7-Eleven to open 600 new outlets with food-focused design by 2027

NORTH AMERICA – Japanese-owned convenience store chain 7-Eleven has unveiled plans to open over 600 large-format, food-focused convenience stores in North America by the end of 2027, according to parent company Seven & i Holdings.

7-Eleven is turning to food service to strengthen its financial position in North America, especially in the U.S., where it has faced considerable economic challenges this year.

The new foodservice-focused format is the first prototype the retailer has introduced since launching its Evolution store concept in March 2019, which included offerings from 7-Eleven’s Mexican QSR, Laredo Taco Company, along with customizable beverages, specialty coffee, a cold treats bar, and mobile checkout and delivery options.

CEO Joseph DePinto stated on October 25 that insights from the Evolution stores have informed the new “New Standard” design. He noted that, beyond expanded food and beverage options, these new c-stores include several elements from the Evolution stores, plus in-store seating and EV charging stations.

The initial location for this new format opened in Allen, Texas, in September, as confirmed by a LinkedIn post from Danielle O’Neill, director of construction at Schaeffer Construction, the Texas-based contractor collaborating with 7-Eleven on this project.

DePinto reported that the stores in this format have generated an 11% return on invested capital and have surpassed the first-year sales of the Evolution stores by 30%.

According to an investor presentation, 7-Eleven intends to operate 115 foodservice-centric locations by the end of 2024, with plans for 125 more in 2025, 175 in 2026, and 200 in 2027. However, the company did not disclose specific locations for these upcoming stores.

“Our new stores are food and beverage forward, and our customers appreciate them, and the stores continue to improve,” DePinto commented.

The expansion comes alongside plans to close hundreds of underperforming locations.

Earlier this month, 7-Eleven announced it would shutter 444 stores across North America as it faces financial and operational pressures from price-conscious consumers, declining cigarette sales, and lower-than-expected fuel profits.

The company recently cut its 2024 operating income forecast by almost 28%, from US$ 2.9 billion to US$ 2.1 billion.

Based in Irving, Texas, 7-Eleven operates nearly 12,650 stores in the U.S., which is its largest market in North America, along with around 2,000 locations in Mexico and approximately 600 in Canada.

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