With the aim to be at the “forefront of convenience”, 7-Eleven is trialling a new-format food store in Melbourne’s northwest. 
The recently opened 7-Eleven Melton South, on a main road through the Melbourne suburb of Melton, offers the Johnny’s Deli range of “quality deli style” sandwiches, heated to order, and an enhanced food offering including additional breakfast options, hot sides such as wedges and hashbrowns, salads and on-the-run lunch and dinner options.
Alongside this is 7-Eleven’s full convenience range of snacks, treats, drinks, fresh sandwiches, hot pastries, ready meals, sushi, and deli, dairy, bakery and grocery staples, as well as emergency top-up health and beauty items and other essentials.
7-Eleven Melton South also offers the self-serve beverages the retailer’s customers expect, including Slurpees, and hot drinks served from three machines, with a dedicated soy milk machine launching soon. Additionally, the store has the new 7-Eleven self-serve machine that makes 30-plus different blended drink options, including smoothies, frappes, lemonades and shakes.
On the forecourt are eight fully serviced fuel bowsers, gas bottles, ice and SodaStream refills.
A learning experience
7-Eleven General Manager Channel Fiona Hayes says 7-Eleven Melton South, one of the first trial stores for the Johnny’s Deli offer, is playing a “key role” in providing insight and feedback as the chain works to make changes to its food offer that put it at the “forefront of convenience” in Australia.
“This store is all about learning: learning about how each different customer base responds to the enhanced food offer and what needs to be adapted or considered to meet different dietary requirements to suit customers’ needs,” she said.
“The team is helping us understand the challenges and opportunities in our processes and systems as they work to deliver the service, range and in-store experience, as well as engage with customers and encourage them to try it for themselves.”
What’s next
The next step for this store, says Ms Hayes, is to “really double down” on customer connection and education.
“This store has huge potential to offer customers personalised value, rewards and payment solutions through increased uptake of the My 7-Eleven app, as well as a significant opportunity to build sales of the extended food offer,” she said.
“Given how new that offer is for 7-Eleven, and how unique it is to have an offer like this in the convenience channel, the next focus for the store will be on firmly establishing this store as a strong contender for quick, quality, value meals on the go in the local area.”
Read the article in the November issue of Convenience World.
