Learn about Japanese culture through its convenience store products!
What kind of convenience store is Lawson in Japan?
Lawson is a highly popular convenience store in Japan, ranking second in the industry, just behind Seven-Eleven.
Lawson is particularly known for its sweets and the “Uchi Cafe” series.
1. **Sweets**: Lawson’s sweets are highly regarded for their quality and variety. There are classic cakes, puddings, and seasonal desserts available.
2. **Uchi Cafe Series**: This series includes coffee, tea, smoothies, and other high-quality, cafe-style beverages that can be easily enjoyed at home. Despite convenience store prices, they offer a cafe-like experience.
These products are loved for their quality, convenience, and reasonable pricing. Lawson provides a touch of luxury and convenience in everyday life through these popular items.
Try the “Premium Roll Cake”
Despite being priced at 194 yen, it’s quite large in size.
Convenience store sweets are ingeniously packaged to maintain their appearance and shape from the factory to the store display. This roll cake is no exception, with a thin film placed over the cake. The attention to detail in convenience store sweets culture is impressive, isn’t it?
Fluffy sponge cake paired with cream that’s not too sweet. It’s like eating a high-quality wedding cake, reminiscent of the ones served at weddings.
Why was such a delicious cake developed?
Many Japanese people think of Premium Roll Cake when they hear the name Lawson. Since its launch in 2009, this roll cake has become a mega-hit in the Japanese convenience store world, with over 400 million sold.
Around 2008, convenience store sweets were predominantly large puddings or cream puffs catering more to male customers, while department store basement confectioneries were popular among women. Recognizing the potential for female-targeted sweets in convenience stores, Lawson formed a project team primarily composed of female employees.
The roll cake was chosen because, at that time, it was hard to find individual-sized roll cakes in stores.
Now in Japan, you can easily find individual-sized roll cakes in any confectionery store, possibly influenced by Lawson’s Premium Roll Cake.
“Start with the delicious cream”
When developing sweets for women, Lawson focused heavily on the cream. At the time, the cream used in convenience store sweets wasn’t very popular among women. While considering costs and using vegetable fats, Lawson went to great lengths to use animal fats (whipped cream), resulting in the evolution of Lawson’s sweets.
The launch of the Premium Roll Cake was an unprecedented hit that changed the landscape of the dessert market. It sold one million units nationwide in just five days after release, and for about two months after its launch, stores were in a constant state of waiting for new stock to arrive.
The expectations for Japanese convenience store sweets
The expectations for Japanese convenience store sweets are high. Despite their low prices, they often match the quality of what you’d find in a confectionery store.
Now, convenience store chains compete in developing their own line of sweets, frequently introducing new products.
It’s reached a point where you can visit a convenience store daily and always find delicious new sweets to try.
It was very delicious! I wonder what convenience store sweet I should try next.
Let me introduce you to Japan’s wonderful cakes!
Kyoto Veneto Uji Matcha Fresh Cheese Roll Cake⇧
Shinkinedo Marugoto Mikan Fruit Daifuku, 4 Pieces – Japanese Sweets⇧
Japan offers amazing sweets that you can easily get at convenience stores or via delivery, without even visiting a cake shop! Be sure to try them when you visit Japan!
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