Food and Beverage Companies Invited to Pitch their Product for Chance to Hit the Shelves of the World’s Largest Convenience Retailer

IRVING, Texas (Sept. 9, 2020) – Calling all rising, innovative brands that believe they have the best … the first … the coolest … one-of-a-kind product! The 7‑Eleven Brands with Heart® event is right around the corner, and the application for emerging brands to showcase their differentiated products while engaging with leaders from the world’s largest convenience store retailer is live. Applications are open until Oct. 1.

For the third consecutive year, emerging brands will be invited to make their case for why they deserve a spot on 7‑Eleven^® store shelves. These rising brands are given a unique opportunity to enter a new retail channel and introduce their products and brand story to 7‑Eleven’s 8 million daily U.S. customers. The company’s goal is to diversify its product offering beyond the traditional c-store assortment and put delicious sips and snacks in the hands of the on-the-go customer.

“As a franchise business, we embody the spirit of entrepreneurship,” said 7‑Eleven Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Demand Chain Jack Stout. “At a time where many retailers are pausing new product launches, 7‑Eleven is excited to give small business owners this unique opportunity.”

Although the third annual product expo will look a little different this year… the show will go on. The much sought-after chance to meet and present to 7‑Eleven will have a virtual twist. Participants will attend workshops and panels with 7‑Eleven merchandising and operations leadership. The two-day experience will close with an informal networking session where entrepreneurs will have access to the 7‑Eleven merchandising team to exchange ideas and pitch their products, of course.

“7‑Eleven offers emerging brands a unique opportunity to grow their business in the c-store channel,” said 7‑Eleven Vice President of Merchandising Chris Harkness. “New and innovative products have an opportunity to really stand out in our small-store format. Plus, convenience customers are more likely to try a new item that is single serve, which gets a new product into more potential consumers hands. Ultimately, it’s our customers who will decide which products become success stories. The Brands with Heart expo is a terrific opportunity all the way around – for customers, for companies just starting out, and for 7‑Eleven to deliver more of the great products our customers want.”

More than 750 companies applied to present their brand at last year’s Brands with Heart event, and 65 made the cut to participate in the two-day “listen and learn,” “show and taste” sessions. From the contenders, 25 brands were chosen to participate in a real-world, in-store test – Sips & Snacks – giving small businesses the chance to test their products in-stores, while 7‑Eleven gets to curate more unique and exciting product offerings for its customers. Approximately one-third of the companies selected for this year’s in-store test are either owned by women, minorities or military veterans.