Photo/Illutration A Lawson Inc. convenience store in Tokyo is shown in October. (Seisaku Yamamoto)

Leading convenience store chain Lawson Inc. is adding barley and wheat into the mix of its ready-to-eat items, prompted by surging rice prices. 

Fumiyoshi Mizushima, the general manager responsible for ready-made meals in Lawson’s merchandise department, announced on Nov. 4 that the company is increasing its procurement of affordable barley by 20 percent, eyeing the specialized “rice ball mixed with sticky barley.”

Noting that patrons are shifting from rice to bread and noodle options, Mizushima said that the convenience store chain is gearing up for putting in place an enhanced lineup of these alternatives at the same time.

Lawson expects the price of rice in Japan to rise further in the future. This is problematic for the chain operator, as the staple is used in onigiri, bento and other mainstay edible products sold at convenience stores nationwide.

On Nov. 4, Lawson held a briefing session on its “new onigiri tactics” in Tokyo.

The corporation told the meeting that the proceeds from lower-priced rice balls featuring sticky barley and other barley jumped 20 percent between July and September, while overall onigiri unit sales remained level year on year.

Not only can barley cater well to the recent health-conscious tendency among consumers but it also reportedly has a clear economic advantage: its market price is more stable than that of rice.

Following the public announcement, Mizushima mentioned Lawson’s plans in an interview.

“We are boosting this fiscal year’s barley purchase by 20 percent compared to the previous fiscal year,” Mizushima said. “Our company is planning to further double down on procurement of barley from here on out.”

Referring to the expected prices of rice going forward, Mizushima added that Lawson “will take action on the assumption that the price will continue to steadily grow.”

In addition to mixing barley into rice, the convenience store chain is looking at a range of countermeasures, such as omitting the typical nori garnish, to constantly offer affordable onigiri for less than 200 yen ($1.30).

Lawson is simultaneously moving toward refining the quality of relatively costly rice balls, priced at 200 yen to upward of 300 yen, in collaboration with the well-established specialty store Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku.

Another step Lawson is considering is to promote wheat-based, rice-free merchandise, as consumers are increasingly turning to bakery and noodle products in the general precooked food business covering onigiri and bento as well.

“Customers prefer bread and noodle to rice balls and boxed meals under the current trend,” said Mizushima.

According to Mizushima, Lawson is preparing to offer many more noodle and baked goods going forward.

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