7-Eleven Canada looks to franchising, restaurant model and egg sandwiches for growth

7-Eleven Canada says the big competition it’s facing won’t stop it from growing and evolving its business model.

That sandwich — a tamago sando, or Japanese-style egg salad sandwich — comes from 7-Eleven, one of the world’s biggest convenience store chains.

The treat, which nestles a generous heap of cooked eggs and Kewpie mayonnaise between fluffy pieces of crustless milk bread, is about to make its way to Canada on March 4.

But for 7-Eleven, it’s much more than a sandwich. It’s a small part of a broader, five-year push to deepen the chain’s presence in Canada and help it grow in an environment where everyone is now their competitor.

“The industry just generally has blurred,” Marc Goodman, vice-president and general manager of 7-Eleven Canada, said in an interview.

That means the convenience stores you might have popped into for a chocolate bar are now facing competition from Walmart, which has plunked itself in every city with more than 10,000 people, and other discount stores, where treats are a very low price, he said.