7-Eleven unveiled a new store in a suburb of Tokyo that will have more than twice the number of products and is almost double the size of regular 7-Elevens. “Our stores are currently not as popular with women, families and younger people,” Keisuke Yamaguchi, an executive officer of Seven & i, said. “How to balance that is our biggest concern when choosing what items to have in the store.” According to the Business Times, the new trial 7-Eleven carries easy-to-prepare groceries, baby products, trendy makeup and other items that are not usually carried at 21,500 outlets across Japan. At the new store are about 2,000 additional products, including fresh fruit, diapers and hair-care products. There will be a larger cafe menu, as well as freshly baked breads and pizza. 7-Elevens in Japan offer everything from fresh food to concert tickets to delivery packages in one place, said the Times. Still, the retailer…

The Amazon-owned grocer’s Whole Foods Market Daily Shop concept aims to offer urban residents a scaled-down shopping experience. Dive Brief: Dive Insight: Several years after shuttering its 365 store concept, Whole Foods is taking another crack at small-format grocery stores. Whole Foods Market Daily Shops will range between 7,000 and 14,000 square feet, about a quarter to half the size of Whole Foods’ traditional 40,000 square foot stores. The new concept will offer grab-and-go meal and snack options as well as grocery essentials, according to an emailed press release.   The smaller locations will also house produce, meat and seafood, bread, alcohol, supplements, local products and Whole Foods’ 365 private brand products. The Manhattan location opening this year will also offer Juice & Java coffee, tea, fresh pressed juices, sandwiches, soups and desserts. The first small-format location is slated to open later this year on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at…

In the early 2000s, accessing the internet was through a dial-up connection which could take anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes to establish a connection. In 2023, generative AI tools can generate poems, short stories and complex legal and medical documents in a matter of seconds. The pace of technological change is accelerating and it’s reshaping just about every aspect of how we live, work, socialise and play. While Xero’s Future Focus research reveals small businesses are more optimistic, and even intrigued, about the potential of emerging technologies than doom and gloom, many wish there was more education and resources to navigate a rapidly changing world. To help small businesses and their advisors plan ahead, I’ve looked at separating the hype from reality to uncover the top five technology trends that may impact the small business landscape in 2024. Trend #1: The AI-augmented creativity boom This year saw generative AI…

Six Melbourne men including some with alleged links to a suspected Middle Eastern crime family have been charged for allegedly trying to import 10 million illicit cigarettes into Victoria after a 16-month, extensive investigation. The AFP and Victoria Police, under the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF) with seconded members from the Illicit Tobacco Taskforce, will allege some of the men work for freight and transport logistics companies in trusted positions. The six men will face the Melbourne Magistrates court today (28 February 2024), and face up 10 years’ imprisonment for the alleged importation, which had an estimated value of $15 million. It will be additionally alleged the syndicate attempted to avoid paying millions of dollars in Commonwealth excise. They have been charged as part of the ongoing JOCTF investigation, codenamed Operation Tyers. Search warrants were executed yesterday (27 February 2024) at a number of businesses and homes in Melbourne’s…

Angus McKay, CEO and Managing Director of 7-Eleven Australia, is the 2024 recipient of the NACS Convenience Industry Leader of the Year award for Asia-Pacific. The award will be presented during the Asian Convenience Retail Awards Ceremony at the NACS Convenience Summit Asia, taking place on 5-7 March in Seoul, South Korea. Henry Armour, CEO and President of NACS, said the award recognises and honours the contributions of successful and influential industry leaders who represent excellence, dedication, and influence in the convenience retail community. “Industry progress is not only driven by innovative companies, but by the energies, determination and inspiration of the individuals who lead them.” McKay joined 7-Eleven as CEO in 2016 before being elected as Managing Director in 2020. He is responsible for leading the 7-Eleven team, driving the business strategy, and growing the 7-Eleven brand in Australia. The past year has been an eventful one for 7-Eleven…