The new line of bakery items has been in development for more than a year under the careful supervision of Joe Hermes, 7-Eleven senior product director for bakery and produce, and Bakery Product Manager John Vaughan. Hermes has more than 30 years in the deli, bakery and foodservice business, including operating his own wholesale bakery and a previous position as vice president of sales at Dawn Food Products, an international bakery supplier. Vaughan, a 27-year 7-Eleven veteran who has spent the last several years as a fresh foods merchandiser for the company’s stores in the Southwest, was tapped to manage the introduction of the new line.
“Customers who turn to private label are looking for better values and ways to save money,” Hermes said, “but just saving money isn’t enough to keep them as repeat purchasers. Our goal was to match or improve on the taste and quality of the baked goods by the national brands. If you can do that and save a customer money, they’re more likely to become loyal to that product.”
In blind taste tests, the new 7-Eleven line of packaged bakery was preferred on average three-to-one over its national brand counterpart. Hermes said new snack cake items are already in development for introduction in 2010, including seasonal specialties. 7-Eleven stores already has introduced approximately 225 private-label food and non-food products under the 7-Select brand, and another 40 new items are scheduled to be in stores before the end of the year.
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About 7 Eleven, Inc.
7 Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Based in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses some 7,850 7-Eleven® stores in North America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 36,600 stores in 15 countries. During 2008, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $53.7 billion. 7-Eleven has been honored by a number of companies and organizations recently. Accolades include: #3 in Forbes magazine’s Top 20 Franchises to Start, #3 among Top 100 Global Franchises by Franchise Direct, #3 in Store Growth by Convenience Store News, #2 in Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Companies and #29 among Top 100 Chains in Food Service. In addition, Hispanic Magazine’s named 7-Eleven in its Hispanic Corporate Top 100 Companies that provide the most opportunities to Hispanics. 7-Eleven is franchising its stores in the U.S., and is expanding through organic growth, acquisitions, and its Business Conversion Program. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.
