7-Eleven: There is a ton of white space out there
Next, 7-Eleven senior director, merchandising, Tom Burkemper, said that nationally, 60-70 new items were launched in the non-alcoholic beverages category in 2014, 14 of which joined the ranks of the top 200 products that drive 75% of the growth in the category. Collectively, those 14 new brands generated more than $100m in sales and nearly 50% of the growth in the category, he said.
Around 25-30% of the products in the non-alcoholic beverage category in 7-Eleven have some kind of functional benefit, he added, noting that many brands have found that 7-Eleven can be a great incubator for new brands. Red Bull, for example, teamed up with 7-Eleven to launch its limited edition tropical 'Summer edition' energy drink in a bright yellow can in 2014, and found it was such a success that it decided to roll it out nationally this year, he added.
"There is a ton of white space out there."
