What does ‘Wawa’ even mean? The company offers up a hint

(NEXSTAR) – Across eastern Pennsylvania, the mere mention of the name “Wawa” conjures up visions of piping-hot coffee, scratch-off lottery tickets and pre-made Sizzli breakfast sandwiches. And if you think folks in Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley aren’t totally stoked for discounted sandwiches during Wawa’s annual Hoagiefest, you’re out of your mind.

“Summer has always been hoagie time at Wawa, and nothing quite captures the spirit of the season like Hoagiefest,” Jim Morey, Wawa’s chief brand officer, once claimed ahead of 2023’s festivities.

Their addiction to hoagies aside, Wawa’s biggest fans are also likely obsessed with the lore behind their favorite deli/convenience/gas chain, which traces its history to the village of Wawa, Delaware County.

Wawa Dairy Farm was established in 1902 by company founder George Wood. In the decades that followed, Wawa Dairy Farm operated a successful business throughout the greater Philadelphia area, delivering milk straight to customers’ doorsteps. By the 1960’s, when more and more shoppers started getting their milk at grocery stores, Wood’s grandson opened the first Wawa Food Market in Folsom — about 10 miles east of Wawa.

Wawa, Inc., therefore, got its name from Wawa (the place). But where did Wawa, the village get its name? The company’s logo offers a bit of a clue.

The name of “Wawa” is said to come from the indigenous word we’we, which the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary defines as “snow goose” — hence the goose seen in Wawa’s logo. (Other sources claim the name “Wawa” is actually derived from the language of the Lenape, a tribe indigenous to the area of present-day Delaware County and beyond. A representative for Wawa once disputed this, claiming the town of Wawa was named by a Canadian — Canada being where the Ojibwe traditionally lived. A representative of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, a recognized Lenape tribe, did not immediately return a request for comment on the subject.)

Wawa’s logo, meanwhile, depicts what appears to be a Canada goose instead of a snow goose, at least judging by the contrasted area under its chin. Wawa also has a mascot, Wally the Goose, who is very clearly a Canada goose — an animal known to be a year-round resident of the greater Philly area.

In any case, geese (in general) hold a special meaning for Wawa, Inc., former CEO Richard D. Wood once explained.

“Why do geese fly in a ‘V’? Because as each goose flaps its wings, it creates an updraft for the following bird. Working together, the flock increases its flying range by 71 percent over a goose flying solo,” Wood said, as reported in an article published with the Pennsylvania Center for the Book.

The former CEO added that Wawa’s associates, like geese in a V formation, encourage each other to “accomplish feats that others may deem impossible,” but it’s unclear which specific “feats” he was referring to, nor whether those feats may have included a future endorsement from unbridled Hoagiefest fanatic Jason Kelce and his wife Kylie.

“It’s frickin’ Hoagiefest and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Wawa on their beloved summer tradition of spreading happiness in Philly and beyond!” the couple said in 2024.