The distribution will begin with about 275 stores, and product is expected to hit the shelves Friday, December 11.
Lifeway has also [image-nocss] developed an aggressive in-store marketing campaign to educate consumers to the benefits of probiotics and Kefir, it said. This marketing campaign will include devices such as shelf talkers, in-store promotional advertising and other marketing materials at the point of sale.
This is another avenue for Lifeway Foods to reach the masses offering convenient locations to purchase Kefir and other healthy products throughout the greater Chicagoland area, it added.
Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway, said, "We are very excited by our first major entry into this new convenience store distribution channel. We hope that following the successful launch in the Chicagoland area, we can expand the convenience store distribution nationwide starting in mid 2010."
Morton Grove, Ill.-based Lifeway produces 12 different flavors of its drinkable Kefir and Organic Kefir beverage, and it recently introduced a series of innovative new products such as a children's line of Organic Kefir products called ProBugs, with a no-spill pouch and kid-friendly flavors like Orange Creamy Crawler, Goo Berry Pie and Sublime Slime Lime. In addition to its line of Kefir products, the company produces a variety of probiotic cheese products and a line of products marketed in U.S. Hispanic communities called La Fruta Drinkable Yogurt (yogurt drinks distinct from Kefir).
Dallas-based 7-Eleven operates, franchises and licenses more than 6,300 U.S. stores under the 7-Eleven brand, approximately 7,900 in North America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises, or licenses approximately 36,900 stores in 15 countries. During 2008, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $53.7 billion.
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