When a new coffee chain opens near our home, I try it at least once.
For many chains, like Cali Coffee and Dutch Bros., after a few visits, I knew that neither chain offered me a compelling enough product to drive farther than the closest Starbucks.
A local chain, Carmela Coffee, passed that test, but its higher prices and longer distance from my home made it a weekend treat, not a regular part of my daily coffee rotation.
When 7 Brew opened near our West Palm Beach condo, however, something was different. I enjoyed the chain's indulgent "Sweet & Salty," a salted caramel and white chocolate breve on its "7 Originals" menu, and liked its lower-calorie 7 Fizz Sodas on more responsible days.
Going to 7 Brew, however, still posed two challenges. First, it was a longer ride, and second, it often had a much longer line than Starbucks.
Now, the wait and the drive, at least for a selection of the chain's beverages, won't matter because you can buy a selection of ready-to-drink canned 7 Brew beverages at Walmart.
Walmart added canned 7 Brew Coffee in approximately 4,400 stores nationwide and five unique 7 Brew Energy beverages in more than 1,100 locations beginning in August. In total, the coffee chain has three canned coffees and five energy drinks that are only sold at Walmart.
In fact, three of the energy drink flavors are so exclusive that they're only sold by the retailer and can't be purchased at 7 Brew locations.
Blondie Chilled Espresso Breve Beverage: (Caramel + Vanilla) The iconic Blondie iced espresso breve — a smooth, creamy blend with buttery caramel and rich vanilla notes. Made with 100 percent Arabica coffee, natural flavors, real cream, and 7g of protein.
Brunette Brownie Chilled Espresso Mocha Beverage: (Chocolate) An indulgent chocolate-forward espresso beverage with a rich mocha profile. Made with 100 percent Arabica coffee, natural flavors, real cream, and 8g of protein.
Banana Bread Chilled Espresso Breve Beverage: (Banana + Hazelnut) The buzzy Banana Bread iced espresso breve — a comforting combination of ripe banana and roasted hazelnut with bold coffee flavor.
7 Brew is also introducing a new line of 12 oz. 7 Brew Energy drinks in five flavors, including:
7 Brew Energy Original: Refreshing boost of caffeine with a crisp, clean, lightly sweet finish.
7 Brew Energy Original Sugar-Free: Same great taste experience as Original, but with 0g of sugar and only five calories.
7 Brew Energy Ocean Breeze Sugar-Free: (Blue Raspberry + Coconut) Blue, beachy, and iconic for a reason.
7 Brew Energy Nightshade Sugar-Free: (Lavender + Pomegranate + Blue Raspberry) Bold, mysterious fruit flavor with a smooth floral edge and after-dark energy.
7 Brew Energy Pink Mermaid Sugar-Free: (Watermelon + Coconut + Strawberry) Swimming with refreshing, fruity flavors.
Original, it should be noted, has a flavor profile similar to Red Bull. And while the three flavored cans are all Walmart exclusives not sold at 7 Brew locations, if you know the recipe, the chain will make you anything it has the ingredients for.
Offering a popular, well-known brand on an exclusive basis gives Walmart an edge over rivals such as Target and Kroger. It's simply another factor, along with price and convenience, that consumers will weigh when deciding where to spend their money.
"At Walmart, we continue to evolve our food and beverage assortment to reflect what our customers are looking for," said Vice President of Beverages Brian Salmon. "We're excited to bring 7 Brew's fan favorite coffee and energy drinks to our shelves, giving customers more choice and another convenient way to enjoy the beverages they love."
RTM Nexus CEO Dominick Miserandino sees this move as a way for 7 Brew to accelerate its growth.
"7 Brew is opening drive-thru stands like crazy, but physical real estate takes time to build out. Partnering with Walmart instantly puts their brand in front of millions of shoppers in markets where they don't even have a drive-thru lane yet. It's an aggressive brand-awareness play paid for by grocery shelf space," he told TheStreet.
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He sees Walmart as having different motivation for the move.
"For Walmart, this is pure defense against Dutch Bros, Starbucks, and canned energy giants like Celsius. Securing exclusive three-dollar cans of viral drive-thru coffee keeps younger, drive-thru-obsessed consumers from walking into Target or convenience stores for their quick morning caffeine fix," he added.
7 Brew will not sell any canned beverages at its coffee stands, according to its website.
It makes sense for 7 Brew to enter the RTD business because that market has been growing, according to a report from Euromonitor.
"RTDs in the U.S. in 2025 demonstrated a notable divergence between value and volume, with total volume declining by 3% but value increasing by 6% in current terms to $25.1 billion. This reflected a decisive shift towards premiumization and resilience in pricing," according to the report.
"The market is attractive for brands that can adapt to rapidly changing consumer preferences, as spirit-based RTDs posted double-digit total volume growth of 13% in 2025 and non alcoholic RTDs saw total volume expand by 23%," it added.
RTD coffee beverages have also been on a growth trajectory.
"The ready-to-drink coffee market in the U.S. is expected to reach a projected revenue of USD 10,469.6 million by 2033. A compound annual growth rate of 4.96% is expected for the United States ready-to-drink coffee market from 2026 to 2033," according to Grand View Horizon.
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This story was originally published by TheStreet on Sep 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.