McLane Company Inc. and Wawa are expanding their partnership to support the convenience-store chain’s growth west of its home base in Wawa, Pennsylvania.
McLane’s Bluegrass distribution center in Hebron, Kentucky, will serve new Wawa locations in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio as the chain opens c-stores in those states.
“We’re proud to have served as a dedicated partner alongside Wawa over the years,” said Vito Maurici, McLane’s chief customer experience officer. “With this expanded partnership, we remain committed to supporting Wawa’s growth as a leader in convenience retail and foodservice through our robust network and product offerings.”
Wawa opened its first Ohio store in Liberty Township on April 16 and its first Indiana store is set to open on May 15 in Daleville. Ohio is the chain’s 10th state of operation, and it plans to open 10 more stores in the state by the end of the year.
- Wawa is No. 10 on CSP’s 2025 Top 40 Update to the 2024 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count. Watch for the full 2025 Top 202 ranking in the June issue of CSP magazine and in CSP Daily News.
McLane and Wawa have worked together for more than 20 years, and McLane now serves more than 1,100 Wawa stores out of distribution centers in Kentucky, Virginia, New Jersey and Florida. McLane’s Mid-Atlantic distribution center, located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, started serving Wawa’s existing East Coast markets last fall to support its expansion into other regions. McLane’s nationwide network and expertise in convenience retail and foodservice ensures Wawa continues to meet consumer demand for fresh, innovative food, the Temple, Texas-based distributor said.
“It’s been 60 years since our first store opened, and our vision then was a new kind of convenience store, fulfilling lives by providing customers with fast, friendly service and fresh products that deliver value,” said Brian Schaller, president of Wawa. “As Wawa expands into new markets, our partnership with partners like McLane helps us scale our best-in-class foodservice program, support our growth and fulfill our commitment to delighting customers.”
New Foodservice Options for C-Stores
McLane also recently added new foodservice options for c-stores through its McLane Fresh program. Central Eats introduced several new grab-and-go options including the Beef Street Taco, Chicken Street Taco and Patty Melt Slider. A new breakfast option, a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Slider serviced on a King’s Hawaiian pretzel bun, is also available.
In the cold section, consumers can now find the Italian sub, American sub, Ham and Swiss on King’s Hawaiian and a Ham and Swiss Pretzel Roll Sub Sandwich, among other options. For snacks, Central Eats added watermelon and mango cups with Tajin.
Prendisimo, McLane’s pizza program, added a new Buffalo Chicken Flatbread, in addition to its cheese, pepperoni, and sausage and pepperoni pizzas.
“The McLane team takes immense pride in our ongoing innovation in foodservice and distribution,” said Jon Cox, vice president of retail foodservice at McLane. “As consumer demand for fresh food in convenience stores continues to grow, we are excited to introduce new menu items that meet these needs and ensure our customers have access to the latest high-quality products available.”
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