WAWA, Pa. -- By the end of March, all the espresso products brewed in Wawa Inc. convenience stores will be Rainforest Alliance Certified. This shift is part of the retailer's overarching goal to sustainably source all its coffee varieties within the next two years.
The Rainforest Alliance is a nonprofit that advocates for the protection and development of the environment and farming communities through safe, sustainable farming standards. Coffee beans that receive the Rainforest Alliance certification are grown at farms working to maintain ecosystems, including wildlife habitat, water and soil.
“Teaming up with the Rainforest Alliance furthers our progress towards our sustainability goals and is an important partnership for Wawa” said Mike Sherlock, vice president of fresh food and beverage. “It allows us to deepen our commitment to our values by valuing people and doing the right thing for all communities.”
In addition to the chain’s made-to-order espresso products, Wawa’s cold-brew coffee will be 100% Rain Forest Alliance Certified by the end of 2018, earning the accreditation for all its coffee products by 2020. This initiative is informed by Wawa’s Quality Food Commitment and independent advisory board with experts in food and animal safety, food technology and health and wellness.
In January, the retailer launched its Wawa Reserve line featuring small-batch, specialty-grade coffees that make up just 3% of the world’s coffee. 7-Eleven followed suit in March with its Seven Reserve product launch of 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified Arabica beans. Responsible sourcing of coffee and coffee packaging is also a goal of the Irving, Texas-based c-store, which is moving toward a 20% reduction in its energy and packaging footprint by 2025.
Based in Wawa, Pa., Wawa has nearly 800 c-stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. The chain ranked No. 11 in a year-end update of CSP’s2017 Top 202 list of the largest c-store chains in the United States.
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