7-Eleven debuts Faygo Rock & Rye Slurpee at Michigan, Ohio locations
Dallas-based 7‑Eleven said it introduced the Faygo Rock & Rye Slurpee drink, the second Slurpee flavor inspired by one of the most popular flavors of Michigan’s Faygo Beverages Inc., a regional “pop” company. The new Slurpee flavor is available at approximately 300 7‑Eleven stores in Michigan and Ohio.
“Thanks to the outpouring of suggestions from Faygo fans and our partners at 7‑Eleven, Rock & Rye just got a lot cooler,” said Al Chittaro, executive vice president of Faygo Beverages. “For over 100 years, it’s been Faygo’s pleasure to give the people what they want, and when Redpop Slurpee drinks were introduced, Faygo fans made it very clear that Rock & Rye was the overwhelming favorite to be the next Slurpee flavor.”
7‑Eleven introduced the Slurpee drink in 1966 and estimates that more than 13 million Slurpee drinks are currently sold every month in the United States. 7‑Eleven stores in the greater Detroit area sell more Slurpee beverages than any other 7‑Eleven market in the United States, the retailer noted, making the region an ideal location to bring together the frozen treat and two of the Midwest’s most iconic flavors.
“We want to bring our customers the local products they love and grew up with,” said Nancy Smith, 7‑Eleven's senior vice president of fresh foods and proprietary beverages. “Rock & Rye is a long-standing hometown favorite in Michigan and Ohio. We saw our fans on social media telling us they wanted more, and we worked with the team at Faygo to give our Slurpee customers more of what they love.”
Rock & Rye was introduced in 1924, a popular addition to the original soda flavors concocted more than 100 years ago by Detroit-based Faygo Beverages, then known as Feigenson Brothers Bottling Works. Trained as bakers, Ben and Perry Feigenson applied their skill with frosting flavors to sweeten bottled soda water, 7-Eleven said. They delivered their freshly made sodas to local residents from a horse-drawn carriage on the streets of Detroit. The brothers are often credited with coining the term “pop” as a synonym for “soda,” based on the sound their bottles made when opened.
Faygo fans are invited to post their Rock & Rye and Redpop Slurpee selfies on Twitter using #FaygoSlurpee, or at www.facebook.com/faygo, www.facebook.com/Slurpee, https://instagram.com/faygo and https://instagramcom/Slurpee.