Chestnut Market, a convenience store operator on the East Coast of the United States, announced on Monday that it has hired Ben Lucky as the company's first director of foodservice.

Lucky will lead the strategic development and operational execution of Chestnut's foodservice platform, covering the company's network of approximately 80 stores across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. According to the announcement, he will focus on menu development, kitchen design, team training, supplier partnerships, and "scalable systems that balance profitability with consistency."

"As we continue to strengthen our retail platform, investing in foodservice is a natural and strategic next step," said Faheem Jamal, Chestnut's director of store operations. "Ben brings operational discipline, culinary vision, and a deep respect for store teams. His focus on simplicity, quality, and execution aligns strongly with our company philosophy."

Lucky brings more than two decades of convenience store foodservice experience to Chestnut. Prior to joining Chestnut, he served as senior director of fresh food at 7-Eleven for just over a year, leaving the company in late 2025.

Ben Lucky
Ben Lucky will focus on menu development, kitchen design, training, and supplier partnerships for approximately 80 East Coast convenience stores under Chestnut Market.
Image use license provided by Chestnut Market

7-Eleven hired Lucky at a time when the company was working to build food-centric convenience stores and improve its food reputation in North America. During his tenure at the largest convenience store retailer in the U.S., Lucky helped launch several new foodservice offerings.

Before joining 7-Eleven, Lucky served as director of retail and foodservice strategy at design agency King Retail Solutions. He also held the role of senior category manager for foodservice and dispensed beverages at Wills Group, which operates the Dash In convenience store chain, before moving to Cal's Convenience as vice president of foodservice after four years. After Cal's was sold to 7-Eleven, he left the company nine months later.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Lucky early in his career held foodservice category manager roles at ExxonMobil, Chevron, Kroger, and Murphy USA. Between 2013 and 2019, he held food-related director-level and management positions at Ampm, Maverik, and Puma Energy.

According to Chestnut's website, its foodservice program includes a variety of cold and hot menu items, including spicy chicken sandwiches, pastries, pizza, and salads.