slurpee fact

Slurpee Facts

• Canadians purchase over 30 million Slurpees every year
• The average Slurpee drinker age is 29 years
• Manitoba is the "Slurpee Capital" of the world for the fifth year in a row (2003)! The 7-Eleven stores in Manitoba sell an average of 8,300 Slurpee drinks per store each month, compared to the national monthly rate of 5,900 and provincial rate of 7,200,which makes this Province the world leader in Slurpee sales.
• The top five Slurpee cities are:
1. Winnipeg 2. Calgary 3. Regina 4. Detroit 5. Edmonton
• The frozen carbonated beverage was first invented in 1959 by a Kansas hamburger stand owner. Using an automobile air conditioner, he created a sophisticated piece of equipment that would freeze a carbonated soft drink and serve it in a sherbet-like form that could be sipped through a straw.
• To get that uniquely Slurpee consistency, each Slurpee machine has a compact refrigeration system that mixes syrup, carbon dioxide and water under pressure in a freezing chamber.
• Slurpees are served at -3C (or 28F)
• 7-Eleven began selling Slurpee, then called Icee, in its stores in the United States in 1965
• 7-Eleven introduced the Slurpee to Canada in 1969
• The first 7-Eleven in Canada was opened in Calgary, Alberta
• The Slurpee name was created in May 1967 during a brainstorming session of the Stanford Agency, 7-Eleven stores' in-house agency. While drinking the product through a straw, agency director Bob Stanford commented that it made a "slurp" sound coming through the straw
• To capitalize on the popularity of the Slurpee beverage, 7-Eleven began introducing Slurpee collectors cups in 1972. Through the years, special Slurpee cups have featured monsters, rock 'n' roll stars and endangered species. 7-Eleven also offered surprise Slurpee cups with false bottoms, free prizes and peel-off game pieces.
• The company made its own Slurpee syrup until 1988, when it signed an exclusive contract with The Coca-Cola Company to make all Slurpee syrup for corporate 7-Eleven stores.
• The makers of the syrup for the market of frozen carbonated beverages include the Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola companies
• The most popular size is the clear Strata cup (795 mL)
• In Canada, the most popular flavours are Coke and Pepsi. The most popular untraditional flavour is Watermelon.
• In the US, Minute Maid Wild Cherry, banana, blue raspberry, and kiwi strawberry are among the best sellers.
• 7-Eleven introduced the first food extensions of the Slurpee line during the summer of 1998: Slurpee Liquid Filled Bubble Gum [now discontinued] and Slurpee Ice frozen treat.
• A see-through Slurpee Strata cup was introduced in 1998 allowed customers to layer their favorite Slurpee flavors and see their creative concoctions. Added as a seasonal item in summer of 1998, the Strata cup was such a hit with customers, it quickly became a mainstay in the Slurpee cup line-up. (This is what someone from 7-Eleven sent me. This confooozes me because I clearly remember getting the clear cup during the slurpee alert days of 1996....)
• 7-Eleven introduced a second Slurpee cup during the summer of 1998. The Slurpee Splitz-O(tm) cup is divided down the middle so customers could enjoy two separate flavors in one cup.
• Since its introduction in 1965, more than 6 billion Slurpee drinks have been sold, just about enough for every person on the planet to have slurped. That's that is also enough to circle the Earth almost eight times!
• Today, more than 11.6 million Slurpee drinks are consumed every month worldwide.
• Prime Slurpee time is 4-11 p.m. -- when half of all Slurpees are purchased
• here are 500 7-Eleven stores in Canada -- which is about 10% of the 5,800 stores that exist in North America.
• Did you know that there was a Slurpee Record? It's true! It was a 45RPM 7" record sold over the counter at 7-Eleven stores as part of an early advertising campaign in 1965. On side 1 features a number of character voices(uncredited) providing testimonials regarding their "strange" experiences after having "slurped a Slurpee". Side 2 is the one and only original "Slurp" song. (Thanks to Martin for providing me with this information!)
• Competition for the Slurpee includes the Froster, Glacial Freeze, Icee's, Slush puppies, Squishies, Cold Sucks, and Thirst Busters.
• 7-Eleven uses different machines in different areas. In Canada, the main brand used is Taylor, while the US uses Cornelius and Pinnacle machines
• Is there a difference between American Slurpees and Canadian Slurpees? Yes! According to 7-Eleven: "the Canadian product is heavier and wetter, the difference being that the American product is injected with air and is therefore drier. This is why you can feel that itch in the back of the throat when you drink it--that's the air bubbles. The American stores have been using Cornelius equipment where as in Canada we have been using Taylor for years . Although both machines perform for their specific markets, they do create different products".