IRVING, Texas—7-Eleven Inc. has hit a major growth milestone—topping 70,000 stores. Shoppers can visit the world’s largest convenience retailer in 17 countries and regions around the globe. The first 7-Eleven store in India is expected to open this year, expanding the company's operations to 18 countries.

“Over 93 years, we've grown from a small local ice house in Oak Cliff, Texas, to a global and iconic brand that is 70,000 stores strong,” said 7-Eleven President and CEO Joe DePinto, in a press release. “That strength is due to a relentless focus on meeting the needs of our customers. We'll continue to place our customers at the forefront of all we do.”

Last year, 7-Eleven opened one store approximately every 3.5 hours. As 7-Eleven continues to grow, the company remains focused on its role as a good corporate citizen, addressing social and environmental issues important to customers and the communities where they live and work.

In 1927, convenience retailing and 7-Eleven were born in Dallas when an employee of The Southland Ice Company (now 7-Eleven Inc.) began selling bread, milk and eggs from an ice dock after local grocery stores were closed. Unlike grocery stores, ice docks were open 16 hours a day, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. With the invention of refrigeration eliminating the need for ice stores, Southland transformed its locations into convenient neighborhood markets.

Here’s a quick look at 7-Eleven’s international expansion by country:

Japan: 20,988 stores

Thailand: 11,712 stores

South Korea: 10, 016 stores

USA: 9,364 stores

Taiwan: 5,647 stores

China: 3,154 stores

Philippines: 2,864 stores

Malaysia: 2,411 stores

Mexico: 1,829 stores

Australia: 708 stores

Canada: 636 stores

Singapore: 411 stores

Norway: 154 stores

Denmark: 172 stores

Sweden: 83 stores

Vietnam: 44 stores

UAE: 12 stores

In December, 7-Eleven reached another major milestone when the chain's loyalty program exceeded 25-million users.