WaWa is opening its first Gulf Coast locations. Here’s where and what we know.

South Mississippi already is on the watch and wait for its first Buc-ees in Harrison County and now WaWa is getting closer to the Gulfport-Biloxi metro.

About 1,000 WaWa gas stations and convenience stores spread across six states from Wawa, Pennsylvania, where the family-owned business got its start, to Florida. The stores are known for freshly-made hoagies, sandwiches and coffee.

The Mobile Chamber just got a taste of WaWa, which plans to open at least 40 stores across South Alabama and the Florida Panhandle over the next 8 to 10 years.

To introduce the company to South Alabama, WaWa held a community partnership event Feb. 3 to provide food samples and information about the company’s foundation that supports community organizations.

The menu gives customers a choice of grab-and-go sandwiches and snacks or they can use the touch screen to select the ingredients they want and then watch as their hoagie, bowl, burger, wrap or salad is prepared.

Work on the first stores in this expansion will begin this year and they will open in 2024.

The first two in the Mobile area are on the “Mississippi side of the city,” at Cottage Hill Road and Sollie Road and Schillinger Road at Old Government Street Road.

This is a $260 million expansion and WaWa hints it may keep spreading.

“We’re thrilled to be flying into the Florida Panhandle and South Alabama region, which advances our overall growth projection and spreads our wings further into adjacent markets,” said Robert Yeatts, senior director of store operations for Wawa.

“Wawa’s expansion plans represent a strong commitment to the area and demonstrate Wawa’s plans to invest in these local markets for years to come,” he said.

The Southeast has become a strong market for the chain. WaWa opened its first location in Florida at Orlando in 2012 and now has 250 stores throughout the state.