LAWSON] New "Hojicha Kinako Smoothie" using the historic "Asamiya" tea leaves with a distinctive aroma! Houjicha Kinako Smoothie" using the historic tea leaf "Asamiya" with its distinctive aroma is now on sale!

LAWSON, INC. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Sadanobu Takemasu; hereinafter "LAWSON") will launch the "Ho-jicha Kinako Smoothie" (490 yen), an authentic smoothie with a distinctive aroma, at 41 MACHI cafe+ stores in the Kanto region, including Niigata Prefecture and Hokkaido. The smoothie has an authentic flavor with a distinctive aroma, and will go on sale on April 8, 2025. The tea is made from "Asamiya" tea leaves (from the Asamiya district of Shiga Prefecture), which have a long history and were famous as the tea offered to the Imperial Court during the Heian period (794-1192). Please enjoy the complex and rich flavor of the hojicha tea aroma blended with the gentle sweetness of condensed milk and the mildness of milk, plus the deep taste of soybean flour.

Asamiya tea is used at 42% (of hojicha ingredients).

MACHI cafe+ website

https://www.lawson.co.jp/lab/tsuushin/art/1467026_4659.html

Hojicha Kinako Smoothie

Sweet and savory. This hojicha kinako smoothie uses Asamiya, Japan's oldest and most famous tea.

Asamiya" is grown in the Asamiya district of Shiga Prefecture and is called the root of Japanese tea. The tea leaves grow slowly in this environment due to the large temperature difference between day and night and frequent fog. This allows the tea leaves to store nutrients and grow slowly, which is why the tea is considered to have a good aroma.

Two types of tea leaves, one that has been stone-roasted and the other that has been stone-roasted and sand-roasted after direct roasting, are blended to accentuate the strong, savory aroma and sweet, savory flavor. Gently sweetened condensed milk and mild Hokkaido milk are a perfect match. The addition of soybean flour adds depth to the flavor. Enjoy the harmony of the aroma and soothing sweetness that spreads with each sip.

Hojicha Kinako Smoothie Product Photo

Product Name ：Hojicha Kinako Smoothie

Release Date ：April 8, 2025 (Tuesday)

Price ： 490 yen (tax included)

＜Product Description

This smoothie, with its rich hojicha flavor, is a perfect blend of the gentle sweetness of condensed milk and the mildness of milk, resulting in a creamy and smooth texture. The deep flavor of kinako (soybean flour) is also added, creating a complex and rich taste. Enjoy the harmony of the aroma that spreads with each sip and the sweetness that soothes your soul.

Only ice cream is available.

POP to be displayed in the store

Is "handmade" going against the times? No, it is because of the times we live in! What is "MACHI cafe+"?

From September 2022, LAWSON will be fully launching the "MACHI cafe+," a service that utilizes the store's kitchen space to serve each and every cup of ice cream by hand after receiving the customer's order. The "MACHI cafe+" service of "handmade each and every cup" was started in response to a request from a store crew (part-time and part-time workers) who wanted to "have more conversations with customers. Through this service, we aim to activate communication between crew members and customers, and build a relationship where customers feel "I came to see you" and "I want to buy from you.

In introducing the service, the customer service skills of the crew members working in the stores and the human resource development system are also important criteria. Among "fantasistas" who are certified within the company according to the knowledge and skills of their crew members, we certify particularly outstanding staff as "grand fantasistas(*)". This certification system encourages self-improvement among staff and improves their motivation.

Since many customers visit LAWSON every day, we try to provide fresh discoveries no matter when they visit our stores. We always have a lineup of 6 to 10 types of both regular and seasonal products, including smoothies made with fresh bananas and specialty coffees.

*Lawson established the "Fantasista System" in 2012 to recognize staff with excellent coffee-related knowledge and customer service skills to improve customer service and store operations. Currently, in addition to the MACHI cafe, more than 20,000 crew members have been certified in four different fields: customer service, machikado kitchen, and fast food. The top-ranked crew members selected from among the "Fantasista" are the "Grand Fantasistas.

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Smoothies served at Machi Cafe Plus

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