Case Study: Wawa achieves targeted mobile communication and stronger frontline engagement with Firstup

Wawa delivers targeted communication to employees with Firstup

Wawa, the East Coast chain with 33,000 employees across 800 locations, faced a major communications challenge: a largely hourly, shift-based workforce without corporate email addresses relied on managers and printed materials for updates, leaving leadership unable to reach frontline teams directly or measure engagement.

Wawa implemented a branded mobile and desktop platform called “The Honker” using Firstup to deliver CEO videos, safety alerts, surveys and two‑way reporting. The app drove rapid adoption—about 33% (10,000) registered in month one and roughly 15,000 enrolled after 10 months, with 75% using the mobile app—boosting productivity, strengthening employee connection, enabling quick issue resolution, and cutting reliance on printed materials by 30%.

Wawa