7-Eleven Enters Heat & Eat Meal Business

IRVING, Texas — 7-Eleven Inc. is turning up the heat on its prepared food program as more Americans turn to at-home recipe kits and restaurants’ prepared foods.

The convenience store operator is rolling out 15 new locally made, chef-inspired heat-and-eat meals. The convenient restaurant-quality meal solutions were created with inspiration from Italian, hometyle, Asian and Mexican recipes.

Prepared in local kitchens and delivered daily to participating locations in select markets, the on-the-go options are available in the refrigerated case for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meals can be heated at the store for immediate consumption or taken to-go for a suggested retail price of $3.99-$4.99.

The heat-and-eat meal options available may vary by store. Selections include:

Italian

• Chicken Parmesan: Signature breaded chicken filet on a bed of penne pasta, topped with California marinara and aged Parmesan cheese.
• Creamy Chicken Alfredo: Grilled white meat chicken with creamy Alfredo sauce and parmesan cheese served over penne pasta.
• Cheesy Tortellini: Four-cheese tortellini topped with creamy Alfredo sauce and aged parmesan cheese.
• Cheese Lasagna with Meat Sauce: Hand-rolled pasta filled with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, traditional Italian-style meat sauce and a blend of Italian-style cheeses.
• Spaghetti Bolognese: Spaghetti noodles topped with an authentic Italian-style seasoned meat sauce and shredded parmesan cheese.
   

Homestyle

• Macaroni and Cheese: Cavatappi noodles coated in a blend of five cream cheeses and topped with cheddar cheese and seasoned breadcrumbs.
• Homestyle Turkey Chili: Homestyle chili made from ground turkey, black beans, ripe tomatoes, red bell peppers, onions and celery in an ancho chile pepper puree.
   

Asian

• Asian-style Beef and Broccoli Bowl: Premium steak cuts on a bed of long grain white rice, served with broccoli, roasted red peppers and a teriyaki glaze.
   

Mexican

• Beef Enchiladas with Rice: Traditional hand-rolled enchiladas filled with slow-simmered crumbled beef, smothered in a rich pasilla guajillo pepper sauce and topped with a blend of Mexican cheeses.
• Chipotle Chicken Bowl: Shredded chicken seasoned with crushed tomatoes and onions, served with rice, vegetables and ranchero beans, and topped with cheddar cheese.
• Deluxe Verde Chicken Enchiladas with Rice: Hand-rolled enchiladas, stuffed with poblano pepper-seasoned shredded chicken, covered with spicy tomatillo sauce and finished with authentic queso fresco cheese.
   

Starting Sept. 25, 7-Eleven will also launch heat-and-eat breakfast bowls. Varieties include:

• Chipotle Steak and Egg Bowl: Roasted potatoes topped with poblano queso sauce, scrambled eggs, chipotle-seasoned beef, fire-roasted peppers and onions, and shredded cheddar cheese.
• Mile High Breakfast Bowl: Roasted potatoes topped with poblano queso sauce, scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage crumble, diced ham, fire-roasted peppers and onions, and shredded cheddar cheese.
• Early Riser Scrambler Bowl: Rice topped with turkey chili, scrambled eggs, shredded cheddar cheese and pico de gallo.
   

“With these chef-inspired entrees, 7‑Eleven can provide busy individuals and families with a delicious, premium-quality, whole-meal solution in one stop,” said Kelly Buckley, 7‑Eleven vice president of fresh food innovation. “You can add a salad, beverage and dessert.

“The creamy mac and cheese is particularly kid-friendly and pairs well with chicken tenders and a cup of fresh-cut fruit. We want to take the hassle out of meal time with a variety of options and without giving up quality. There is something for everyone,” she added.

According to the company, when developing new recipes for its fresh-foods menu, 7‑Eleven benchmarks the ingredients and flavor profiles against restaurant-quality offerings. The new entrees and bowls are prepared in local kitchens using premium-quality ingredients and delivered daily to stores.

The locally made meals add to 7‑Eleven’s growing prepared-food offerings, which now stand at more than 300 items, including grab-and-go cheeseburgers and breaded chicken sandwiches, pizza slices and whole pizzas, chicken tenders, and chicken wings.

“Dining occasions are evolving from traditional meals and mealtimes. Younger demographic groups, in particular, are constantly snacking throughout the day vs. eating three traditional meals. As a 24-hour operator, 7‑Eleven has a wide variety of hot and fresh foods that can be purchased and eaten any time,” Buckley said.

According to the executive, the 7-Eleven fresh-food-innovation team has responded to these changes with a menu that appeals to around-the-clock dining needs.

“7‑Eleven has always been a hot spot for snacks and drinks. Now, whatever you’re craving for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack, 7‑Eleven has it. If someone wants a breakfast bowl for dinner, we’ve got it. If you want pizza and fruit or a burger and a protein snack pack, you don’t have to go to two places to get it. Hearty, healthy, heavy or light — our mission is to have a selection of delicious foods at all hours of the day,” she commented.

For a limited time, coupons for one locally made heat-and-eat meal will be available on the 7‑Eleven website and through digital advertising on Facebook, YouTube, TubeMogul, Pandora and TuneIn.

Irving-based 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 60,000 stores in 17 countries, including 10,700 in North America.