Innovative brands invited to submit products for placement at convenience giant stores.
For the fourth year, convenience giant 7-Eleven Inc. is running its “Brands with Heart” program, designed to allow innovative brands to enter a new retail channel and introduce their products to 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes customers across the country. Applications are now live and will remain open through the end of May.
Emerging brands are invited to make their case for why they deserve a spot on the shelves of 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores. Whether a product is ready to go to market or is still up-and-coming, all brands are invited to apply. The retailer, which operates more than 13,000 convenience stores in the US and Canada, is looking to diversify its product offerings beyond the traditional c-store assortment and put innovative products on the shelves that meet the needs of its on-the-go customers. This includes a variety of snacks, beverages, confectionery, and better-for-you items.
“The Brands with Heart showcase attracts hundreds of applicants from up-and-coming brands each year and gives us the unique opportunity to scope out new products that might make the perfect addition to our stores’ shelves – such as Lemon Perfect, which was discovered during our 2019 Brands with Heart event,” said Jack Stout, executive vice president, and chief merchandising officer at 7-Eleven. “It is our mission to help these rising brands grow, and we’re excited to see…and taste… the many innovative products that participate. We’re committed to elevating our product assortment for customers who always seek new and delicious items that fit into their busy lifestyles.”
7-Eleven has built a team to identify new food and beverage trends, find up-and-coming brands aligned with those trends and ultimately support the development of those brands to be sold at 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores and beyond.
Following the application process, standout brands will be invited to participate in an in-store test at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores located in their region. Fan-favorite brands from each market will move on to the Brands with Heart showcase, where they will present their products to a panel of leaders from the company. Selected brands from the showcase will be paired with 7-Eleven leaders for coaching, mentoring, and training to prepare them for the opportunity to secure a place on shelves at participating stores throughout the US.
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