.m. on the touchscreen ordering system, offering customers the ability to select their preferred ingredients and customize meals.

Options include:

·         The new and improved burger featuring all-natural angus, a lighter bun, cheese and fries.

·         Penne or fettucine pasta with alfredo, marinara or Bolognese available with roasted veggies, broccoli, roasted chicken, meatballs and Asiago cheese.

·         Entrée platters including braised chicken, pork roast or pot roast with two sides.

·         Rotisserie-style chicken and Mac and Cheese.

·         Six Heat and Eat meals, including penne chicken alfredo with broccoli, chicken and broccoli, chicken breast, spicy boneless wings, penne pasta with meatballs and Mac & Cheese with BBQ pulled pork.

Mike Sherlock, chief product marketing officer for Wawa stated  "We always strive to listen to our customers, so we've spent time testing menu items in select stores, gathering feedback and perfecting our recipes with the goal of providing a family, group of friends, etc. the ability to select their preferred dinner while still enjoying a meal together."

We ask are they trying too much to fast? No one wants Wawa to become a grocery store trying to satisfy every potential customer that drives by.  After all that’s the grocery stores Achilles’ heel.

Menu options are being tested in hundreds of stores through the company in various phases of feedback and execution ranging from 15 stores for the burger and pasta with more than 100 stores testing rotisserie chicken, according to Wawa. All stores have implemented Heat and Eat Meals.

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter