History of Wawa
Wawa wasn’t built in a day — but over two centuries plus. Here’s a quick rundown.
The Beginnings
- 1803: Wawa started off as an iron foundry in New Jersey.
Textile Era
- 1865: The company was incorporated as Millville Manufacturing Co., a textile business.
Dairy Innovation
- 1902: Owner George Wood began a dairy farm in Wawa, Pennsylvania, specializing in “doctor-certified” milk. This was before pasteurization, and customers needed to ensure what they were drinking was safe.
Retail Expansion
- 1964: Owner Grahame Wood opened the first Wawa Food Market in Folsom, selling the company’s dairy products to offset declining milk home-delivery service.
Introduction of Food Services
- 1970: Premade hoagies and sammies were introduced.
- Wawa’s first stores opened in Philly, including at 36th and Chestnut streets.
Branding and Growth
- 1974: Wawa added the goose and gold background to its logo.
- 1975: Store managers begin brewing and selling coffee.
- 1981: Wawa grows to 240 stores in five states.
Product Innovations
- 1992: The Shorti Hoagie is born.
- 1995: ATMs installed in stores.
- 2002: Touch-screen ordering kiosks are introduced.
National Expansion
- 2012: The longtime Wawa at 17th and Arch streets in Center City is redesigned.
- Wawa opens its first Florida location.
Recent Developments
- 2018: Wawa introduces a Thanksgiving catering option.
- 2021: Actress Kate Winslet describes Wawa as a “mythical place.”
- 2023: The company grows to about 1,000 locations with $18.9 billion in revenue, per Forbes.
