Convenience Store News' 2019 Technology Leader of the Year Is...

IRVING, Texas — No one can accuse 7-Eleven Inc. of standing still. From continually adding to its 7-Select private label product offering to hosting an open house to find emerging brands that will fit perfectly into its customer offer, the convenience store chain has been at the forefront of innovation in the industry.

And this extends to the technology realm as well. For its willingness to push the envelope when it comes to technology, Convenience Store News has selected 7-Eleven as its 2019 Technology Leader of the Year. This annual award goes to a technology leader (individual or company) who not only contributes to the success of their organization, but also to the advancement and growth of the convenience store industry as a whole.

The Irving-based retailer's recent tech highlights include:

• The addition of 7NOW Pins to its 7NOW delivery app. The proprietary technology allows customers to receive deliveries where it's convenient for them, from parks and beaches to sports fields and entertainment venues;
• The Mobile Checkout platform, which grew out of a test of a Scan & Pay checkout platform in Dallas. The frictionless shopping experience lets customers skip the checkout and pay for their purchases using the 7-Eleven app. 
• The continued expansion of its payment options to now include Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay; and
• The use of augmented reality (AR) promotions, such as the "Field Goal Challenge" AR experience with Dr Pepper to kick off football season. 

CSNews will honor 7-Eleven at the 2019 Convenience Store News Technology Leadership Roundtable & Dinner, being held at the CNN Center in Atlanta on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The program will kick off at 6 p.m. with a reception and tour of CNN's world headquarters, followed by dinner and a moderated roundtable discussion on emerging technologies that are reshaping the face of convenience retailing.

The event's after-dinner speaker is Greg Parker, founder, chairman and CEO of Parker's Convenience, based in Savannah, Ga. In addition to being one of the c-store industry's most progressive retailers, Parker is a past winner of the CSNews Technology Leader of the Year award (2013) and Foodservice Leader of the Year award (2018).