New “one piece” sandwich looks set to be another sell-out hit for the popular chain.
On “Sandwich Day” on 13 March, 7-Eleven completely revamped its sandwiches in Japan, and among them appeared a new, generously filled single-serve range known as the “Yokubari Sando” (“Greedy Sandwich“). This so-called “one piece” sandwich aims to deliver an overwhelming sense of filling and satisfaction at an affordable price point, and the newest addition to the range, announced today, does just that, with a
New “one piece” sandwich looks set to be another sell-out hit for the popular chain.
On “Sandwich Day” on 13 March, 7-Eleven completely revamped its sandwiches in Japan, and among them appeared a new, generously filled single-serve range known as the “Yokubari Sando” (“Greedy Sandwich“). This so-called “one piece” sandwich aims to deliver an overwhelming sense of filling and satisfaction at an affordable price point, and the newest addition to the range, announced today, does just that, with a surprising filling to boot.
▼ Say hello to the Croquette & Macaroni Cheese.
Known as “Croquette, Macaroni Cheese & Leaf Lettuce” in English, this sandwich has been carefully designed to ensure you get all the fillings in every mouthful, from the first to the very last bite.
7-Eleven says it totally redesigned the shape of the croquette to suit the sandwich, developing a unique type of croquette that spreads all the way to the edges of the bread. With rich, creamy macaroni and cheese sandwiched inside, this pairing is said to create an exquisite combination that allows the texture and flavour of each ingredient to stand out, giving you an incredibly moreish and satisfying sandwich experience.
By selling sandwiches individually, instead of in pairs, the Greedy Sando line is able to deliver a much more generous filling, which is a genius marketing move by 7-Eleven, who faced criticism in the past for what many called its “paper tiger” sandwiches.
Judging by the immense popularity of the previously released Greedy Sando, which gave us colourful chocolate sprinkles and whipped cream, this new sandwich looks set to be a sell-out hit so keep an eye out for it at Seven-Eleven stores around Japan when it’s released on 27 May, priced at 214 yen (US$1.35).
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As well as a double-sized cheesecake worth fighting battles over.
The world may be subject to the annoyances of shrinkflation, but over the past few years, there’s been a running trend in Japan of campaigns where prices remain the same though the amount of food is increased. Family Mart started the show, with Lawson, MiniStop, NewDays, and other convenience store chains now regularly holding these campaigns.
7-Eleven Japan kind of missed that wave, but with the Founding Anniversary Sale that s
As well as a double-sized cheesecake worth fighting battles over.
The world may be subject to the annoyances of shrinkflation, but over the past few years, there’s been a running trend in Japan of campaigns where prices remain the same though the amount of food is increased. Family Mart started the show, with Lawson, MiniStop, NewDays, and other convenience store chains now regularly holding these campaigns.
7-Eleven Japan kind of missed that wave, but with the Founding Anniversary Sale that started on May 12, they released six food items that saw increases in their amounts, including a bowl of ramen that weighed a hefty 1,084 grams (2.4 pounds).
From May 19, the second phase of what they’re calling the “Thank You Extra Large” series started, with an addition of another six products. Seeing as we managed to get our hands on the entire set, let’s tap into our gastronomic senses and share our thoughts and feelings on each item.
Salted Rice Ball (156 yen [US$0.98]) – ★★☆☆☆
The Salted Rice Ball is a simple but classic item, with no hidden surprises inside and only an increased amount of rice. While it is a joy just to have an increase in volume, its other characteristics haven’t changed so it’s not bad, but since it lacks excitement, it only gets two stars.
Sausage Egg Muffin (311 yen) – ★★★☆☆
This has increased muffin, sausage, and cheddar cheese, and a total weight of 215 grams (0.47 pounds), making it quite satisfying to eat. Picking it up provides you with a heavy and solid feeling in your hand, and the side-view is really tall.
This is “three stars” that leans heavily and cheesily towards four.
Fluffy and Chewy Pull-Apart Bread with Chocolate Cream (170 yen) ★★★★☆
The pull-apart bread with an increased total weight is visually impressive: it’s just so long. The impact is strong and has a clear sense of value. In addition to the deliciously chewy dough, the smooth chocolate cream contrasting with the chunky chocolate chips is also great.
This bread is a highly rated “four stars”.
Rice Bowl with Beef (645 yen) ★★★★☆
Claiming to be delicious down to the sauce, the beef bowl has seen an increased amount of both beef and rice, recording a weight of 610 grams (1.3 pounds). Eating it up, we appreciated how it wasn’t just bulked up with extra rice, but did in fact include a decent amount more meat too.
This dish is definitely recommended for those who want a voluminous meal: four stars.
Chilled Bukkake Soba with Rich Dashi-Blended Tororo (529 yen) ★★★★☆
Here is a simple dish of tororo soba noodles with increased noodles, sauce, and tororo (grated yam). With the total weight of 549 grams (1.2 pounds) making it slightly inferior to the beef bowl, it is about 120 yen cheaper, so the value for money is excellent.
Factoring in the increasing temperatures, this cooling and refreshing meal is assuredly worth four stars.
New York Cheesecake (291 yen) ★★★★★
This phase’s winner by far! With a mouthwatering taste that will capture the heart of anyone with a penchant for desserts, this feels like a cheesecake on steroids, having roughly the same weight as two of the regular cheesecakes.
It’s proven to be so popular that it’s out of stock in many of the stores, so prepare for a battle to get it. A hands-down five stars.
Our number one recommendation to try is the New York Cheesecake, so even if you try nothing else from this phase, though they all have their own charms and are delicious in their own right, be sure to swing by your nearest 7-Eleven store to try it.
This item is so good that cheesecake shortages might be a common feature of the coming weeks, but you only have until the final day on Monday, June 1, to partake in this campaign, so keep your eyes locked on those refrigerator restocks.
We’re not sure if we can say greed is good, but it does look delicious.
Japanese convenience stores are not exactly the sort of places that inspire one to a philosophy of stoic minimalism. Each and every shelf and cooler case is packed with tempting treats, and while they may not necessarily be things we need to eat, they’re definitely things we want to, and the ease of access from Japan’s dense network of such shops makes them little open-24-hours palaces to quick gratification.
7-Eleven Japa
We’re not sure if we can say greed is good, but it does look delicious.
Japanese convenience stores are not exactly the sort of places that inspire one to a philosophy of stoic minimalism. Each and every shelf and cooler case is packed with tempting treats, and while they may not necessarily be things we need to eat, they’re definitely things we want to, and the ease of access from Japan’s dense network of such shops makes them little open-24-hours palaces to quick gratification.
7-Eleven Japan has been knowingly leaning into this with its Greedy Sandwich (or Yokubari Sandwich, it’s called in Japanese) series of decadently delicious sandwiches. The line started off with savory heavy-hitters like mincemeat cutlet and macaroni and salami sandwiches, but it’s recently expanded into desserts, which brings us to 7-Eleven’s newest offering: a sandwich of chocolate chips and whipped cream.
Actually, the official name of the Chocolate Chip and Whipped Cream Greedy Sandwich still doesn’t cover all of its indulgent wonders. Because even after putting a thick layer of whipped cream and chocolate chips between the sandwich’s slices of bread, 7-Eleven apparently took a look at it and thought “Yeah, but is there a way to give it even more chocolate?”, and then realized that they could by putting chocolate shavings all over the outward-facing surface of the cream.
Dessert members of the Yokubari Sandwich series also use special pink bread, like we saw in our recent taste test of 7-Eleven’s Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream sandwich. We’re going to have to wait a little longer before we can see how the Chocolate Chip and Whipped Cream sandwich compares, but we’re eager to find out after it goes on sale May 20 for 198 yen (US$1.30).
The first time a 7-Eleven has opened inside a high school in Japan.
7-Eleven opened a new branch in Japan on 1 June, at a site so unusual it made nationwide news. This new store can be found inside Kochi Chuo High School in Kochi Prefecture, taking over the site of the school’s former cafeteria.
▼ Kochi Chuo High School
This is the first time a 7-Eleven store has been opened inside a high school in Japan, and it carries around 1,200 products inside its 100 square-metre (1,080 square
The first time a 7-Eleven has opened inside a high school in Japan.
7-Eleven opened a new branch in Japan on 1 June, at a site so unusual it made nationwide news. This new store can be found inside Kochi Chuo High School in Kochi Prefecture, taking over the site of the school’s former cafeteria.
▼ Kochi Chuo High School
This is the first time a 7-Eleven store has been opened inside a high school in Japan, and it carries around 1,200 products inside its 100 square-metre (1,080 square foot) shop space. The chain says this is one of the company’s new “compact stores“, a format that the company has been expanding nationwide to meet the needs of businesses and institutions with limitedspace and specific demand.
Kochi Chuo ticks both boxes in terms of space and demand, but the reason behind its need for a convenience store isn’t an entirely happy one. As a private school with boarding facilities, which isn’t uncommon in rural areas like Kochi, securing three meals a day for its dormitory residents, which make up around a third of the 700 enrolled, is a high priority. However, in late February, the cafeteria’s operator informed the school that it would be difficult to continue operations due to rising costs and labor shortages, and although they attempted to find an alternative operator they were unable to find one.
In early April, the school officially decided to open a convenience store, citing its ability to provide stable meals, and the cafeteria closed on 13 May. Though the cafeteria’s operators provided students with packed lunches until the opening of the 7-Eleven on 1 June, some parents who’d enrolled their students in April without knowing about the closure expressed anger at the decision, while others had concerns about the change to students’ diets.
▼ Having easy access to ice cream when you’re a teenager is a dangerous prospect.
According to the school, opening a 7-Eleven was the best solution under the circumstances, especially in light of a significant decline in student numbers due to Japan’s falling birthrate, and current financial restructuring that includes raising tuition fees and introducing charges for school bus services to reduce deficits.
While some parents have criticised the closure of the cafeteria and the lack of advance notice, the convenience store has been well received by many students. The new 7-Eleven uses a QR-code-based purchasing system that allows students to buy items without waiting at a traditional checkout counter, and dormitory residents will also receive 30,000 yen (US$187.58) worth of points that can be used at the store.
▼ This news report shows the inside of the store, which is said to be around 25-50 percent smaller than a regular branch.
Operating hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and use is limited to students and select school-related personnel. At the school’s request, the store offers freshly prepared fried foods and aims to provide a stable supply of lunches, drinks, stationery and other daily necessities.
Principal Tomoyuki Tsutsumi says the school plans to work with club advisors and 7-Eleven to help students maintain balanced diets as they become more reliant on convenience-store meals. The school is also considering a guide with nutritional information and meal recommendations, while expanding dormitory cooking facilities to support students who wish to prepare some of their own food, with basketball club members already cooking rice for themselves in a large rice cooker three times a day.
The transition from traditional cafeteria to modern convenience store hasn’t been without its hiccups, but the school, whose motto is “Self-reliance and Independence”, aims to improve the selection of products in response to the needs of students and their parents, who have been invited to share opinions and requests through questionnaire forms.
The new 7-Eleven opens the door for other schools to follow in the footsteps of Kochi Chuo, and with the chain keen to work with schools to cater to their individual needs, it might even provide new opportunities for students to develop and commercialise their own products, like these students did with their carrot dorayaki.
Lotte’s canned water makes its convenience store debut.
The first time you take a look at the drink section in a Japanese convenance store, you might be surprised by some of the packaging, specifically the things that you can buy in cans. Canned coffee and cocktails can be found in pretty much every convenience store in the country, and while not as common, canned teas aren’t all that shocking to see here either.
But even we were surprised to find out that 7-Eleven Japan now sells canned water
Lotte’s canned water makes its convenience store debut.
The first time you take a look at the drink section in a Japanese convenance store, you might be surprised by some of the packaging, specifically the things that you can buy in cans. Canned coffee and cocktails can be found in pretty much every convenience store in the country, and while not as common, canned teas aren’t all that shocking to see here either.
But even we were surprised to find out that 7-Eleven Japan now sells canned water.
The Day is a brand of canned water from Lotte, who’s best known as a candy and snack food maker. They’re now in the water game too, though, and while the black-can The Day is carbonated, the red version isn’t.
▼ The Day went on sale through online shops and discount retailers in September, but just made its convenience store debut at 7-Eleven on May 5.
The visual design looks more like something you’d see for an energy drink or beer, and the contrast feels even more pronounced when you see The Day next to other brands of water, which tend to go with nature imagery and transparencies as their main visual motifs.
Lotte says they chose The Day’s name to symbolize its concept as “a water that lifts your spirts” and will give you a great day. There are no additional energy boosting chemicals or supplements added, though. The Day is simply canned natural mineral water, sourced from the town of Yaizu in Shizuoka Prefecture, according to the can’s text.
▼ And yes, we did accidentally drop this can on our way back from 7-Eleven, leading to the first time in our lives that we can say that we dented our water.
Once back in our taste-testing center, we cracked open the non-sparkling The Day for a comparison with Suntory’s Tennensui, one of Japan’s most popular bottled water brands.
Oddly enough, while the red-can The Day is supposed to be the non-sparkling variety, after we poured some into a glass we did still see some air bubbles. Not so many that we’d call it a full-on carbonated beverage, and this might just be a side-effect of the canning process, as opposed to an intentional design choice, but still, the water wasn’t completely still.
Taste-testing duties fell to our ace reporter Mr. Sato, and he says The Day’s mouthfeel is smooth, imparting a refreshing sensation as it glides down your throat. He reports no unpleasant metallic taste or aroma either, so while it feels unusual to be drinking water from a can, the flavor isn’t funny, and is perfectly satisfying.
But why has Lotte chosen to put The Day in cans, and not the plastic bottles that are the industry norm? In its press release, the company says it sees the day as “One answer to the needs of a new age of wellness,” and the choice of more easily recyclable aluminum seems to be an extension of that philosophy. The uniqueness factor probably doesn’t hurt either, as the packaging and design really do stand out against other brands of water. Lotte might also be hoping that the more substantial feel of a can helps position The Day as a premium product, and at a price of 158 yen (US$1) for a 480-mililiter (16.2-ounce) can, it is a little on the pricy side, as most other water brands are 140 yen or less for a 500-miiliter bottle.
There is one clear drawback to The Day being in a can, though, which is that once you pop the top, there’s no way to close it back up again. This isn’t an issue for coffee or alcoholic beverages, since they tend to be things where people drink the entire can shortly after opening it. Regardless of whether it started out hot or iced, coffee tends to taste significantly worse once it gets to room temperature, and beer and cocktails aren’t the kind of drinks most people go walking around with. A lot of people, though, buy a bottle of water while commuting to work or out on a walk, take a few sips, then put the cap back on so they can toss the bottle in their bag and have some more when they feel thirsty again a little later on.
By nature of being in a can, The Day doesn’t lend itself to that “I’ll have a little now, and then the rest later on” style of consumption, making it a much less convenient choice than its competitors. On the other hand, being locked into drinking the whole can once you’ve opened it does promote taking the time to mindfully hydrate, and with Japan’s cruelly hot kokushobi-level summer weather on the way, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
Summertime bust or must-buy?
It’s been roughly three years since 7-Eleven added smoothie machines to its stores in Japan, allowing customers to whip up freshly made smoothies in seconds after selecting their desired varieties from the freezer section. During that time, the chain has added a number of limited-edition flavours to the range, with all of them proving to be popular with customers. Now with summer fast approaching, the chain is giving us a brand new variety that’s said to capture th
It’s been roughly three years since 7-Eleven added smoothie machines to its stores in Japan, allowing customers to whip up freshly made smoothies in seconds after selecting their desired varieties from the freezer section. During that time, the chain has added a number of limited-edition flavours to the range, with all of them proving to be popular with customers. Now with summer fast approaching, the chain is giving us a brand new variety that’s said to capture the taste of Japanese summer in a cup.
▼ The すいかスムージー (Suika Smoothie) or “Watermelon Smoothie“
Released on 2 June, the first thing we noticed when we saw the new release at our nearest branch was the lid, which was decorated with images of not just watermelon, but strawberries as well. This indicated that the drink combined strawberry pulp with watermelon pulp, and that’s not all – the cube-shaped chunks inside the cup are infused with watermelon juice and apple purée, and the ingredients list reveals that a small amount of tomato purée and salt are also included as special secret ingredients.
A lot of watermelon drinks in Japan tend to contain a mix of fruit juices but we tend to prefer 100 percent watermelon juice as it allows the natural flavor of the fruit to shine through. With that in mind, we were curious to see how this smoothie would fare, and how authentic the watermelon flavour might be.
Upon first sip, we immediately noticed that the slightly crunchy texture of the ice was surprisingly similar to the texture of real watermelon. This was an impressive highlight we weren’t expecting, and thankfully the strawberry flavour, which we thought might be too strong, was a pleasant accent, with its characteristic tartness playing a soft accompaniment to the watermelon, which took the spotlight.
The taste of watermelon was truly authentic, with the smoothie capturing the fruit’s juiciness and sweetness perfectly while delivering a refreshing, icy coolness. Although it wasn’t as pure as a 100-percent watermelon juice, the balance between ingredients was so carefully crafted that it didn’t take anything away from the star flavour, and the watermelon remained delectably intense from start to finish, leaving us completely satisfied.
For 400 yen (US$2.50), this smoothie will definitely quench your thirst, particularly on hot and humid days, and after trying it we now understand the hype it’s been getting online. It’s a drink that’s well worth trying, and here’s a secret tip for you: the smoothies at 7-Eleven will be half price on “Smoothie Day” on 10 June, so put the date in your calendars and you’ll be able to enjoy the whole range, including the delicious matcha variety, at a great discount.
Getting more convenience store food for our yen is always a fun time, but this campaign is bordering on ridiculous.
On 12 May, 7-Eleven Japan kicked off its its “Founding Anniversary Sale” by giving us over 50 percent more of some of our favourite products in the first phase of its so-called “Thank You Extra Large” series.
▼ We immediately visited our nearby 7-Eleven and managed to get our hands on four of the upsized products.
The products we procured were:
Corn & Mayonnaise (170.64 yen
Getting more convenience store food for our yen is always a fun time, but this campaign is bordering on ridiculous.
On 12 May, 7-Eleven Japan kicked off its its “Founding Anniversary Sale” by giving us over 50 percent more of some of our favourite products in the first phase of its so-called “Thank You Extra Large” series.
▼ We immediately visited our nearby 7-Eleven and managed to get our hands on four of the upsized products.
There are actually six products in the range, but despite visiting several stores to purchase the complete set, we were unable to find the following two items:
Flame-Grilled Pork Fried Rice (496.80 yen)
Fluffy Dorayaki with Red Bean Paste & Whipped Cream (213.84 yen)
This was probably a blessing in disguise, as the size of the four we had already looked like a lot of food. The ramen, in particular, produced under the supervision of award-wining Chiba-based ramen restaurant Chuka Soba Tomita., looked especially ginormous.
We decided to test this hefty beast first, popping it on the scales to reveal its true weight, which turned out to be…
▼… an astonishing 1,084 grams (2.4 pounds)!
As the container weighs about 23 grams, what we have here is more than a kilo of food, which is a great deal given that the price remains unchanged despite the 50-percent upsize. Although the pork fat is highlighted as an increased ingredient, it’s also said to have more vegetables, noodles, soup, and garlic, so we were curious to know how these extra ingredients would affect the taste.
▼ We popped it into the microwave, for 10 minutes at 500 watts, which is quite a long time for microwaveable food.
As it was heating, we felt slightly intimidated by the intense garlic smell that filled the room, and when we opened the lid we couldn’t quite believe the amount of food that lay before us.
The ingredients were so huge they made the container look tiny, and we began to wonder how we could eat our noodles without them spilling out everywhere.
Carefully lifting the char siu, we could see a huge pile of bean sprouts and cabbage beneath it, with the rest of the meal consisting of garlic, noodles, and pork fat.
With big noodle meals like this, locals make use of a special move called “tenchi gaeshi“, which literally translates as “heaven-and-earth flip“. This involves lifting the noodles from the bottom of the bowl and “flipping” them over the vegetables on top, to prevent them from getting soggy and to mix the broth, noodles, fat, sauce, and vegetables more evenly.
▼ Performing the “tenchi-gaeshi” mixing maneuver requires extra skill with this huge meal.
After carefully flipping heaven and earth, we were even more impressed at how much food was in the bowl, and when we took a sip of the broth, we were hit by the intensely powerful flavour of garlic and pork fat, which was absolutely delicious.
This was a high-quality meal, and the noodles were equally fantastic, providing just the right amount of chewiness to help round out the bold flavours.
The sheer volume was truly unbelievable, and nothing like what you’d normally see at a convenience store. It was so filling that by the end of the meal, we didn’t have any belly room for the other items we’d picked up.
▼ The vegetable sticks, with rice malt, miso and mayonnaise dip, would’ve been a nice way to cut through all the fat, but we just couldn’t fit them in.
The Egg Salad sandwich, or “THE Tamago” (“THE Egg”) as it’s called in Japanese, now contains three cut sandwiches instead of two, making it a great deal.
▼ And finally, the Corn & Mayonnaise bread has also been upsized, so it’s now almost twice as large as a smartphone.
The first phase of the campaign is scheduled to run from 12 May to 25 May, with the second phase bringing us a new line of upsized items from 19 May to 1 June. After receiving flack from customers who claimed that some convenience stores have been skimping on their offerings recently, there’s certainly no skimping with these campaign products, so hop in and try them while you can!
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