DALLAS Convenience-store chain 7-Eleven, based here, has launched a coffee with herbal extracts added to it in anticipation of flu season.
The Fusion Defense coffee is infused with echinacea, ginseng and astragalus, which some people believe help boost human immune systems. The coffee is available in 12-, 16-, 20- and 24-ounce cups, which range in price from 99 cents to $1.69.
The new item is available during the autumn at participating stores, excluding those in Texas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and southern Nevada. Stores in those areas instead are adding a line of bold coffees similar to what is sold in 7-Eleven units in the Northeast.
The launch comes following on the heels of the chain's introduction of Fusion Energy, which contains guarana, ginseng and yerba maté.
The parent company, 7-Eleven Inc., franchises or licenses more than 7,300 stores in North America. Company officials estimate that it sells more than 1 million cups of coffee per day.
