Convenience chain caters to ever more sophisticated tastes.
New food items, including papaya-mango fruit cups with chili-lime spice and turkey Capicolla wraps with basil spread, were the stars Wednesday in a show at the Dallas Convention Center.
But these snacks weren’t part of a demonstration for an upscale food emporium or fancy eatery.
Instead, they were samples of coming offerings from 7-Eleven Inc., part of an all-day taste-and-tell session aimed at raising employee enthusiasm and demonstrating that the convenience store industry has come a long way from beer and beef jerky.
‘Fresh food is growing, absolutely, and it continues to grow,’ said John Vaughan, fresh food category manager for Dallas-based 7-Eleven, the nation’s largest convenience store chain.
‘It’s the customer lifestyle. What we have to offer is convenience.’
Fresh food accounts for more than 10% of chain sales, Mr. Vaughan said, a tally rivaled only by beer and wine.
In Texas, it’s more than 13%. 5 years ago, he said, that would have been about 6%. Continued…
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