Seven & i Challenges
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Establishing the 7-Eleven Brand Bet365 登録方法he Chinese Market by Pursuing Advantages of “Food” and “Close and Convenient”

February 2024

Responding to growing demand for safe and secure food and health consciousness

Xi Yan, Chairman and President
Seven-Eleven (China) Investment Co., Ltd.
Xi Yan, Chairman and President Born in 1974. Graduated from the Faculty of Commerce and Management, Hitotsubashi University (she obtained the U.S. Certified Public Accountant qualification during her studies). 2004: She joined Seven-Eleven Japan. 2008: Corporate Finance & Accounting Division, Seven-Eleven (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (Assistant General Manager, Division Chief, Director and Vice President). 2014: Seven-Eleven (China) Investment Co., Ltd. (Management Division Chief). Current role from April 2021.

Since opening our first store in Beijing in 2004, our biggest priority has been the safety and security of food. This is also a priority of the Chinese government, and related consumer interest has increased over the years as well.
The key to food safety and security is not only the raw materials, but also thorough hygiene management in production processes. We hold regular training for our staff, as well as various types of inspections by third-party agencies. Specifically, we hire a dedicated food inspection organization that has been certified by the government to inspect our product manufacturing factories once a year.If these results show an issue at a factory, we provide guidance for improvements and then inspect the factory again. We make no compromises as we seek to provide safe and secure products, with the aim of building a 7-Eleven brand that customers can trust.
In addition to food safety and security, health consciousness is growing among consumers. In response, some Daily Makers have started to display calorie and allergy information on items such as rice balls and sandwiches. Bet365 登録方法his way, we can provide new value by understanding changes Bet365 登録方法he values of consumers and responding quickly to them.
One product that symbolizes health consciousness is oden, a traditional Japanese food. The ingredients of oden are varied, and many are low-calorie, giving it a healthy reputation. Therefore, last year we applied measures such as cutting the salt content to develop a soup that was even more healthy than before. In addition, Chinese consumers like to eat hot food while it is still hot. This makes oden suitable for the country’s eating habits, with the result that Japan’s oden has become a part of a new food culture in China.

The best-selling oden items in China are eggs, daikon Japanese radish, and shirataki noodles, the same as in Japan. Also popular are chewy shrimp dumplings, a product specially developed for China.

In product development as well, we have taken on board the knowledge of SEJ that has objectively quantified how to combine elements such as ingredients and blending quantities, and we work hard to improve these every day by responding to customer preferences. The excellent taste and quality of our products is one of the reasons we are chosen by customers, making us the convenience store chain with the highest sales on a per-store basis.

Differentiation through 24/7 deliveries

 Fresh and delicious sandwiches made by Daily Makers
Fresh and delicious sandwiches made by Daily Makers, such as the overseas food-related subsidiary of Warabeya Nichiyo HLDGs (Beijing Want-Yang Foods Ltd.), are one of the reasons why 7-Eleven deliveries are chosen by customers.

Social changes in China have seen more women entering the workforce, and this trend has led to increased familiarity with deliveries. Demand for deliveries was further dramatically boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the expansion Bet365 登録方法he use of smartphones and electronic payments. Currently, deliveries make up 25% of the sales of the entire food and drink industry, meaning that more than ever before, we are competing with restaurants.
When we first started deliveries, our store systems and delivery devices were not connected, which caused issues because inventories could not be immediately checked when orders were received.
In August 2022, we developed a system based on the knowledge of SEJ, which enables the inventory to be displayed on the platform in real time. This improved work efficiency at stores and increased convenience for both stores and customers, resulting in a sudden increase Bet365 登録方法he use of deliveries by customers.
Currently, an average of at least 50 items are ordered for delivery every day at each store, and deliveries have grown to approximately 17% of sales on an average per-store basis.* About half of delivered products are fresh food that can be eaten immediately; the best sellers are sandwiches, coffee, and oden. This is supported by the high-quality products manufactured by our Daily Makers, such as the overseas food- related subsidiary of Warabeya Nichiyo HLDGs. Also, the most important point of differentiation between ourselves and restaurants is our ability to offer 24/7 deliveries. Data sorted by the time of day shows that most orders are made after 9 pm when the majority of restaurants close, which demonstrates the convenience of our deliveries to customers.
The rich variety of the products that we can deliver is another reason why we are chosen by customers. Our strength is that our customers can freely order not only food but also other daily necessities from a range of about 3,000 products.
*Results of Seven-Eleven (Beijing) Co., Ltd.

Improved customer service and Human capital training

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We make efforts to raise the level of daily customer service and improve the value of the 7-Eleven brand through activities such as confirming the six key phrases of customer service during the morning meeting and conducting detailed checks through store visits by OFCs.

Since our founding we have always put great efforts into customer service. This was greatly influenced by the example of Ito Yokado, which was first to expand into China and demonstrated its corporate creed of trust and sincerity and the concept of customer first not only through words, but also through actions. Questionnaire results show that the most common phrase associated with the image of 7-Eleven after “a wide lineup of products” and “high-quality products” was “high-quality customer service.” Customers visit our stores not only for our products, but also for customer service that makes them feel good.
To raise the level of customer service and improve the entire store, OFCs (Operation Field Counselors) visit stores like in Japan. They check the entire store from the perspective of customers and suggest improvements. Mystery shoppers also conduct checks once a month and the results are used Bet365 登録方法he evaluations of OFCs and their supervisors.
Bet365 登録方法erms of Human capital training, since there is a strong desire in Chinese society for specialization and career development, employees are provided with a common understanding of their career plans and their achievement level is evaluated, which results in high satisfaction levels and motivation at the workplace.

We aim to be positioned closest to customers, whether in real life or online

Based on the credo of trust and sincerity that has been passed down to us from our founding business, Ito Yokado, we have expanded SEJ’s long-standing “close and convenient” concept in a way that is aligned with Chinese society and culture.
In China, which is leading the world Bet365 登録方法he adoption of EC, it is crucial for us to be positioned close to customers, whether this is in real life or online. To do this, we will differentiate ourselves through our high-quality original products and the ease of shopping using digital technology. Bet365 登録方法he future, we will continue similar initiatives as we aim to be a popular brand that is chosen by customers.