7-Eleven expands private brand offerings with new sports drink

22 Aug 2019 --- Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is launching a new sports drink that contains no artificial sweeteners or high-fructose corn syrup. 7-Select Replenish contains 100 percent of the daily values of vitamins A, E, Niacin (B3), B5 and Pantothenic Acid (B6) per 12-ounce serving. This release comes as 7-Eleven continues to build its private brand beverage lineup.

The drinks are available exclusively at 7‑Eleven stores and are available in lemonade, orange mango, cucumber mint, and guava splash flavors. They are sweetened with stevia and real sugar, containing 15 grams of sugar and 60 calories per serving or 150 calories per 28-ounce bottle. Additionally, the drink contains sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium, while other national isotonic drinks may only contain two of these minerals that are lost during exercise.

The use of real sugar and stevia potentially allows the drinks to tap into the clean label and natural trend. Consumers are increasingly looking for recognizable ingredients and turning away from hard to pronounce ones. Innova Market Insights reports a 13 percent CAGR in food and beverage launches with a “clean label” claim (Global, 2013-2017). Products with this type of positioning accounted for 29 percent of global new food and beverage launches in 2017. However, 39 percent of consumers expect a natural product to be low in sugar.

Additionally, sugary drinks may increase the overall risk of cancer, according to a recent sugar study. “The deleterious impact of sugary drinks on cardio-metabolic health is well established. Sugary drinks are convincingly associated with the risk of obesity, which in turn, is recognized as a strong risk factor for many cancer sites,” Eloi Chazelas and Dr. Mathilde Touvier, Head of the EREN team and Principle Investigator of the NutriNet-Santé cohort, told NutritionInsight.

The rise of the private label
This launch is the latest in a series of 7-Eleven private label products. “As with all 7‑Eleven private brand products, we wanted to make sure our new sports drink would stand out in quality, taste, uniqueness and value,” says 7‑Eleven President and CEO Joe DePinto. “We benchmarked against the best and added differentiated attributes that we know our customers are seeking.”

7-Eleven says private label brand Quake already has a loyal following.A few weeks ago, stores added Quake performance energy drinks to their offerings, with the company saying that the line has already acquired a loyal following. Additionally, several varieties of 7-Select GO!Smart line of organic cold-pressed juices landed in the top ten of juices sold in a 20-ounce or smaller container category within months of launching. The range includes both single-ingredient fruit juices and fruit and vegetable blends.

7-Eleven entered the food private label territory in 2008, with its launch of 32 packaged snacks under the 7-Select brand – previously it had only carried nonfood items under its private brand. The snacks included cookies, candy, nuts, potato chips, beef jerky, trail mix and more.

Private label sales climbed steadily, with some products outselling competing name-brand products, the company notes. “7‑Eleven is one of the leading beverage retailers for a reason,” says Tim Cogil, 7‑Eleven senior director of private brands. “We listen to our customers, stay ahead of the latest trends and offer refreshing drinks you can’t find anywhere else.” 

Earlier this year, Brian Sharoff, President of the Private Label Manufacturer’s Association, told FoodIngredientsFirst how private label brands are better positioned to respond to trending categories, such as health and wellness, than A-brands. He also noted that private labels continue to penetrate global markets at high rates. 

This was echoed by Alexander Lichter, VP Sales EMEA at Symrise, who noted that private label brands are at the forefront of innovation and diversification. This is because retailers are able to explore interesting concepts and get them onto their shelves in a short time frame.

7-Eleven is continually testing numerous items in select stores around the country. Participating stores now carry hundreds of private-brand products. The company highlights how it seeks out items that “meet strict criteria for unmatched quality, unique flavors, better-for-you ingredients and extraordinary value.”

By Katherine Durrell