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Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 17:50:13 GMT
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Thanks to 7-Eleven Program

CONTACT: Corporate Communications, 7-Eleven Stores
(214) 828-7345
Slurpee -- the Coolest Drink on Earth Just Got Cooler!
Brainfreeze Straw - The Tool for Cool
DALLAS, July 21, 1997 -- Now Slurpee connoisseurs can lap up their tasty
semi-frozen libations with the latest Slurpee gadget -- the Brainfreeze
straw -- available this month only at 7-Eleven for 79 cents with any
Slurpee purchase. The straw comes in three bright colors and changes
color when an icy cold Slurpee or other frigid liquid is slurped through
it.
Designed to resemble a brain inside an ice cube with two eyes peering
out, there's a spoon at the end to scoop up the very last drop of Slurpee.
In the United States alone, five billion Slurpees have been slurped since
the product's inception in 1966 -- enough to circle the Earth almost eight
times.
"Not only is Slurpee a global presence, it's also timeless," said Alan
Beach, Doctor of Slurpology and Slurpee category manager.
"Slurpee is perennially 'cool' for all ages."
Beach says while the average age of a Slurpee customer is 29, a number of
adults who grew up with Slurpee are now purchasing the semifrozen treat
for their children, as well.
Other Slurpee trivia from Beach's file include:
- Slurpee spews from the machine at a below-freezing temperature of 28
degrees.
- Color is as important as taste to slurpers under 20 -- blue is the hue
of choice.
- Coca-Cola Classic is the ongoing favorite Slurpee flavor in the
United States. However, Filipinos prefer Strawberry and Pina Colada
Slurpees, while 7-Eleven customers in Malaysia like Tutti Frutti and
Tropical Punch. Canadians are partial to Watermelon, and in Thailand the
flavor of choice is Lychee.
- Prime Slurpee time is 4 - 11 p.m. -- when half of all Slurpees are
purchased.
- Detroit residents drink the most Slurpees per capita in the United
States. But Canadians hold the per capita Slurpee slurping record
worldwide.
- More Slurpees are sold in July in the United States than in any other
month -- duh! (January is the top month in Australia!)
- Some countries put Slurpee on top of cake, while others mix it with
soft-serve ice cream (mega brainfreeze). In Mexico, they put a spice like
cinnamon in it for more kick.
- Changing cups have played a big part in the Slurpee legend. It
started with yellow happy-face cups, then moved through baseball, football
and basketball stars to a monster series with Dracula, Godzilla and the
Zombie. There was even a Jerry Lewis cup.
The ice-and-syrup mixture that eventually became the Slurpee started out
as a small-town Kansas man's attempt to draw customers into his ice cream
store. He invented a machine that dispensed syrup, carbon dioxide and
water in a semi-frozen state. Two Dallas engineers perfected his machine,
and by the end of 1966 the machines were in all 7-Eleven stores.
In 1967, the drink was introduced in a nationwide marketing blitz under
the proprietary name Slurpee, so called for the slurping sound it made
when coming through the straw. Since then, Slurpee has maintained its
still-cool status with kids and adults.
With approximately 16,600 convenience stores worldwide, operations of The
Southland Corporation, operator and franchiser of 7-Eleven stores, include
more than 5,400 7-Eleven and other convenience stores in the United States
and Canada. In addition, licensees and affiliates operate about 10,900
7-Eleven stores in the United States, its territories and 19 other
countries.
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