Editor’s Note: The below news items were initially reported in the Insider version of the Brewbound Newsletter between August 7-8. Become an Insider today to get earlier access to what’s going on in the industry.
7-Eleven Plots Expansion
7-Eleven parent company Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd. has unveiled a plan to open 1,300 new, larger stores in the U.S. by 2030, according to a press release.
The expansion effort follows an abandoned attempt to acquire Seven & i by rival convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard, the Canadian company that owns Circle K. Couche-Tard submitted several bids last year to acquire Seven & i, which rejected them all. The company announced last month it had withdrawn all proposals, citing a “lack of constructive engagement” from its target.
7-Eleven operates nearly 85,000 stores globally, according to its website. The chain has almost 10,000 locations in the U.S., according to LocationsCloud.
In the 52-week period ending July 13, the convenience channel accounted for 56.2% of all off-premise beer category dollars tracked by market research firm Circana. Beer category dollar sales reached $25.266 billion in the period, nearly double grocery channel sales ($13.061 billion.)
GABF Tix Now on Sale
Tickets for the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) are on sale now. The event takes place across three sessions October 9-11 in Denver.
After retooling the event last year to add more experiences, the 2025 edition of GABF will lean into distilling, featuring a “Distilling Experience,” full-strength spirits from 20 distilleries being served on the floor. In addition to beer and spirits, GABF will include pours of cider, hard kombucha, hard seltzers, hard tea, RTDs and NA offerings.
Themed areas will return for a second consecutive year. They include a German biergarten (Prost), sports area (Score), Halloween (Fright), outer space (Blast Off), a backyard (Chill) and spot to “Meet the Brewer” – the same themes from 2024.
Find out more about this year’s fest here.
Resident Culture Shutters Satellite Taproom
Resident Culture Brewing (Charlotte, North Carolina) has closed its brewery and taproom in the city’s South End, it announced on social media this week.
“We’re endlessly thankful to everyone who showed up, supported us, danced, dined, and raised a glass with us,” the brewery wrote. “You made this place more than a location – you made it an unforgettable memory.”
Resident Culture opened the taproom in early 2022. In addition to serving beer, the location also offered coffee service and event rentals.
In the Instagram post announcing the closure, Resident Culture thanked the location’s staff and encouraged other local businesses to hire them.
“If you’re hiring in the hospitality world, please reach out,” Resident Culture wrote. “We have extraordinary people looking for their next opportunity, and we’d love to connect you.”
The brewery’s original location in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood and its bar in The Market at 7th Street, a food hall, remain open.
Resident Culture produced 2,835 barrels of beer in 2024, according to the BA.