Dive Brief:
- 7-Eleven is rolling out its famed Japanese-style egg sandwiches in the U.S., according to a Wednesday press release.
- These sandwiches feature Japanese milk bread — a fluffy, slightly sweet bread — and egg salad made with Kewpie mayo, which only uses the yolks of eggs. They’ve been a calling card of 7-Eleven’s Japanese stores for years, and now represent the latest step in the company’s aim to improve its foodservice reputation in the U.S.
- 7-Eleven has also announced plans to open hundreds of larger, food-focused c-stores across the country, double the number of sites with QSRs by 2030 and continually add more private label items to its lineup.
Dive Insight:
Stephen Dacus, CEO of 7-Eleven parent company Seven & i, noted in a presentation earlier this year that the retailer has not done a good job of applying lessons across its business segments. Bringing successful aspects of the Japanese business model, such as the egg sandwich, to help boost U.S. foodservice would seem to be combating that siloed approach.
"The egg salad sandwich has long been a favorite item in 7-Eleven stores across Japan, and we're excited to introduce a version for customers in the U.S. inspired by its beloved flavor," said Brandon Brown, senior vice president of Fresh Foods at 7-Eleven, in the announcement.
The U.S. version of the sandwich is “reminiscent of the original,” according to the announcement. Based on reviews on social media so far, it seems to have gotten close.
Dacus told the Japan Times in September that the egg sandwich was the top item purchased by American consumers in Japanese 7-Eleven stores.
7-Eleven has a solid foodservice reputation in Japan, and much of the company’s focus this year has been on building that same reputation in the U.S., where it faces a bevy of both national and local competitors.
“In the U.S. … many of our smaller competitors are focusing more on food and doing it well,” Dacus said during a presentation earlier this year. “As the environment has changed, we need to step up.”
