TOKYO – The aroma of freshly brewed coffee permeates the air of major Japanese convenience stores as sales of drip coffee have increased, the Japan Times reports. The reason for the upswing has been attributed to the chains focusing more on bean quality and freshness of brewing than in the past. For example, FamilyMart Co. buys coffee beans directly from a Brazilian farms, with the result that as of January 2014, the average daily sales per unit have more than doubled original estimates.

Lawson Inc. introduced brewed coffee three years ago, with a store employee handling the sales instead of self-service kiosks. The chain stocks 10 different coffees. “We plan to offer more sandwiches and sweets that go well with coffee, and we want to increase the number of stores that serve coffee,” said a Lawson official.

Seven-Eleven Japan Co. installed drip coffee machines that brew a less acidic and bitter drink. The move paid off with the number of cups purchased between January 2013 and February 2014 is forecast to top 450 million. “We plan to ensure maximum flavor when we reevaluate our coffee beans,” said a Seven-Eleven Japan official.

Convenience store coffee topped the Nikkei Trendy’s annual list of popular products. According to data the International Coffee Organization, Japan is ranked fourth in coffee consumption in 2012. However, its annual per-capita coffee consumption still lags behind the United States and all European countries, save the United Kingdom.