7-Eleven Frozen Pizza Review
A few years back, 7-Eleven made some rather dramatic decisions – to go into the hot, ready to eat food business and to replace many of the standard shelf offerings with house brand merchandise ( 7-Select).
Both moves appear to have been very successful.
With a history that dates back to the 1920s, and originally named the “Tote ‘m Stores,” the company which had started as an ice retailer, added items and stores until changing their name to 7-Eleven in 1946. Continued growth through the next few decades showed success but also added huge amounts of debt to the company, and in 1990, entered a pre-packaged bankruptcy during which 70% of the company was spun off to Japanese retail giant Ito-Yokado.
Today there are 64,000 stores in 18 countries. Think there are a lot of them in your town? Tokyo has 2,600!
The addition of the hot food came around 10 years ago (not including roller grill foods, which debuted earlier), and it was a store-elective, as in order
Grab and go food counter
to be competitive, outlets were required to purchase Turbo Chef ovens (retail between $7-$10,000) which can cook a frozen pizza in 90 seconds. Pizza was followed by baked snack offerings like wings and tenders.
Pizzas are sold by the slice or whole and with promotional prices as low as $5 for an entire pie.
The pies are also available in the frozen foods cooler, competing with national brands. There are (that I have seen) three varieties, Supreme, Pepperoni, and Cheese. These retail for between $5-6.
They are a “medium” thick crust pizza and are reminiscent of brands like Tony’s, and Red Baron, which shouldn’t be surprising, as the frozen pizzas are manufactured for 7-Eleven at a Schwan’s plant. The plant (pictured below) is in Sydney, OH, about 60 miles NW of Columbus.
It’s a mass appeal product, nothing too extreme in flavors, but if you’re paying around $5, it’s a good value.
I’ve only had them a couple of times, in both incidences, I distinctly remember occurring because I was too lazy to go into a big grocery. I guess that is one thing 7-Eleven is counting on.
Aoubt 15 minutes at 425 and they are ready to go. Other house brand products I’ve tried in the past, include the meat snacks (their version of a Slim Jim), heat and eat burgers, and fresh sandwiches (which at least in the Pacific NW are made by Lufthansa’s catering division in Seattle).
If you’re outside of the U.S. in one of those 18 countries that 7-Eleven has stores, take a peek in one, they have some fun stuff. Particularly in Asia! The Japanese parent has some marvelous department stores across Asia as well, operating under the names of Seibu and Sogo. (The Sogo in Hong Kong has an amazing food court/grocery on the lower level).
Packaging
Out of box
After baking (and re-arranging toppings!)
Sydney, Ohio Factory
7-Eleven Frozen Pizza Review
7-Eleven Frozen Pizza Review