The Dallas-based convenient store chain has quietly been testing a more "upscale" format in a few dozen stores in Austin, Texas, industry analysts say, adding that the new format, if rolled out nationwide, could change the "King of the Slurpee" forever.
One 7-Eleven (SE: Research, Estimates) store on Lamar Boulevard in Austin has been selling fresh fruits -- apples, oranges and bananas, grilled-pressed sandwiches, bakery goods and a variety of salads to customers, a store employee said.
Some industry watchers say CEO Jim Keyes is pushing a "fresh food" strategy that borrows a page from 7-Eleven Japan, the company's more successful overseas affiliate.
Fresh food accounts for about 40 to 45 percent of 7-Eleven Japan's sales compared to just 10 percent of the sales in its 5,800 stores in the United States and Canada, according to estimates from industry analyst Kit Case at Southwest Securities.
7-Eleven may be on the verge of a big transformation - Sep. 29, 2004
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