Convenience stores in Japan have been known to add secret items to select locations without a lot of notice or promotion, leading customers to experience a rush of excitement as they discover the new products for themselves. That’s what happened to our reporter Mr Sato the other day, when he was browsing the fridge and freezer sections at his local 7-Eleven and saw something he’d never seen before — the Cafe Latte Smoothie. Whipping out his phone to run a search online and see what it was about, Mr Sato discovered that this product went on sale at select branches in Tokyo and Kyushu in summer.
Despite being available in Tokyo, Mr Sato had never come across it at any other 7-Elevens, so it truly was a hard-to-get item. The smoothie cups were filled with delicious-looking caramel-colored cubes that made Mr Sato salivate just by looking at them. At 290 yen each, the smoothies were reasonably priced, so he wasted no time in plucking one out from the freezer and taking it to the register.
▼ After paying for the smoothie, it was time to whip it up, so he removed the cap...
▼ ..and held the barcode in front of the reader at the base of the dedicated machine to open the door.
▼ Then all he had to do was set the cup in place, close the door and press “OK” to start the blending process. ▼ The machine quickly went to work making Mr Sato’s delicious smoothie. ▼ After a one-to-two minute wait, the process was complete and the door opened so he could retrieve the smoo.