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Seven-Eleven's Seven Cafe Smoothie Receives Food Industry Technology Merit Award

In an exciting recent development, Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., led by President Tomohiro Akutsu, announced that its Seven Cafe Smoothie has won the prestigious 55th Food Industry Technology Merit Award in the product and technology category, hosted by the Food Industry Newspaper. This accolade marks a significant achievement for the company, demonstrating its commitment to quality and innovation in the food retail sector.

Since its full launch in March 2023, the Seven Cafe Smoothie has achieved remarkable sales, reaching a staggering 240 million cups sold as of October 2025. Among the three popular flavors available, the Green Smoothie stands out by utilizing less common parts of vegetables, such as broccoli stems. This innovative approach not only enhances flavor and nutritional value but also significantly contributes to reducing food waste. The Green Smoothie combines rapidly frozen kale, broccoli, and carrot puree with the refreshing taste of pineapple, creating a delicious and nutritious beverage.

Product Lineup of Seven Cafe Smoothies

Seven-Eleven offers a delightful selection of smoothies, making it easy for customers to enjoy healthy, on-the-go options. Here’s a closer look at their offerings:

Green Smoothie

• - Price: 278 yen (including tax: 300.24 yen)
• - Availability: Nationwide (available at select stores)
• - Description: Featuring over 20g of domestic kale, this smoothie also includes broccoli and carrot puree, ensuring a wholesome intake of vegetables. The natural sweetness of the vegetables is balanced by the refreshing acidity of grapefruit.

Berry Berry Yogurt Smoothie

• - Price: 306 yen (including tax: 330.48 yen)
• - Availability: Nationwide (available at select stores)
• - Description: This smoothie blends delicious strawberries and blueberries, captured at their peak freshness through rapid freezing. Combined with Meiji Bulgaria yogurt ice cubes and a hint of honey, it delivers a deliciously balanced taste with a hint of natural sweetness. Plus, one cup provides one-third of your daily fruit intake.

Strawberry Banana Soy Smoothie

• - Price: 306 yen (including tax: 330.48 yen)
• - Availability: Nationwide (available at select stores)
• - Description: Incorporating strawberries and bananas, this smoothie offers a gentle sweetness and fruity flavor, enhanced by creamy soy milk made from domestic soybeans for an exquisite mouthfeel.

Note: Prices may vary by store, and availability can change based on stock levels and other factors.

A Journey of Development

The journey to the Seven Cafe Smoothie’s success began around 2015, as consumer health trends started to rise. At that time, smoothies were gaining popularity, with many realizing that making them at home could be quite labor-intensive. Recognizing a gap in the market for convenient, affordable smoothie options, the Seven-Eleven team initiated test sales, originally offering refrigerated products. However, quality issues arose due to friction heat from the mixing process. After numerous trials, they shifted to frozen products, ensuring consistent quality.

The smoothies are crafted using vacuum-sealed ice cubes made from vegetable purees and juices, maintained at optimal temperatures during storage and transport to retain their delicious flavor. When served, the smoothies are blended at just below freezing, ensuring customers enjoy them at their freshest. The proprietary machine tailors mixing times and blade speeds for each product, delivering a perfect taste and texture each time.

Seven-Eleven is committed to maintaining the fresh flavors of real ingredients in their Seven Cafe Smoothie offerings while striving for innovation and excellence in the beverage sector.

About the Food Industry Technology Merit Award

The Food Industry Technology Merit Award, established in 1971 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Food Industry Newspaper, celebrates outstanding contributions to the development of Japan’s food industry. The award recognizes companies, individuals, or organizations that have made significant advancements within the sector. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the awards, with Seven-Eleven being a first-time recipient.

The award consists of six categories, with stringent selection criteria assessing the technical effectiveness, impact on the industry and society, and contributions to sustainability. The Product and Technology category recognizes enterprises or individuals that have developed innovative products or technologies, improving the nation’s food culture and contributing to industry advancement. As Seven-Eleven receives this honor, it solidifies its reputation as a leader in the food retail industry in Japan.