DALLAS - 7-Eleven has added two new premium sandwiches: the Steakhouse Roast Beef and Bistro Deluxe. During March, consumers have an added incentive to buy the sandwiches: a free 16-ounce bottled Pepsi drink with purchase.

The introduction continues 7-Eleven stores?? march toward a more fresh-foods-focused product mix to compete not only with other food retailers but also with quick-serve restaurants. The two new flavorful sandwiches feature prime deli meats, fresh produce, specially blended spreads and premium breads. 7-Eleven's Fresh To Go sandwiches are made with fresh ingredients each day in local FDA-inspected kitchens and delivered fresh daily to participating stores.

"Eating on the go or buying food to eat later are trends that are here to stay, but people are less willing to give up quality for convenience, nor should they," said Kelly Buckley, 7-Eleven vice president of fresh food innovation, in a press release. "At 7-Eleven, we have broadened our menu appeal for customers who want a premium, deli shop-quality sandwich. The Steakhouse Roast Beef and Bistro Deluxe sandwiches follow current food trends for top-quality ingredients with an unexpected flavor twist."

Besides the new sandwiches, salads and snacks in the deli case, the chain freshened its graphics, which now feature a contemporary, dot-grid pattern in shades of lime green on sturdy, clear plastic packaging. The new sandwich graphics are the first step toward a storewide overhaul of packaging to call attention to the quality of 7-Eleven's prepared foods and beverages. The retailer worked closely with a color consultant to develop a pallet of hues that has been shown to appeal to Millennial consumers.

"The packaging serves as the stage for the food and needs to convey freshness, quality and the 7 Eleven brand image," Buckley said. "It also needs to make the food easy to eat on the go. We have added a packaging engineer to our staff who worked closely with our marketing agency and a graphic designer to create the new look."