• by Sarah Mahoney , Yesterday

Looks like Wawa, the fast-growing convenience store chain, is getting a new marketing boss. Doug Martin, currently the CMO of General Mills, is heading to the CMO role for the privately held Wawa.

The Philadelphia Business Journal broke the news. A Wawa spokesperson told the Journal that Martin is "a proven marketer from General Mills who brings great experience and passion to grow the Wawa brand."

The hire comes as Wawa, based in Wawa, Pennsylvania, is said to be in the midst of its most ambitious expansion period, with trade reports that it intends to open an additional 700 locations in the next five years. Earlier this year, Delco Today reported that Wawa is planning to open new stores in Indiana and Ohio, among other states, with a five-year plan for 700 additional locations, with an investment of more than $1 billion.

The regional convenience store and gasoline chain now has stores in 12 states. It ranks No. 8 on the country’s top 10-list of convenience retailers, based on its more than 1,100 store counts.

While General Mills' marketing efforts focus on long-term brand-building for names like Cheerios, Betty Crocker and Pillsbury, Wawa’s marketing focuses on a changing slate of promotional offers that are the bread-and-butter of QSR and retail. It recently launched a  “Your Order Made Easy” campaign that highlights $6 meal deal and fall beverage flavors, like s’mores and pumpkin spice.

Wawa is also often tapping athletes from hometown teams, including the rabid fan base of the Philadelphia Eagles. It just launched “the Saquon,” for example, a hoagie named after star running back Saquon Barkley. Ads for the promotion feature Barkley, a self-professed lifelong customer, surprising locals with home deliveries of the new sandwich.

In a statement emailed to Marketing Daily, General Mills confirmed the change, wishing Martin well, and declining to share further details: “We have a strong brand experience leadership team in place, and they are well positioned and committed to driving growth for General Mills.”