7-Eleven outlets made over to shake up convenience-store arena

Singapore

YOUR neighbourhood 7-Eleven store will be getting a makeover. For starters, it could be up to 1.3 times larger than existing stores - about 800 sq ft, or nearly the size of a badminton court.

It is where you could pick up a freshly-prepared meal, take a seat or even meet friends.

These are among the ways the country's largest convenience store chain is keeping up with disruption - by being a disruptor itself - even as the incumbent in a traditional, now-ubiquitous business.

Steven Lye, chief operating officer for 7-Eleven Singapore, made no bones about this in a recent interview with The Business Times.

The chain intends to do this by emulating aspects of the Japanese convenience stores, which are known to be "top notch", by stocking premium products, introducing seating areas, and creating an entirely new range of fresh-chilled, ready-to-eat meals delivered to the store daily. This is quite…