Dive Brief:
- 7-Eleven will debut a new pizza crust nationwide this week, a company spokesperson confirmed to C-Store Dive.
- The new crust has a crispy, bubbly exterior and a light, airy interior, and will be available on several pizza varieties, including cheese, pepperoni and Extreme Meat, the spokesperson said. It will roll out Sept. 3 at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes convenience stores.
- 7-Eleven’s latest innovation advances the company’s goal of elevating its foodservice and positioning itself as a food-focused destination.
Dive Insight:
7-Eleven has spent the past couple of years taking steps to build out its foodservice strategy, from opening larger-format stores that highlight its roster of QSRs to rolling out its popular Japanese-style egg sandwiches in the U.S. late last year.
Pizza, however, has received less attention.
While 7-Eleven regularly unveils limited-time offers and specialty pies, its pizza program hasn’t generated the same buzz as some of its other food initiatives. That leaves room for 7-Eleven to make a bigger push with pizza, one of convenience retail’s most important prepared food categories.
7-Eleven’s spokesperson did not respond by press time to questions about what prompted the crust change, why the retailer decided to make the move now or whether consumer research informed the new recipe. However, they said the new crust “is part of 7-Eleven's ongoing commitment to enhancing its fresh food offerings and delivering an even better pizza experience for customers.”
“As pizza continues to be a key part of 7-Eleven's fresh food lineup, the brand is always looking for opportunities to elevate quality, flavor and value,” 7-Eleven’s spokesperson said. “The addition underscores 7-Eleven's focus on offering convenient, affordable and great-tasting food options across its stores nationwide.”
