Industry News

TOKYO — The future of Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd., the parent company of 7-Eleven Inc., is a bright one — but one that will also see some changes, according to newly appointed CEO Stephen Hayes Dacus. The first foreign leader of the company shared some of his priorities and the path forward during Seven & i’s recent earnings call for fiscal year 2024. “7-Eleven is an iconic brand, and it’s the leading convenience brand in both North America and Japan. We got here in part, because our team are great merchants and innovators,” Dacus said. “Our team are humble, and they’re focused on delighting our customers. That customer focus is directly responsible for our culture of innovation.” The innovation that 7-Eleven’s merchants and operators bring to its stores is the company’s biggest competitive advantage, according to Dacus. He also highlighted the retailer’s franchisee network, and the systems and organizations that…

British oil and gas supermajor BP says it is adding a “tap and charge” feature to its BP Plus platform that will allow fleet customers to recharge their electric vehicles (EVs) with the company’s charging business, BP Pulse. With the introduction of a ‘tap and charge’ feature, the BP Plus card will now also allow fleet EV drivers to charge at BP Pulse charging stations across the country. Fleets will also be able to track fuel and EV usage together. “Mobility is changing and we’re supporting our customers wherever we can,” said Paul Augé, senior vice president for BP Australia and New Zealand. “As the number of EVs grow in fleets we want to make sure our customers’ experience at bp is easy. “Every fleet is different. We’re seeing some customers who have transitioned most of their fleet vehicles to EVs and others who are just getting started.” BP has…

New partnership makes cult-favourite donuts available across the east coast and beyond. Daniel’s Donuts and 7-Eleven have today announced a new partnership that will see the much-loved Victorian donut brand stocked in 7-Eleven stores across Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia. Rolling out from April, this collaboration marks an exciting new chapter for both businesses. For Daniel’s Donuts, it’s a significant milestone in their journey from a single suburban bakery to a beloved brand with national appeal. For 7-Eleven, the partnership reinforces its commitment to providing customers with quality, convenient food — and securing its position as the go-to P&C destination for donuts and sweet treats. From its origins in Springvale, Daniel’s Donuts has generated a loyal following thanks to its signature flavours and dedication to quality. Now, customers will be able to pick up their favourites at 7-Eleven stores across the country as the…

Hidden cabinets, secret compartments and vacuum cleaners are being used to conceal illicit tobacco and vapes in retail stores. This is all in an effort to evade detection by the state’s centralised compliance team. The team was formed in June last year with a sole focus of ensuring retailers comply with the smoking product supply laws in Queensland. The team supports Public Health Units across Queensland to scale up and increase inspections of smoking product retailers. Dubbed “the Flying Squad”, the team is made up of a diverse group of former police officers, Border Force officials and senior environmental health officers from across Australia. Compliance team leader Kirsty said the team are incredibly skilled in identifying non-compliant business owners and intercepting illegal products. “These illegal operators try to make it a difficult task for us to track them down,” Kirsty said. We are always working to piece together the jigsaw…

Detectives from the VIPER Taskforce executed warrants at 12 tobacco stores across Melbourne last week as part of the ongoing investigation by Taskforce Lunar into organised crime syndicates linked to the illicit tobacco trade. Members of the taskforce were joined at the warrants from 7–11 April by representatives from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), who also executed warrants at the stores. Police attended 12 stores, which they will allege are linked to two of the organised crime syndicates involved, in Altona Meadows, Truganina, Craigieburn, Broadmeadows, Tullamarine, Mill Park, Bundoora, Weir Views, Watsonia, Altona North, Prahran and Hawthorn. As a result, the following was seized: Fourteen people were arrested and interviewed in relation to the offences of possess tobacco and possess proceeds of crime. They are expected to be charged on summons. Detectives from the VIPER Taskforce ran the same operation from 21 November – 2 December, 2024,…

The retailer also expects to roughly double the number of stores that include a QSR, from 1,080 to 2,100, as it gears up for a 2026 IPO. Dive Insight: 7-Eleven’s plan to open 1,300 new stores through 2030 comes about six months after sharing that it would open 600 stores over four years, including 500 between 2025 and 2027. The 2030 target shows that 7-Eleven intends to ramp up annual store openings, and it has already increased the number of store openings planned for the next three years from 500 to 550. The 1,300 goal would represent about 10% of the 12,963 stores 7-Eleven had in North America in February. It’s also more stores than all but four of its c-store competitors have in their entire networks, according to the NACS top 100. It’s unclear if this will increase 7-Eleven’s overall store count, since the company also plans to close some underperforming…