Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd., 7-Eleven’s parent company, has entered 2026 with a renewed focus on global growth, customer value and organizational transformation, President and CEO Stephen Hayes Dacus said in a New Year’s address to employees Monday. Here's what 7-Eleven is looking at for the new year.
Growth priorities
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, Dacus said Seven & i will focus on four priorities to accelerate global growth: delivering value that exceeds customer expectations; strengthening digital convenience and the last-mile experience; and advancing food leadership; and controlling costs.
“Our objective is to be the customer’s first choice for convenience—anywhere, anytime,” he said, adding that maintaining a strong customer perspective will be critical to achieving that goal.
Dacus also reaffirmed the importance of the company’s founding principles of “trust and sincerity” and “embracing change,” saying they remain central to addressing societal issues through business and achieving sustainable growth.
Operating environment
Dacus noted that inflationary pressures remain elevated worldwide, making customers increasingly value conscious as they balance rising prices with everyday needs. He also cited ongoing geopolitical risks and increase of natural disasters as challenges facing global companies.
“Natural disasters are increasing in both frequency and severity, affecting not only our stores but also the communities we serve and are a part of,” he said.
Against this backdrop, Dacus said the company’s product development capabilities, extensive store network and partnerships with franchise owners and business partners remain key strengths. He emphasized that employee engagement with customers is the company’s greatest competitive advantage.
Embracing change
Dacus described 2026 as a turning point for the company.
“Embracing change means anticipating what’s next, getting ahead of customers and creating new experiences,” he said. “This is how 7-Eleven became what it is today. And this is how we will define the next chapter of our history.”
He concluded by emphasizing that “we are redefining what it means to be 7-Eleven as a global brand and driving the cultural transformation needed to accelerate our global growth.”
7-Eleven closed out 2025 with historic leadership changes as longtime CEO Joe DePinto retired after more than two decades at the helm. 7-Eleven President Stan Reynolds and Executive Vice President and COO Doug Rosencrans now serve as interim co-CEOs while the company’s board of directors and an executive search firm identify DePinto’s successor.
- 7-Eleven is No. 1 on CSP’s 2025 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by store count.
7-Eleven—known for its Slurpee, Big Bite and Big Gulp brands—operates, franchises or licenses more than 13,000 stores in the United States and Canada. In addition to 7-Eleven, the company operates and franchises Speedway and Stripes c-stores and the Laredo Taco Company, and Raise the Roost Chicken and Biscuits restaurant brands.
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