Curious about all that construction on North Davis Highway? Here's what's coming.
If you've driven past HCA Florida West Hospital in recent months, you've likely noticed an ongoing construction project across the street from the hospital.
That construction site on North Davis Highway will be the future home of a Wawa, the popular gas-and-convenience chain that made its entrance into the Pensacola region at the end of last year.
The project's site plans show that developers intend for this Wawa store, located at 8530 N. Davis Highway, to have approximately 5,915 square feet with 71 parking spaces on a previously-undeveloped parcel that's approximately 3.44 acres. Once construction is done, motorists will be able to access this Wawa using either East Johnson Avenue or North Davis Highway.
Pensacola's first Wawa opened up on Boesch Lane in late December and the chain's already been approved to build more stores across Escambia County.
Wawa filed three projects with Santa Rosa County to develop new store stores last year that are planned for Pace, Milton and Navarre respectively.
8530 N. Davis Highway - Pensacola
6658 Pensacola Boulevard - Pensacola
5888 W. Nine Mile Road - Pensacola
9262 W. U.S. Highway 98 - Pensacola
7212 U.S. Highway 90 - East Milton
Navarre location proposed next to Sailfish Coastal Bonsai Nursery on Navarre Parkway and Southshore Lane
Pace location proposed on the northwest corner of Berry Hill Road and King George Parkway
The popular convenience store and gas station chain, renowned for its hoagies, customization choices and 24/7 availability, began in 1964 in Pennsylvania and has branched out from the state in a rapid fashion.
Wawa has opened nearly 300 stores in Florida and employs about 10,000 associates across the state.
Wawa's existing Florida stores are mostly in the southwest, across Central Florida and up and down the east coast, but they plan to open up to 20 new stores across the Panhandle over the next three to five years as part of their expansion efforts.
Florida isn't the only Southern state whose markets are being tapped into by Wawa; Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina each have their first Wawa store planned to open soon.
The chain now has almost 1,100 stores operating in the U.S.
Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, a Wawa offers all the things you'd expect from a convenience store − snacks, lottery tickets, drinks, tobacco, gas (at most locations), etc. − but they also offer a larger variety of fresh food than most fast-food restaurants such as their made-to-order, fan-favorite hoagies and the hot breakfast "Sizzli" sandwiches.
Wawas also are famous for customer service, scrupulously clean bathrooms, decent gas prices, free air for your tires and no-charge ATMs. In 2022 Forbes ranked them #12 in their Halo 100 list of brands that consumers love.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: New Wawa Pensacola store is coming soon to Ferry Pass
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New York Post
41 minutes ago
- New York Post
Popular fast-food chain explores potential $1.5B sale as demand for fried chicken booms: report
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Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Conagra Brands Introduces More Than 50 New Frozen Foods, Elevating Convenience and Flavor for Consumers
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We're excited to see the response as they enjoy these delicious new offerings." Delicious Convenience Throughout Single-Serve Meals: Single-serve frozen meals offer convenience at home or away, and Conagra's top brands continue to showcase the talents of innovative chefs and exciting partners. Dolly Parton's: Dolly Parton's Southern-inspired recipes are a proven crowd pleaser. Last year Dolly debuted frozen desserts, and building on that success she's serving up four new single-serve frozen meals inspired by Southern comfort food classics. The quartet includes a Beef Pot Roast, featuring tender beef, hearty thick-cut vegetables and Southern-style gravy; Chicken & Dumplings, covered with a smooth, creamy sauce seasoned with pepper and thyme; Country Fried Steak, served with mashed potatoes and seasoned green beans with smoky bacon; and Shrimp & Grits, tender shrimp with creamy white cheddar grits and juicy cherry tomatoes, topped with a spicy butter sauce. 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Tender beef and succulent vegetables are served over white rice, with a retail price of $4.99. evol: Indian-inspired recipes are the fastest growing segment in single-serve frozen meals with 18% sales growth over the past three years3. evol® enters the space with Butter Chicken – tender chicken breast in a rich, masala-spiced sauce and served over fluffy jasmine rice. This flavorful new option reflects the brand's focus on quality ingredients and satisfying, modern meals. The Suggested retail price is $4.49. Frontera: Frontera® brings bold, authentic Mexican flavors to the frozen aisle with chef-inspired meals that deliver restaurant-quality taste. The newest addition – Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce – features hand-rolled corn tortillas filled with beef, tomatoes, and onions, topped with a red enchilada sauce and cheese. The suggested retail price is $4.99. Hungry-Man: The new Chicken Fried Steak meal is another satisfying dish from Hungry-Man®. This 16 oz. meal, 44% larger than the category average4, delivers 20g of protein, with fried beef patties topped in a creamy gravy and served with mashed potatoes and a rich chocolate fudge brownie. The meal has a suggested retail price of $3.99. Family Size Meals Bursting with Flavor: Several of Conagra's top brands are serving delicious meals for the whole family. As consumers look to enjoy their favorite dishes at home, these easy-to-prepare meals showcase trending recipes and comfort classics. Marie Callender's: The $1.4 billion oven bakes category5 is particularly appealing to the multi-serve audience, with nearly 80% of buyers in households with two or more people6. Building off Marie Callender's strength in single-serve meals, the brand is introducing three new Family Size meals that offer classic comfort food recipes in a larger size. Each is easy to prepare in the oven or microwave, with 36-40 oz. of food that serves 4-5 people for a suggested retail price of $ Alfredo features savory chicken breast pieces and tender penne pasta, covered in an irresistibly creamy, cheesy parmesan alfredo sauce. Cheesy Chicken & Rice is made with savory pieces of chicken breast, rice and broccoli, covered in a rich and creamy cheese sauce. Chicken Parmesan includes four breaded white meat chicken patties, placed over a bed of tender penne pasta, and topped with crushed tomato marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bertolli: Italian-style meals are the top-selling cuisine in frozen7, so who better to offer up new recipes than Bertolli®, the #1 brand8 in authentic frozen Italian meals? Driven by a desire for easy-to-prepare home-cooked meals, the multi-serve skillet category has grown to $952 million in annual sales9. Bertolli has two skillet meals that pair high-quality ingredients with delicious sauces. Try the Chicken Pesto & Penne, or the Chicken Penna Alla Vodka. Both recipes are made with white meat chicken, quality ingredients like basil, parmesan cheese, and tomatoes, and no artificial flavors or colors to deliver an authentic Italian-style recipe. Both 22 oz. meals retail for $ Bertolli Meatballs and Marinara Sauce are a delicious addition to any pasta dish or on their own as an appetizer or side. Made with beef and pork and smothered in marinara sauce, these meatballs are nearly 2.5 times the average size of cocktail meatballs, offering value at $8.49 for a 24 oz. pack. P.F. Chang's Home Menu: Authentic Asian cuisine continues to be one of the fastest-growing cuisines in frozen, with P.F. Chang's Home Menu delivering the authentic taste of the Bistro into your home. This year's arrivals include a 22oz. Shrimp Fried Rice skillet meal, with tender shrimp, fluffy jasmine rice, and vibrant vegetables; and a family-size offering of Chicken Dumplings, with approximately 16 dumplings made with all-natural chicken. Both retail for $7.99. Birds Eye Voila!: Birds Eye® Voila!® is bringing another American comfort food favorite to fast skillet prep with Cheesy Buffalo Chicken. Menu pairings of Buffalo sauce and pasta have grown 45% over the last four years10 as America's love of spicy foods continues to surge. Available in 42 oz. or 60 oz. variety, this dish includes chicken paired with pasta, red bell peppers, celery, and green onions in a cheesy, Buffalo-style sauce. The two sizes retail for $8.99 and $11.99 respectively. Blake's: Rooted in a family tradition of farm-to-table, all-natural* cooking, Blake's® is introducing its first multi-serve frozen meals. The new Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole and Classic Beef Pot Roast are made with simple, wholesome ingredients and crafted for homemade taste. Each 25 oz. dish serves 3–4 and retails for $9.99. Chef Boyardee: The beloved Italian-inspired brand debuted in frozen meals last year with skillet prep dishes, and the Chef Boyardee® menu is adding two new creamy chicken and pasta meals. Chicken Carbonara and Chicken Primavera are available in 40 oz. meals, which serve 4-5 and retail for $8.99. Convenient Veggies, Bursting with Flavor: Adding vegetables to your meals should be easy, flavorful and fun. Fresh, new offerings from Birds Eye® and Alexia® pack all the vibrancy of fresh vegetables, in convenient and tasty new recipes. Birds Eye: Butter is the No. 1 at-home sauce addition to frozen veggies, and on restaurant menus vegetables are paired with cheese 40% of the time11. These trends inspired the new line of Birds Eye Ultimate Cheesy & Buttery Vegetables, a collection of four fan-favorite veggies smothered in Birds Eye's most flavorful and indulgent sauces ever. Butter lovers can enjoy Ultimate Butter Sauced Corn and Ultimate Butter Sauced Green Beans, made with two times more butter than Birds Eye's current sauced items. Broccoli Florets and a California Blend of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots gets the Ultimate Cheesy treatment, covered with 50% more cheese than current Birds Eye offerings. Each 11-12 oz. vegetable side comes in a convenient microwaveable tray and retails for $3.49. In plain vegetables, Birds Eye is also pairing globally inspired vegetable medleys with the convenience of microwave Steamfresh® prep to deliver new delicious, vibrant, and versatile blends. Global cuisines can be found in the freezer of nearly 70% of American homes, with Mediterranean and Italian-inspired frozen items driving $2.8 billion in annual sales12. New Steamfresh vegetable medleys include a Mediterranean-style Blend; a Tuscan-style Blend; and a new Antioxidant Blend, with broccoli florets, julienne carrots, and sweet yellow and red bell peppers. A convenient Steamfresh offering of Birds Eye's popular Normandy Blend is also new to the collection. These 10-10.8oz. bags, with a suggested retail price of $2.49, are ready in minutes from the freezer. Alexia: A brand rooted in all natural, chef-inspired veggie sides, Alexia is offering an elegant take on America's most popular frozen vegetable: broccoli13. Alexia Broccoli & Aged Cheddar features broccoli florets covered with a creamy aged white cheddar cheese sauce. A 14 oz. bag retails for $4.49. Gluten-Free and Plant-Based Foods Full of Flavor: As consumers look for foods to satisfy their gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian needs, these top brands are delivering. Udi's: While one in four consumers seek gluten-free meals, finding an offering the whole family can enjoy together is challenging14. Udi's® is debuting the first multi-serve chicken enchilada dish that is certified gluten-free, and made with antibiotic-free chicken. The family-size serving includes six enchiladas with corn tortillas wrapped and filled with white meat chicken and covered with a mild red sauce and cheese. The dish retails for $14.99. Gardein: The Gardein® Ultimate Plant-Based® meat alternative line is expanding with bold new offerings that deliver great taste and versatility across a wide range of meals. New Ultimate Plant-Based Ste'k Tips and Ultimate Plant-Based Spicy Saus'ge Crumbles are flavorful, meaty options perfect for stir fries, tacos, pasta dishes, and more. Each 14–15 oz. pack retails for $8.99. Gardein's new Ultimate Plant-Based Breakfast Saus'ge patties have a new recipe for better taste and texture, featuring a wider patty designed to fit perfectly on breakfast sandwiches. Available in Original and Spicy, each 10-pack retails for $8.99. For a quick and satisfying lunch or dinner option, Gardein's new Ultimate Plant-Based frozen single serve meal –a Fried Chick'n Mac & Cheeze Bowl—delivers bold flavor in minutes. Featuring crispy plant-based chick'n and creamy vegan cheeze sauce, the 9 oz. meal is 100% vegan and packs 15g of plant-based protein. Suggested retail price: $4.99. Purple Carrot: Purple Carrot® frozen single serve meals deliver plant-powered deliciousness with bold, 100% vegan flavor from satisfying ingredients such as veggies and legumes. The latest variety – Portobello Mushroom Ravioli – features tender pasta stuffed with portobello mushrooms, and paired with a hearty medley of kidney beans, tomatoes, lentils, and spinach for a flavor-forward vegan meal. With 13g of plant-based protein and Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients, it's a convenient option that doesn't compromise on taste. The suggested retail price is $4.49. A Sweet Start to the Day: Begin your morning with the country-fresh taste of Odom's Tennessee Pride® sausage. Two new items feature the sweet taste of real maple syrup and 100% pork. Enjoy a 12-pack of Snack Size Maple Sausage Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwiches, perfect for breakfast or as a snack, priced at $6.99. Also launching is an 18-pack of Ready-to-Cook Maple Sausage Patties, adding delicious flavor to any breakfast plate, priced at $7.49. For more on Conagra's collection of more than 100 brands, visit 1: Conagra Brands FY25 Q3 Earnings Report, 4/3/252-5, 7-10, 12-13: Circana POS MULOC+ L52 WE 9/22/20246: Circana Panel, Total US All Outlets, MSM Category by CAG Sub Category and Pack Count, L52 WE 10/6/202411: Circana/NPD National Eating Trends, Sourced from home/retail, 2 Years Ending June 2023.14: Source: Label Insights L52 WE 7/21/2024*No artificial ingredients; minimally processed Dolly Parton owns all rights to the Dolly™ and DOLLY PARTON™ trademarks, as well as her name, image and likeness, which are used under license by Conagra Brands, Inc.® ©2025 Mike's Hot Honey P.F. CHANG'S and P.F. CHANG'S HOME MENU are registered trademarks owned by P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Inc. and are used with permission Bertolli® is a registered trademark of Mizkan America, Inc., used under license ©2025 Purple Carrot, used with permission About Conagra Brands Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), is one of North America's leading branded food companies. We combine a 100-year history of making quality food with agility and a relentless focus on collaboration and innovation. The company's portfolio is continuously evolving to satisfy consumers' ever-changing food preferences. Conagra's brands include Birds Eye®, Duncan Hines®, Healthy Choice®, Marie Callender's®, Reddi-wip®, Slim Jim®, Angie's® BOOMCHICKAPOP®, and many more. As a corporate citizen, we aim to do what's right for our business, our employees, our communities, and the world. Headquartered in Chicago, Conagra Brands generated fiscal 2024 net sales of more than $12 billion. For more information, visit For all media inquiries, please contact: Dan SkinnerConagra Brands(312) 549 - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
New nationwide study ranks best and worst fast-food fries in America
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – In a new ranking based on tens of thousands of customer reviews, one fast food chain has officially been crowned the king of fast-food fries in America. Federal minimum wage would rise to $15 under Sen. Hawley bill The study, conducted by Seating Masters, analyzed over 40,000 Yelp reviews mentioning fries across 21 major fast-food chains. In-N-Out topped the list with an average rating of 3.86 out of 5, based on 7,595 reviews across 25 locations. The California-based chain's fresh-cut fries, prepared in-store daily, garnered the highest praise from customers–despite its limited geographic footprint compared to national giants. Shake Shack claimed second place with a 3.7 average from 17,018 reviews across 45 locations. The chain's crinkle-cut fries, which were temporarily removed from the menu in 2013 and brought back due to popular demand, have since regained favor among customers. Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers rounded out the top three with a 3.59 rating, based on 2,396 reviews at 47 locations. Known for its thin, crispy shoestring fries, Freddy's earned high marks for flavor and texture. Bojangles, a Southern regional favorite, landed in fourth with a 3.51 rating, while Chick-fil-A followed in fifth place with 3.4. The chicken chain's waffle fries, beloved for their dippable design and crispy bite, continue to be a standout menu item. Raising Cane's, Zaxby's, Arby's, Hardee's, and Checkers/Rally's completed the top 10 list. Notably, Arby's curly fries helped secure its eighth-place finish with a 2.89 average rating. Top 10 Fast-Food Chains for Fries: In-N-Out Burger – 3.86 Shake Shack – 3.7 Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers – 3.59 Bojangles – 3.51 Chick-fil-A – 3.4 Raising Cane's – 3.24 Zaxby's – 2.98 Arby's – 2.89 Hardee's – 2.86 Checkers/Rally's – 2.84 On the opposite end of the spectrum, KFC was rated the worst for fast-food fries, earning an average of 1.77 from 175 reviews across 50 locations. Despite its status as a fried chicken powerhouse, the chain's side offering left much to be desired, according to customer feedback. In a surprising result, McDonald's–the brand long synonymous with fast-food French fries–ranked second to last with a 1.91 rating from 1,381 reviews. Burger King followed closely behind with a 1.92 average from 623 reviews, reinforcing ongoing criticism of its fries despite repeated recipe overhauls. Church's Chicken and Popeyes also found themselves in the bottom five, scoring 1.9 and 2.0,8, respectively. Bottom 5 Fast-Food Chains for Fries: KFC – 1.77 McDonald's – 1.91 Burger King – 1.92 Church's Chicken – 1.9 Popeyes – 2.08 The study looked specifically at reviews that mentioned fries and aggregated data from various locations nationwide to provide what it calls the most comprehensive snapshot to date. While chains like McDonald's and Burger King may dominate in scale, it's the regional favorites and quality-focused brands like In-N-Out that are winning over fry lovers with freshness, flavor, and consistency. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
