7-Eleven's Coffee Program Celebrates a Milestone

IRVING, Texas — 7-Eleven Inc.'s coffee program reached another milestone: With the introduction of El Salvador Bourbon Single Origin coffee, the convenience store retailer now brews more than half of its coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified beans.

The latest premium brew in its Seven Reserve line of specially curated coffees is the first to be sourced directly from independent family farmers and the seventh to carry the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal.

The 7-Eleven coffee team hand-selected these flavorful coffee beans from Tacubaya Estate Coffee Farms, an eight-generation family farm located in the highlands of El Salvador.

"This single-origin coffee is a true 'farm-to-cup' experience that coffee-lovers can only get at 7-Eleven stores," said Michelle Cram, 7-Eleven senior platform manager for hot beverages. "El Salvador Bourbon also celebrates a unique time in 7-Eleven history, as we have completed a direct trade by meeting with the coffee farmers. We worked closely with our roasting partners to identify the ideal roast level for this specific bean to ensure we were offering our coffee customers the absolute best cup possible."

Available at participating 7-Eleven stores, the new El Salvador Bourbon coffee has a subtle orange blossom aroma and a well-balanced flavor with a sweet citrus zest and rich caramel finish. A medium roast highlights the distinctive tasting notes, the retailer noted.

Bourbon refers to a coffee varietal grown in El Salvador that produces high-quality Arabica beans with a smooth and distinctive taste. After disease devastated the country's coffee production, many local farmers planted Bourbon coffee cherry trees to replace the lost crops and have helped the country regain much of its coffee yields.

7-Eleven continues to grow its portfolio of sustainable coffees, which now account for well over half of its green coffee purchases, the retailer reported. Since 2016, 7-Eleven has introduced Rainforest Alliance Certified from Nicaragua, Mexico, Peru, Sumatra, Colombia, as well as an African blend from Ethiopia and Rwanda, as Convenience Store News previously reported. Single-origin 100 percent Colombian Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee is now a permanent offering and top-seller on the hot beverage bar.

International nonprofit Rainforest Alliance seeks to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods. Carrying the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal with the little green frog means the 100 percent Arabica beans are sourced from coffee-growers whose farms must meet strict standards designed to protect the environment, conserve wildlife and promote the well-being of local communities.

"We know our customers care about coffee crops that are responsibly grown and sourced from small farms," Cram said. "7-Eleven coffee-drinkers recognize great quality and taste, and the premium Rainforest Alliance Certified coffees have become some of our most sought-after hot beverages."

Based in Irving, 7‑Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 69,000 stores in 17 countries, including 11,800 in North America.