Brands With Heart: Small Food Brands Score Big with 7-Eleven

 
Convenience store chain 7-Eleven recently completed its fourth Brands With Heart program, a competition among up-and-coming brands to earn a spot among the store’s shelves. Not only is Brands With Heart a great way to stock the 7-Eleven shelves with a wider variety of products, but it paid tribute and drew attention to some great brands that are less well-known. The chain has its own private label brand for food and beverage, but still partners with brands across the country.

Jeff Lenard, VP of Strategic Industry Initiatives for the National Association of Convenience Stores, explains the “hybrid model” 7-Eleven subscribes to, and why it benefits convenience stores across the country.

Jeff’s Thoughts

“What 7-11 in a lot of convenience retailers are doing with these types of programs are, thinking of it more like a hybrid between their own products when you have a private label and what they might have when they’re working with traditional vendors, somewhat of a hybrid, where these are different types of brands that you may only be able to find in these stores.

The second point is looking at the sense of higher purpose and why does your beverage, why does your snack taste better than the competitions? When you tell that story around the sense of purpose, you’re able to differentiate yourself, and that’s something that we’re increasingly seeing convenience retailers do to differentiate themselves in the competition because when you’re in the convenience space and everyone is in the convenience space. You need to find a way to differentiate yourself. If the only other ways are based on location or based on price.”

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

workforce
How McDonald’s and Skilltrade Are Transforming Workforce Education for America’s Frontline Employees
October 9, 2025

Work is changing fast. Automation and artificial intelligence aren’t just reshaping how we work—they’re redefining who gets access to opportunity in the first place. With frontline workers making up a significant share of the American workforce—and one in eight Americans having worked at McDonald’s—the discussion about education, skills, and upward mobility feels more urgent than…

Read More
Career
How to Build a Purpose-Driven Career in the Age of AI and Acceleration
October 9, 2025

In a world reshaped by AI, global connectivity, and relentless technological advancement, the pace of disruption has never been greater. Careers are being reinvented as industries transform, and individuals everywhere are being challenged to find meaning, adaptability, and creativity in their professional paths. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 86% of…

Read More
youth
Fashion, Identity, and Digital Life Collide: Why Brands Must Listen, Collaborate, and Co-Create With the Next Generation of Youth
October 8, 2025

As the lines blur between fashion, identity, and digital life, brands are racing to understand how today’s youth are reshaping culture and commerce. Pacsun’s new Youth Report 2025, produced in partnership with GlobalData, offers one of the most detailed portraits yet of Gen Z and Gen Alpha—two generations united by self-expression but divided by…

Read More
talent
Grow Your Own Talent: How McDonald’s and Skilltrade Are Building a Culture of Lifelong Learning
October 7, 2025

The world of work is changing faster than ever. Automation is reshaping jobs, new technologies are rewriting what “qualified” means, and a new generation of workers is redefining what they expect from employers. From fast food to healthcare, companies are realizing they can’t just hire talent — they have to build it. They’re starting to…

Read More