A new Slurpee Lite drink is in town, and it’s the first glacéau vitaminwater Chill carried by 7-Eleven stores.
The first featured flavor launched by 7-Eleven and glacéau is Blueberry Lavender. The periwinkle blue-colored frozen drink is naturally flavored, contains no sugar and has 20 calories per 8-oz. serving.
“Botanical extracts really complement fruit flavors and have been popular ingredients in desserts, high-end chocolates and mixed drinks in the last few years,” said Jacob Barnes, 7-Eleven proprietary beverages director. “We wanted to be on the leading edge of the botanical beverage trend as they gain in popularity and mainstream acceptance. The Blueberry Lavender vitaminwater Chill is really big on flavor for such a low-calorie content. It’s ideal for someone who loves Slurpee drinks, but may be looking for a lighter alternative.”
Floral and botanical flavors show up on multiple 2019 food trend lists. As consumers seek more complex flavor profiles, they are predicted to continue to grow in popularity. Pairing florals, herbals and botanicals with berries also has been cited as popular taste combinations, especially among millennials looking for ways to cut sugar without sacrificing flavor.
Glacéau vitaminwater is a top seller in the non-carbonated, flavored water category. The new blueberry lavender Slurpee Lite flavor echoes the newest bottled vitaminwater flavor, the ice side of a “Fire and Ice” flavor rollout. The vitaminwater fire flavor is spicy watermelon-lime. Both are available at participating 7-Eleven stores.
Based in Irving, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 68,000 stores in 17 countries, including 11,800 in North America. Known for its iconic brands such as Slurpee, Big Bite and Big Gulp, 7-Eleven has expanded into high-quality salads, side dishes, cut fruit and protein boxes, as well as pizza, chicken wings, cheeseburgers and hot chicken sandwiches.
