TOKYO, Japan — Convenience store operator Seven-Eleven Japan will upgrade the fresh-brewed coffee machines in its more than 19,000 outlets nationwide by the end of December.
The Seven & i Holdings unit will still offer hot and ice coffee, but the new machines also will let customers buy hot lattes, with a regular-size cup costing 150 yen ($1.30).
The company hopes that enhancing its menu will boost sales of fresh-brewed coffee from a projected 900 million cups for the current fiscal year ending in February to 1 billion cups the following fiscal year.
Seven-Eleven began selling its Seven Cafe fresh-brewed coffee in January 2013, and cumulative sales volume exceeded 2.4 billion cups by the end of August 2016 as customers enjoyed the ease of purchasing the beverage at the counter.
The chain upgraded the coffee beans during the current fiscal year, and sales are projected to rise by around 50 million cups.
The company decided to introduce the new machines at all locations based on customer response to trials at some outlets. Installation begins in February at stores in Kyushu.
Stores that lack space for the new devices will offer arrangements similar to vending machines. These will be limited to hot and ice coffee, but will be coin-operated so that customers save time by not having to go to the register.
Rival convenience stores and fast-food companies also are focusing on sales of fresh-brewed coffee. McDonald’s Holdings (Japan), among the first to offer the beverage beginning in 2008, said Monday it would improve its hot coffee for the first time in five years.
The chain also is offering free small cups to customers at all stores from 7 to 10 a.m. through Friday.
FamilyMart Uny Holdings said sales volume for fresh-brewed coffee has been up around 10% on the year since the company updated its blended coffee in October.
Lawson upgraded its latte offerings in October, and in March will update its blended coffee to help boost sales.
