7-Eleven and Natural Precepts introduce innovative functional beverage

17/08/05 Taking the functional beverage concept to the next level, YES!, containing significant amounts of 12 vitamins, 8 antioxidants, 10 fortified minerals, 70 trace minerals, 22 amino acids and other essential nutrients, will be highlighted at this year's NACS Show by Natural Precepts, LLC. YES!, short for "Your Essential Source", is a drink that provides a 75% absorption rate for these needed nutrients, approximately five times the absorption rate for multivitamin tablets and capsules.

Exclusive to 7-Eleven through August 2005, YES! is available in the vault at participating 7-Eleven(R) stores.

With the tremendous growth of the functional beverage segment, Natural Precepts and 7-Eleven saw an opportunity to take the concept a step further.

The development team first began work on the innovative project last November facing the challenge of adding multiple vitamins, minerals and other nutrients without sacrificing taste.  Several flavors were presented, and "Cherry Twist" proved the favorite.

YES! provides a great example of 7-Eleven's commitment to team merchandising, working hand in hand with manufacturers to bring new and innovative products to market.  "This first-to-market product, and I'm sure many others, would likely stay on the back-burner without a visionary retailer like 7-Eleven, who also has the logistics systems and store network in place to put a new product before millions of consumers in a very short time," said Natural Precepts CEO David Rockhold.

7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry.  Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven, Inc. operates or franchises approximately 5,800 7-Eleven(R) stores in the United States and Canada and licenses more than 22,700 7-Eleven stores in 17 other countries and U.S. territories throughout the world.  During 2004, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of approximately $41 billion.

Natural Precepts is a privately owned company established in 2003 to provide new and innovative liquid nutritional products to nutraceutical companies across the United States.  Based in Winnsboro, LA, Natural Precepts began marketing its own brand of nutritional products in January of 2004 and realized a 150% increase in sales.  This sales growth is continuing in 2005 with YTD sales up 68% over 2004.

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