7-Eleven names 26 emerging brands for 2026 Brands with Heart showcase

IRVING, Texas — 7‑Eleven, Inc. has selected 26 emerging brands to participate in its 2026 Brands with Heart™ showcase, a program designed to spotlight innovation and help early-stage consumer brands unlock new retail opportunities across the company’s U.S. convenience network.

Now in its seventh year, Brands with Heart connects founders with potential pathways to expanded distribution across 7-Eleven®, Speedway® and Stripes® locations. The 2026 cohort was chosen from more than 700 applicants following a competitive review led by the retailer’s 7-Ventures & Emerging Brands team.

Finalists took part in virtual preparation sessions ahead of the in-person showcase at the 7-Eleven Store Support Center in Irving, Texas. During the event, founders sampled products with category teams, participated in one-on-one pitch meetings and joined educational discussions focused on merchandising strategy and scaling within convenience retail.

Following the showcase, select participants will be invited to launch regional in-store tests beginning in the first half of the year to further assess 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. “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.”

The 2026 class reflects a wide range of differentiation, including functional ingredients, distinctive formulations, packaging innovation and strong brand storytelling. Standout concepts include Focus Fuel’s energy gummies, Hormbles Chrombles’ high-protein, zero-sugar candy bars and Smash Foods’ superfood protein bites.

2026 Brands with Heart participants include:

• Bum Energy
• COBA
• Flerish Hydration
• Focus Fuel
• G2G Bar
• GoMacro
• Good Candy
• Gorilla Mind
• Hormbles Chrombles
• Incredifulls Pizza Cupcake
• Life Raft Treats
• Loco Coffee
• Loom Brands
• Low and Slow Snacks
• Nantucket Crisp
• Noka
• Nutcase Milk
• Popcrunch
• Shameless
• Slate
• Smash Foods
• So Good So You
• The Anabar
• The Only Bean
• Toom
• YAW Snacks