Expert Take on 7-Eleven’s Food-Forward Pivot

7-Eleven is undergoing a strategic shift by expanding its fresh-prepared food offerings and modernizing its stores. This pivot aims to counter declining sales in traditional categories like fuel and tobacco by focusing on higher-margin food items and mimicking its food-forward experiential strategy in Japan. This also aligns with a consumer trend, as a recent report indicated roughly 23 percent of shoppers purchase fresh prepared items from convenience stores.

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine reached out to Craig Miller, expert legacy business strategist and former Sonic Drive-In CIO,  for a deeper dive into the strategy, which he says is a necessity.

“The distinction between convenience, fast food, and grocery is fading," said said Miller. "C-stores aim to capture share of food spending traditionally held by restaurants and delis. As traditional drivers such as  tobacco and fuel face pressure or declining margins, convenience chains see fresh prepared food as a…