Consumers are increasingly becoming more conscious about where their gas comes from. For example, where does Wawa — one of the largest convenience store-slash-gas chains in the United States — source their oil before treating and selling it to their customers?
US refineries supply Wawa gas with their gasoline. A distribution company called McLane supplies Wawa gas with 7.8 million gallons of oil three times per month. This oil is sourced from US-owned refineries in the Gulf of Mexico, and the gasoline is transported via boat to Florida.
Keep reading this article for a detailed look at where and how Wawa sources its gasoline. I’ll also explore the quality of Wawa gasoline and which additives are usually included. To cap things off, I’ll also give you more information about Wawa and what else they offer.
Does Wawa Source Their Gas From the US?
Knowing where your gasoline comes from means you know who you’re supporting when you fill up your tank. That’s why a lot of people buy from gas stations that source their fuel from domestic sources, so that money stays in the country and boosts the economy in the process.
Wawa does source their gas from the US. Wawa gasoline comes from major domestic refineries via a distribution company. Wawa receives this gasoline in Florida from refineries off the coast and stores most of it in a large warehouse in New Jersey.
However, Wawa didn’t always source its gasoline from domestic refineries. In 2009, Wawa gas teamed up with Chevron to import large quantities of crude oil from the United Kingdom. That changed in recent years when Wawa committed to source and treat their oil from refineries owned by United States companies.
Sourcing gasoline from US companies ensures that domestic industries are supported. Also, it’s better for the environment. While gasoline on its own can be harmful to Mother Nature, shipping gasoline from halfway around the world also increases the number of emissions released into the atmosphere.
Therefore, if you’re an American, you can reduce your carbon footprint by purchasing gasoline from companies like Wawa, which source their fuel from US refineries.
Does Wawa Have TOP TIER Gas?
Gasoline sold at pumps in the US is graded according to their quality to suit various income brackets and vehicles. The highest quality of fuel you can purchase at most petrol stations is TOP TIER gas. So, does Wawa gas have TOP TIER gasoline for sale?
Wawa does not have TOP TIER gas. Wawa gasoline is of excellent quality. However, it does not meet the specific criteria for the TOP TIER gas badge. While Wawa is not TOP TIER, they nonetheless employ guarantees and quality control checks to ensure their gasoline is consistent and up to scratch.
TOP TIER gasoline refers to specific brands that have received the TOP TIER quality assurance. That means the gas contains certain additives which don’t harm your vehicle. On top of this, the fuel must meet different energy densities and environmental criteria.
Car manufacturers generally support the use of TOP TIER gasoline as it reduces wear on engines and keeps them clean for longer. (And let’s be real: Associating with eco-friendly alternatives is always good corporate PR.)
What Additives Does Wawa Add to Their Gas?
The gasoline you put into your car is vastly different from crude oil from the ground. For starters, crude oil must be cleaned and treated before it’s mixed with additives to reduce emissions and prevent wear in the engine. This begs the question: What additives does Wawa use for their gasoline?
Wawa adds detergent cleansing additives to their gas. This additive prevents oil from clinging to components inside the vehicle, reducing emissions released by the car. The EPA requires these additives, and Wawa typically exceeds the minimum amount of these additives necessary.
The number of additives included in Wawa gas will depend on which type of fuel you purchase. In all Wawa gasoline stations, there are three tiers of gasoline available. Certain retailers will also offer ethanol-free gas and Tesla fast-charging stations.
Ethanol-free gas is usually slightly more expensive than its alternatives. However, it produces less pollution and reduces the price of crops like corn.
Corn is often used to produce ethanol. As a result, the more ethanol used to power cars, the more expensive these crops become.
Who Owns Wawa?
Wawa was founded in 1803 as an iron foundry before branching into dairy farming at the start of the 20th century. However, as the demand for delivering milk declined, the owner at the time, Grahame Wood, decided to open a market, kickstarting the Wawa convenience store chain.
Wawa is owned by a combination of the Woods family, associates of the company, and staff who work at Wawa. The Woods family has owned Wawa for over a century, and the company is classed as a family-run business.
The main stakeholders in Wawa are a group of associates who own about 50% of the company. On top of this, Wawa offers its employees a stake in the company after some time. The result is that up to 40% of Wawa is owned by current and former employees of the company.
Wawa gets its name from the location in Pennsylvania, where it was born. The word Wawa is a Native American word for the Canadian goose. Wawa chose a goose as the ideal logo since it acknowledges where the company was founded and the indigenous culture behind the name.
Final Thoughts
Wawa is a massive convenience store chain that offers fuel to millions of customers around the United States. Wawa sources all of its gasoline from US refineries via a distribution company called McLane. This company delivers 7.8 million gallons of fuel to Wawa from the Gulf of Mexico to Florida.
Wawa gas contains cleansing detergent additives in its fuel that improve energy efficiency and reduce the risk of harm to your car’s engine. However, despite these additives, Wawa doesn’t meet the criteria for top-tier, but this doesn’t mean that Wawa gasoline is terrible, as it meets EPA regulations.