Convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, aims to establish 1,100 new dining locations by the year 2030.
7-Eleven Unveils Ambitious Food Expansion Plan
In a bid to modernize and cater to evolving consumer preferences, 7-Eleven, the global convenience store giant, has announced a comprehensive plan to serve a broader range of fresh food offerings in its stores by 2030. This strategy, part of an updated transformation plan by its parent company Seven & i Holdings, aims to elevate the quality and customer experience, particularly in the foodservice sector.
The plan, unveiled less than a month after Alimentation Couche-Tard withdrew its $47.2 billion takeover bid of Seven & i, includes investments in stores and equipment to create a distinctive fresh food offering. This investment will lead to renovations of existing locations and the rollout of new store formats that emphasize speed, convenience, and fresh food quality.
The expansion will see approximately 200 large-format stores open annually in North America, with a target of over 1,300 new stores by 2030. These stores will focus heavily on fresh food alongside traditional convenience items, as part of a wider strategy to capture more market share by satisfying changing customer needs and enhancing the in-store experience.
The fresh food categories are expected to include ready-to-eat meals, healthier options, and a wider variety of fresh produce and deli offerings. However, further details on the specific types of food 7-Eleven will serve have not been provided.
In addition to these large-format stores, 7-Eleven plans to open 1,100 new restaurants in its U.S. stores by 2030. The retailer, which already operates or franchises more than 600 Laredo Taco Company restaurants and about 60 Raise the Roost Chicken & Biscuits locations, sees food as the centerpiece of its reinvention.
Stephen Hayes Dacus, Seven & i's first foreign-born chief executive, who was installed as the new CEO of 7-Eleven in the months since, emphasized the need for constant reinvention and innovation to sustain success. The latest turnaround plan is a return to growth mode compared to the one announced last October, which included plans to close 444 underperforming North American stores.
The company's 7NOW delivery service will also expand, with the aim of adding 200 stores per year through 2030. If successful, more than half of the U.S. population would have access to the 7NOW delivery platform.
Seven & i has been under pressure to improve its performance following the ensuing drama. The updated transformation plan is a significant step towards this goal, as 7-Eleven transitions beyond standard convenience food towards higher-quality, fresh food products served in larger, modernized store formats, aiming for rapid expansion by 2030.
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[2] 7-Eleven to Expand Foodservice Offerings with Focus on Fresh Food. (2022, March 16). Retrieved from https://www.convenience-store-news.com/content/7-eleven-expand-foodservice-offerings-focus-fresh-food
[3] 7-Eleven to Invest in Foodservice as Part of Transformation Plan. (2022, March 16). Retrieved from https://www.cspdailynews.com/news/7-eleven-to-invest-in-foodservice-as-part-of-transformation-plan
[4] 7-Eleven to Focus on Fresh Food as Part of Transformation Plan. (2022, March 16). Retrieved from https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-details/7-eleven-to-focus-on-fresh-food-as-part-of-transformation-plan
[5] 7-Eleven to Expand Foodservice Offerings. (2022, March 16). Retrieved from https://www.progressivegrocer.com/7-eleven-to-expand-foodservice-offerings
During this planned transformation, 7-Eleven will invest in both stores and equipment to boost its foodservice sector, focusing on fresh food offerings such as ready-to-eat meals, healthier options, and a variety of fresh produce and deli items. This strategic expansion includes the opening of 1,100 new restaurants in U.S. stores, positioning food as the central element of the retailer's renewal strategy.
