Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd.
Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., a major group company under the holding company Seven & I Holdings Co., Ltd., was established in 1973 and operates convenience stores through both directly managed and franchise formats. Its head office is located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and its capital is 17.2 billion yen (approximately 110 million USD).
As of 2025, Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. has more than 20,000 stores in Japan, and as of 2024, the total annual sales of all Seven-Eleven stores in Japan amount to approximately 5.4 trillion yen (about 36 billion USD). It is a major convenience store franchise company with locations not only throughout Japan but also around the world.
The corporate philosophy is “Building a joyful future, together,” which carries the meaning of providing future happiness and creating value together. Based on its founding principle of “modernization and revitalization of existing small retail stores,” Seven-Eleven is considered a representative Japanese convenience store that not only offers convenience to customers but also cares for local communities and the environment.
In line with this management philosophy, Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. has been introducing various products aimed at reducing food waste and improving store operation efficiency, and a representative example is the “Seven Café Smoothie.” By utilizing broccoli stems that would otherwise be discarded or fruits that cannot be sold due to appearance issues, simply choosing a Seven Café Smoothie allows customers to contribute to reducing food waste, making it a win-win choice.
Seven Café Smoothie
The news that smoothies would be introduced at Japanese convenience store Seven-Eleven became quite a hot topic in Japan even before sales began. Seven Café’s coffee is already very popular, but the idea of being able to get a smoothie—which is troublesome to make at home—at a convenience store was a very refreshing surprise for me.
I usually enjoy coffee and often drink Seven Café coffee because it offers good quality for the price and is conveniently located. Since I also love fruit, the news that smoothies would be available at Seven-Eleven was truly exciting for me.
As soon as Seven Café Smoothies went on sale, I immediately headed to the Seven-Eleven near my home. When I actually ordered a smoothie in the store, I found that the making process was simpler and more enjoyable than I expected. Below, I will introduce each step of the process.
Smoothie Making 1. Choose a smoothie and pay
First, go to the freezer where the smoothies are stored and choose a smoothie cup in the flavor you want. Seven Café Smoothies at Seven-Eleven generally offer banana varieties, berry varieties, and green smoothies as fixed menu options.
I wanted something refreshing, so I chose the Double Berry Yogurt Smoothie. In addition to this, banana-based smoothies are mild and easy to enjoy for anyone, so they tend to be popular. Green smoothies, on the other hand, contain a variety of vegetables and fruits such as kale, pineapple, broccoli, and carrots, which makes them look very healthy, but perhaps because of their image, they are a menu item that I personally don’t easily reach for.
Once you’ve chosen the smoothie you want, take it to the cashier to pay.
Smoothie Making 2. Scan the barcode
After finishing the payment, move to the dedicated smoothie machine.
The Seven Café smoothie machine is usually placed next to the coffee machine. The machine is operated from the screen at the top, and the smoothie is made in the lower part of the machine.
On the plastic seal of the Seven Café Smoothie cup you purchased, a barcode is printed at the lower center area.
At the lower part of the Seven Café smoothie machine, there is a section for scanning the barcode, and you scan the cup’s barcode there.
Smoothie Making 3. Insert the smoothie cup
Remove the plastic seal from the smoothie cup, and then place the cup inside the machine.
Smoothie Making 4. Press the button
After confirming that the smoothie cup seal has been properly removed, press the button on the screen.
The image of the smoothie you purchased appears on the screen of the Seven Café smoothie machine. After confirming the image, press the button once more to start making the smoothie.
Smoothie Making 5. Finished
This is the scene of the Seven Café Smoothie being completed inside the machine.
It takes about one minute from pressing the button until the smoothie is finished. You don’t have to wait long, and during that short time, you can look around at other products in the Seven-Eleven store, so the wait doesn’t feel boring.
Finally, take the smoothie cup out of the machine, put the lid on, and insert the straw to finish.
I received my straw at the register, but if you didn’t get one, please check the cup and straw area near the Seven Café machine.
What surprised me when I made a Seven Café Smoothie at a Seven-Eleven in Japan was that the machine automatically cleans itself once the smoothie is finished.
Since hygiene is always a major concern when it comes to machines that prepare food or drinks, the fact that the Seven Café Smoothie machine immediately begins self-cleaning after the drink is completed made me feel that I could enjoy the smoothie with peace of mind.
My Personal Review of the Seven Café Smoothie
Since I had never imagined making a drink using a dedicated machine other than the coffee machine in convenience stores, I found it very refreshing that Seven-Eleven in Japan offers freshly made smoothies using a special machine.
With basic options such as banana, berry, and green smoothies always available, you can drink your favorite flavor anytime, and limited-time flavors allow you to enjoy something new depending on the season.
Compared to the thickness of smoothies you would normally get at cafés or smoothie specialty shops, the Seven Café Smoothie may taste a bit light. However, I also felt that this makes it easier for customers of all ages to enjoy it without feeling overwhelmed.
If, like me, you only associated Japanese convenience stores with Seven-Eleven’s coffee, why not try a Seven Café Smoothie? It’s a great way to enjoy something healthy while also contributing to reducing food waste.
■Seven Café Smoothie
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