IRVING, Texas, USA – 7-Eleven, Inc. named 26 emerging brands to participate in its 2026 Brands with Heart
showcase, an initiative that celebrates innovation and the next generation of consumer products. Entering its seventh year, the program connects early-stage brands with new retail opportunities and offers the potential for expanded distribution across 7-Eleven®, Speedway® and Stripes® locations throughout the United States.
The 2026 participants were selected from a pool of more than 700 applicants through a competitive review process led by the retailer’s 7-Ventures & Emerging Brands team. This year’s cohort reflects the company’s continued focus on brands that offer clear differentiation and strong consumer appeal.
Leading up to the Brands with Heart showcase, finalists joined a series of virtual sessions to gain insights into 7-Eleven’s retail ecosystem. During the showcase, held at the 7-Eleven Store Support Center in Irving, Texas, founders had the opportunity to have their products sampled, participated in one-on-one pitch meetings with category teams and engaged in educational discussions focused on merchandising strategy and scaling within convenience retail.
Following the showcase, select Brands with Heart participants will be invited to launch regional in-store tests beginning in the first half of the year, providing an opportunity to further evaluate performance and consumer response.
“At 7-Eleven, we see emerging brands as a key driver of what’s next in convenience retail,” said Jesus Delgado-Jenkins, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer at 7-Eleven. “Programs like Brands with Heart allow us to partner with entrepreneurs who are rethinking products and business models in ways that resonate with today’s customers.”
Each brand selected for the 2026 program brings a clear sense of differentiation, whether through functional ingredients, unique formulations, packaging innovation or brand storytelling – helping them stand out in a crowded marketplace.
The post 7-Eleven selects purpose-led emerging brands for 2026 Brands with Heart Showcase appeared first on Comunicaffe International.
