Conbini Boys

In this week's episode, the chiki wars are heating up with all three conbini releasing big-time chikis. Mike and Matt take a look at the new item scoreboard, which has a surprise from Lawson. The Spicy Commentator is back for another sweets review. We make a call on a couple of hauls before heading to the gemba with Mike to hear about the return of 7-11's agetori. Did it bring tears to his eyes? Finally, we follow up on the phenomenon of old people crashing into the conbini.

This week, we're looking at some new fried chicken items coming out of Family Mart and Lawson, checking in on the weekly output at the conbini and picking up some items to share, taking a look Family Mart's collaboration with professional wrestling legend Choshu Riki, and catching up on some conbini news.

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In this week’s episode We take a deep dive into Okinawa-only items at FamilyMart. The Spicy Commentator is back with a surprising review of 7-11’s new Pierre Here signature sweet series. We critique two more confine hauls and Mike reviews the Cheese Takkarubi Famichiki.  In Conbini News we follow up on the plastic bag reduction effort. Plus, the Chiki Wars rage on with new items from 7-11 and Lawson.

Check out photos of the items we discuss on social:

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• Twitter
  
  

In this week’s episode, we turn our eyes to Lawson - checking out their weekly output as well as their legendary Uchi Cafe series. In the Chiki Wars, we take a look at the final results of Lawson's Nice Cheese Gran Prix, as well as a look at a new addition to the Famichiki lineup. We share a few hauls, enter a lightning round in Mike's "At the Genba" series, and check in on some controversial news coming out of the conbini.

1:30 - Final Results of Lawson’s Nice Cheese Grand Prix 

3:15 - Family Mart's Dak-galbi Famichiki

5:21 - Podcast Blooper #3 (ZERO kcal Cider triple)

7:28 - Lawson's Weekly Output

• 9:35 - Uchi Cafe's Shequasar Frozen Fruit Bar


• 10:46 - Uchi Cafe's Custard Peach Daifuku


• 11:46 - Coffee Jelly Pudding


• 13:16 - Sweet Beef Curry Bread


• 14:49 - Pasta Clam Chowder

17:04 - Lawson's Uchi Cafe Introduction

• 18:50 - Bravo Michipu


• 19:40 - Zakushu


• 20:54 - Chocomint Tart

22:40 - 7-11's Pierre Herme Series Introduction

25:43 - Sharing Hauls

Z32:09 - At the Genba with Mike Lightning Round

37:51 - Conbini News

In this week’s episode, Mike and I once again examine the prolific number of new items out of the konbini - this time at 7-11. We get into the Chiki Wars with updates on Lawson’s Nice Cheese Grand Prix and a shocking new big chiki out of 7-11. We also dive into a Weiner War between Lawson, 7-11, and FamilyMart, then report on big news concerning plastic bags at the konbini. Let’s get started.

• 1:45 - Update on Lawson’s Nice Cheese Grand Prix


• 3:54 - 7-11’s Shocking Big Chiki


• 6:43 - 7-11’s 97 new items for the week July 14 - July 21


• 8:14 - 7-11’s Hashed Potato


• 9:32 - 7-11’s Wasabeef Chips


• 11:10 - 7-11’s Torori Takkarubi Doria


• 13:38 - 7-11’s Taiwan Beef Mixup Salad


• 15:07 - 7-11’s Black Thunder Pablo Cheese Tart Hybrid Snack


• 17:33 - 7’11’s Zero kcal Cider Triple


• 19:06 - The Haul Segment (Mike’s Haul and Matt’s Haul)


• 24:58 - New Items: Weiner Wars
  
  
  
  • 25:36 - FamilyMart’s Big Chorizo
  
  
  • 27:15 - Lawson’s Pork Weiner and Cheese Roll
  
  
  • 29:07 - 7-11’s Double Weiner Red Curry
  
  
  • 31:08 - Lawson’s Chocolate Pudding Sandwich
  
  
  
  


• 32:59 - Mail Bag


• Conbini News
  
  
  
  • 34:02 - Thank You to the Conbini
  
  
  • 35:40 - Huge News about Plastic Bags at the Conbini
  
  
  
  

68 new products this week... and that's just at Family Mart. We take a look at the mind-blowing weekly output of the conbini, check in on Lawson's Nice Cheese Grand Prix, take a look at 7-11's Sauce in Chicken series and Ministop's Double Cheese Katsu Dog, critique a couple of hauls, hear from the Spicy Commentator about a previously introduced product, and catch up on some conbini news that is sure to shake up the industry. 

In this week’s episode, we celebrate 200 known flavors of Lawson’s karaage-kun fried chicken, critique some conbini hauls found on twitter, and share some big news about robots coming to FamilyMart.

In this week’s episode the Conbini Boys kickoff with Lawson’s Nice Cheese Grand Prix. Then they engage in some heated discussion around other people’s reviews of the Famichiki. The Spicy Commentator is back to review the Basque Cheese Choco Pie. Mike shares his review of FamilyMart’s Karamucho Famichiki introduced last week, followed by an introduction of two new items: the Mango and Passion fruit Zeitaku Shibori canned cocktail and Lawson’s Rare Cheese Jelly. Mike and Matt close out with big news - Lawson will begin selling 500 yen bags of vegetables at 15,000 stores.

• 1:38 - Nice Cheese Grand Prix


• 7:30 - Famichiki Critiques


• 14:45 - Spicy Commentator on Basque Cheese Choco Pie


• 17:34 - Karamucho Review


• 19:38 - New items: Mango and Passion fruit Zeitaku Shibori canned cocktail


• 21:30 - New items: Lawson’s Rare Cheese Jelly


• 23:30 - Conbini News

The Conbini Boys are back after their episode 10 blowout. They start with a check in on the Chiki Wars, taking a look at Family Mart’s new 3 part famichiki series, featuring the incredible Karamucho Famichiki this week. Following up from last week’s alcohol themed episode, Matt and Mike go in depth about drinking culture in Japan, talking about everything from nomikais to daikos. The Spicy Commentator is back with a traditional Japanese sweet review from 7-11, and for new items this week, the boys take a look at some items to keep you cool during the hot summer. Finally, they take a look at the world of conbini news, unearthing an interesting new trend involving t-shirts as well as another hero to add to the conbini hall of fame.

1:57 - Chiki Wars: Family Mart’s new 3 part Famichiki series

5:49 - Overview of Japanese drinking culture

12:00 - Spicy Commentator Reviews: 7-11’s Mochimochi Warabimochi

14:40 - New Item: 7-11's Clear Cooler Strong: Pineapple and Mango Sour

16:14 - New Item: Lawson's Machi Cafe: Frozen Party Soda

18:07 - Mailbag

21:44 - The Great Conbini T-shirt battle: Lawson's Sour Squad vs Family Mart's Karamucho Chiki

24:48 - Conbini News: A new hero is born

It’s episode 10! Mike and Matt kick off with congratulatory notes recognizing this unbelievable milestone. Everyone from Michael Jordan to Shinzo Abe wrote in. Then the boys jump into a HUGE conbini topic in celebration of the 10th episode: alcohol. The Conbini Boys cover everything from beer to canned cocktails to cup sake. They ask the big questions like “Which has more text on it: a New York Times front page or an Asahi Super Dry beer can?” They dispense critical advice, such as what to do when your friend peels back a cup sake top. In new products, Mike and Matt review the Lemondo canned cocktail from Coca Cola and frozen beer from Kirin. Finally, Mike and Matt share big news about Lawson’s karaage-kun launching into space and the accompanying Black Hole flavor chicken nuggets.

• 1:48 - Congratulatory messages on the 10th episode


• 6:58 - Introduction to conbini alcohol


• 10:47 - Overview of conbini beer


• 22:41 - Overview of conbini canned cocktails


• 25:32 - Overview of conbini sake


• 29:36 - Lemondo canned cocktail


• 33:18 - Kirin Frozen Beer


• 35:15 - Lawson’s Karage-kun in outer space and Black Hole flavor karaage-kun chicken nuggets