Wawa announced the details of its expansion into eastern North Carolina during community partnership events in the state.

Wawa plans to open approximately 80 stores in the next 10 years across North Carolina’s eastern region, with the first eight stores opening in 2024.

Additionally, Wawa has 30 sites under contract going through local approval processes. The convenience retailer expects 15 stores to open in 2025 and 10 stores in 2026. Wawa real estate teams continue to look for more sites throughout North Carolina.

The details for the expansion plan were announced during community partnership events on October 25 at the Greenville Convention Center and Casita Brewing Company in Wilson, North Carolina. According to a company press release, these events were intended to officially introduce Wawa to the community and allow Wawa leaders to connect with the community.

Event attendees also got a glimpse of new store design renderings and had the opportunity to hear the Wawa story, including details on Wawa’s offerings and its commitment to its new communities.

“We were thrilled to share our ‘flight plan’ for North Carolina and reveal, for the very first time, our exciting expansion plans, renderings and more with our newest soon-to-be neighbors,” said Kim Dowgielewicz, director of store operations for Wawa. “Our community partnership events also gave us the opportunity to meet new community members and talk a little bit about our history and what makes Wawa such an ideal fit for communities in this region. We can’t wait to open our doors to the community next year! As we get closer to our grand openings in 2024, we will be sharing even more details on our growth in North Carolina, all while connecting with more customers, communities, partners and nonprofit organizations.”

Wawa has also recently announced plans to expand into three other states, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, with over 160 stores opening over the next eight to 10 years.

In Kentucky, the company plans to build approximately 40 stores across the region, with the first construction beginning in mid-2024. So far, Wawa has 15 sites under contract, and these projected stores are making their way through the permitting and approval process.

The company also plans to expand its footprint in Ohio, with plans to open over 60 stores in the state. Wawa has 16 sites under contract, and the first construction is expected to begin in mid-2024.

In Indiana, Wawa also plans to build approximately 60 stores across the state with construction beginning in mid-2024. The first store locations are projected to open by mid-2025.

Wawa currently has over 1,000 stores across New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.