Japanese Convenience Stores Offer New Entertainment, Food Options

From karaoke to fresh baked bread, c-stores try to differentiate in a competitive market.

August 19, 2014

TOKYO – Japanese convenience store chains are launching new types of outlets to attract new customers and expand sales networks as competition increases, according to a recent article in The Japan Times.

The FamilyMart Co. is adding more outlets paired with karaoke boxes to its chain of stores, while Three-F Co. is setting up stores specializing in particular types of food.

Earlier this month, FamilyMart opened a convenience outlet combined with a Daiichikosho Co. karaoke facility, their third such tie-up. The new location is targeted at families because it has a room for kids, a spacious parking lot and offers a wide range of snacks, a FamilyMart spokesman told Japan Times.

In their first collaboration in April, FamilyMart and Daiichikosho set up a convenience store next to a karaoke facility in Tokyo. The number of karaoke customers visiting the outlet has grown 30% year over year since its debut, with sales up 10%, a Daiichikosho official said.

The two companies plan to open 30 collaborative stores over the next three years.

Meanwhile, the Three-F convenience chain is boosting its gooz outlets, which feature food cooked on the premises. The sixth gooz, which opened in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district last month, sells freshly baked bread, brown rice balls and coffee made from 12 kinds of beans. It also has an indoor dining space.

According to the new report, Three-F decided to focus on food and drink because customers in urban areas, where convenience stores are concentrated, are typically dissatisfied by ordinary convenience stores, a spokesman said. The company plans to increase the number of gooz stores to 10 by the end of March.

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