Compared to other parts of the world, Japan has only recently caught on to the demand for plant-based products, but now that companies are realising the power of soy as an alternative to ingredients like meat and eggs, they’re barrelling forth with all sorts of new products.
Now, convenience store chain Lawson is stepping forward with a new plant-based product that’s causing a buzz amongst customers, and they’re easing people into it by packaging it alongside its more traditional counterpart, calling it “Tabe Kurabe!” 2shu no Scramble” (“食べ比べ！２種のスクランブル”).
While the Japanese product name translates to “Taste and Compare! Two Types of Scrambled Egg“, it’s written out in English as “2 Types of Scrambled Eggs (One Plant-based)” on the packaging.
▼ The product is priced at 322 yen.
The new sandwich pack contains one scrambled egg sandwich that uses chicken eggs and another that contains a soy milk-based egg substitute. The combination is designed to appeal to regular egg eaters, who are being encouraged to compare the two varieties, so that’s exactly what we did, starting with a visual comparison.
The sandwich on the left paired chicken eggs with ham and lettuce, while the one on the right paired plant-based "eggs" with potatoes, ham, cucumber, and onion. Comparing the look of the eggs themselves, the substitute version on the right was much paler in color.
For regular egg-eaters this pale hue might be a little off-putting but it shouldn’t discourage people from trying it, because what really matters is the taste.
Starting with the regular egg sandwich, it was simple yet delicious — the elegant, creamy flavour of the scrambled egg and the saltiness of the ham were a perfect match, while the lettuce added a nice crunchiness to the mix.
▼ Lawson is famous for its egg sandwiches, and this one displayed the same high quality we’ve come to expect from the chain.
However…would the non-egg egg sandwich be able to live up to these expectations?
We had to admire the confidence of a chain who’s prepared to serve a real egg alongside a faux egg to its customers, but as soon as we bit into the faux version, we realised that cocky self-assuredness was warranted.
▼ This was absolutely delicious.
This sandwich totally exceeded our expectations, as it tasted like we were eating another egg sandwich, albeit with different fillings to the first. The taste of the eggs was so similar it was astounding, and we have no doubt that it’ll appeal to even the most seasoned of egg eaters.
It had the same thickness and sweetness as regular scrambled eggs, and we couldn’t detect any peculiar taste or scent to hint that these were made with soy. Plus, the cucumber and onion didn’t appear to be masking the flavour in any way, making for a well-balanced blend of ingredients.
▼ Lawson, you’ve done it again with your latest new product, or 新発売 (shinhatsubai), as new products are called in Japan.
In the end, we couldn’t decide which was better between the two, declaring them to be equally delicious.
Related: Lawson
Photos ©SoraNews24
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- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2023/07/13/japanese-convenience-store-lawson-unveils-a-new-type-of-egg-sandwich/
25 Comments
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girl_in_tokyo
I'm curious. What market is the most interested in eating plant-based foods?
Yes, vegetarians and vegans, that's correct!
However, if you put a plant-based egg in with a real egg, vegans cannot eat it and won't buy it. And if you put HAM into it, vegetarians won't eat it, either.
I think they really need to re-think their marketing strategy.
Mat
Ooh, a new plant based sandwich? Great, I can't wait to try it.... oh, it has that Japanese vegetable called 'ham'? PASS.
There are two possibilities here.
One, is that the marketers behind this are completely clueless and have no idea that some people do not eat animal products, and the sandwich exists because egg prices have been increasing constantly.
Two is that, by adding the ingredient to a meat sandwich, and directly comparing it to real egg, people are likely to buy it, and be impressed at how good it is, which may open the market for more products.
While everyone can buy a vegetarian / plant based sandwich, many meat eaters will actively choose not to because they think it will taste bad. Convincing the public that it can be good, would lead to significantly higher future sales.
I just wish it wasn't all soy based though. Anyone ever tried a Quorn burger? Those are really good.
David Brent
Are all the fillings pushed to the front to give the impression of a full sandwich?
GBR48
This is a clever way of getting people to taste a 'veggan' sandwich that they would normally avoid, because they have already paid for it. Hopefully they will like it, as poultry farms are being wiped out at the merest hint of avian flu. It is becoming endemic, so the days of real eggs may be numbered. Wild bird populations dip and recover as they get through it, but domestic chickens will not get that chance. Other animal diseases are available, so whilst not counting your chickens, don't expect to save your bacon either.
Michael Machida
You stopped me at ¥322 after tax.
cleo
Dunno about 'veggans', but no vegan or vegetarian is going to eat anything with ham in it.
I thought the days of 'if it isn't a steak, it must be vegetarian' were long past, but it seems I was wrong.
Moonraker
Japanese has the perfect word for this: Chuutohanpa (中途半端). Has Oona ever found anything that wasn't delicious? She must be angling for a job on Japanese TV.
Tony Kaku
I try my best to avoid getting scammed by convenient store sandwiches with their filling pushed to the center that can be inhaled in a couple of seconds. There must be a massive profit margin on those things. But they are only one of a number of items which are packaged in a way to deceive their "valued customer", that is best to avoid. Any potato chip bag, supersized and full of air (yep, yep, to protect the product, I know); pasta plates and rice bowls with their inverted bottoms (yep, yep, to aid the stacking process, I know) amongst them. Since the scamdemic happened, there have been massive changes in product redesign, reduction of portions, use of cheaper products (though they have their own farms and grow most of their stuff themselves) and price increases across the board. Oh, and the larger font price you see (not including tax) next to the smaller font price you actually pay (including tax). That is a massive nationwide deception all on its own. Oh, and now they charge for their plastic bags (to save the environment of course) whereas before you'd almost end up with a separate bag for every item you bought...there, I'm done.
Harry_Gatto
Lawson do know more than a little about marketing. The key here is the sentence in the article "The combination is designed to appeal to regular egg eaters, who are being encouraged to compare the two varieties,....." the key word being "compare". If Lawson get enough positive feedback then the faux egg version will prevail.
virusrex
I think it is natural to think the new option will eventually be packaged on its own, so vegetarians will be able to buy it without problems.
The current strategy seems more directed to convince non-vegetarians to give it a try and hopefully be convinced it is as good as the classic sandwich.
So when the new "egg" sandwich is sold by itself vegetarians will buy it since there are no other options available and non-vegetarians will eat it as well.
Mickelicious
What an utterly daft product.
wallace
This is confusing. I want my sandwich with real eggs.
Gaijinjland
Anyone ever seen the old Anthony Bourdain episode where he goes on and on about Lawson egg sandwiches? I mean egg and nothing else. They’re good. I admit. I would buy this plant based sandwich if it was only egg substitute and nothing else.
opheliajadefeldt
girl_in_tokyoToday 06:42 am JST..................I agree, what a very strange combination. I am a vegetarian but I do sometimes have scramble eggs, but I would never eat that with any meat in it.
opheliajadefeldt
This reminded me of an unique USA product called 'Baloney' which is part of many rolls and sandwiches. An American friend at Uni told me that it is made of all sorts of remains of animal products and is revolting. I have never seen or tasted it so I will trust what she said,
Paustovsky
Sorry, but you can't beat a Daily Yamazaki egg mayo sandwich. They certainly don't scrimp.
Mat
@Harry
Lawson do know more than a little about marketing. The key here is the sentence in the article "The combination is designed to appeal to regular egg eaters, who are being encouraged to compare the two varieties,....." the key word being "compare". If Lawson get enough positive feedback then the faux egg version will prevail.
Yeah, but eat no meat, and often have the egg mayo sandwiches, but I can't try this one at all, as it has meat. So I'm a regular egg eater that they are targeting.
All they had to do was release a regular egg mayo sandwich, with the plant based egg as the second one in the pack.
Vreth
I just buy the bags of egg salad from Gyomu Super, snip the corner and squeeze it directly down the hatch.
scap
Too bad about that nutrition-less white bread they use in those sandwiches. Why not healthy whole-wheat bread?
factchecker
Since when was ham plant based?
Brilliant!
bearandrodent
Combini foods have an amazing array of preservatives and other chemicals. I admit these sandwiches all taste good but it’s scary what your putting into your system.
Harry_Gatto
Interesting. Where can I read more about this and quantify "amazing array"? Just to confirm your theory because not everyone agrees with you.
https://www.thetokyochapter.com/what-snacks-can-i-get-for-kids-while-on-the-go/
Politik Kills
Stop the presses!
Paul
It is not a sandwich for vegans nor vegetarians, as some here seem to think. It is for NORMAL, the 80% of people who might be interested in trying out a sandwich which contains plant based egg...
Paul
For some mysterious reason vegans and vegetarians seem to think every food item for sale should meet their requirement and only their requirement. You lot are the minority!!! Majority are the meat eaters who like to eat food made with real ingredients, not fake eggs nor fake meat!!!