How Mini Melts Launched a Slurpee Flavor at 7-Eleven

What’s new: Beaded ice cream brand Mini Melts, in the midst of a brand refresh and retail expansion, was looking to reach 7-Eleven shoppers with a tried-and-true tactic: a new SKU based on the convenience store chain’s beloved Slurpee drink.

What we saw: Header cards on Mini Melts touted the exclusive Blue Raz Slurpee flavor that launched across 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes this summer. The headers appeared on Mini Melts’ wood-patterned coolers and the new brightly colored displays the brand rolled out in June as part of the refresh.

Additional support: Mini Melts plugged the launch on Facebook and Instagram. The brand ran an Instagram sweepstakes from July 7-24 awarding one winner $600 worth of gift cards and merchandise.

Where shoppers get value: 7-Eleven regularly collaborates with major brands for exclusive products linked to Slurpee as a way to appeal to its novelty-seeking shoppers and build trips and incremental sales. The retailer partnered with Hershey Co. to sell a Shaq-A-Licious XL Sour Pineapple Slurpee based on the gummy candies in March and teamed up with Blue Diamond Growers on cherry Slurpee-flavored almonds that were released in May.

"At 7-Eleven, we’re all about thinking outside of the box with our Slurpee drink flavors and products, mixing up bold and unexpected combos that keep our fans coming back for their next brain-freezing adventure," Jasmeet Chawla, 7-Eleven senior vice president of merchandising (center of store and services), said in a statement. "The new Mini Melts Slurpee Blue Raz helps us craft an unforgettable treat that fuses the icy refreshment of the Slurpee drink with the fun, creamy indulgence of beaded ice cream."

More context: Mini Melts is working to bolster its presence at convenience stores. The brand struck a deal in March to add coolers to nearly 300 Royal Farms stores across the Mid-Atlantic region.