PHILADELPHIA —Wawa Inc. has teamed up with the James Beard Award-winning CookNSolo restaurant group in Philadelphia to benefit Broad Street Ministry, a charitable organization that practices “radical hospitality.” Together with The Rooster, the group’s Jewish deli whose proceeds also go toward the Christian nonprofit, the convenience-store chain created the Broad Street Meatball hoagie recipe.
In April, Philadelphians can visit 15 area Wawa stores or The Rooster to order the menu item as part of the Hoagies for Hope campaign. Farley Kaiser, Wawa’s culinary manager on the product development team, wrote the recipe with The Rooster’s co-founders, Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook. The sandwich features meatballs and parmesan cheese, provolone cheese, garlic aioli and cherry pepper relish, all served on a toasted Amoroso roll.
Wawa expects the promotion to generate up to $10,000 for Broad Street Ministry to continue its shelter, soup kitchen, health services, legal aid and work development programs.
“We’re delighted to combine quality food and a shared vision for fulfilling lives in our community with chef Solomonov and Steve Cook,” said Mike Sherlock, chief product marketing officer for Wawa. “Their innovative approach of helping the most vulnerable Philadelphians through donated profits from The Rooster is inspiring, and we at Wawa feel privileged to contribute to their impactful mission.”
Wawa and The Rooster will also sponsor several activities over the next several weeks as part of the campaign:
- March 28:Sneak preview and ceremonial build of the first Broad Street Meatball, by Wawa's Kaiser and Solomonov and Cook. Attendees can learn about how the ingredients were selected and get a sample of the hoagie before the official launch on April 1.
- April 1:Volunteers from Wawa and The Rooster will serve the Broad Street Meatball hoagie to approximately 300 friends and neighbors at the daily community luncheon at Broad Street Ministry.
- April 1: Special unveiling of the Broad Street Meatball hoagie to customers at The Rooster by Kaiser, Solomonov and Cook. Special appearance by Wawa’s Wally Goose Mascot.
- April 11: In conjunction with the celebration of 55 years of Wawa, Farley and Solomonov will face off in a live “Chef Showdown” on Wawa Day, with a friendly competition to see who can make the most Broad Street Meatballs in five minutes.
Wawa, Pa.-based Wawa is No. 9 in the Top 40 update to CSP’s 2018 Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by number of company-owned retail outlets.
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