This convenience store trend takes an already popular drink to new heights of deliciousness.

Japanese convenience stores are known for selling amazing products, but recently customers have been taking these products and making them even better with secret hacks that are going viral on social media.

One such hack involves 7-Eleven smoothies, or “Seven Café Smoothies” as the chain likes to call them. These smoothies, sold in the freezer section in pre-blended form with fresh ingredients inside them, have become super popular due to their freshly made aspect, as customers blend them up using a specially designed machine at the counter.

The range of smoothies has now grown to include a wide variety of delicious flavours, with loads of vitamins and nutrients to boot, but now it’s becoming popular to add a little something to them from another section of the store.

The secret ingredient is…

▼ …Meiji’s R‑1 probiotic yoghurt drink.

According to rave reviews from people following the trend on social media, the addition of the R-1 yoghurt drink transforms a 7‑Eleven smoothie into a lassi, and customers have been using the mango smoothie to get the best results.

Curious to see if the hack would live up to the hype, we purchased three of the smoothies to try them out, whipping them up in store before taking them home for the tasting. Starting with the mango smoothie, we poured the R-1 in and gave it a good stir with the straw.

▼ The smoothie costs 360 yen (US$2.45) and the R-1 160 yen, so this hack will cost you 520 yen.

The only thing left to do now was to take a sip, and as soon as we did that, we reeled back in surprise as it really did taste like a lassi. The subtle tartness was refreshing and clean on the palate, and the fruity brightness fit the flavour profile so well we almost wished we had a curry to pair with it.

While the taste was fantastic, what surprised us even more was the fact that the added R‑1 fit perfectly in the cup, filling it just beneath the brim as if the smoothie had been measured out specifically for a little addition.

It was such a great hack that we went on to experiment with two more flavours.

▼ Acai Banana Smoothie + R‑1

This was light and refreshing, yet you can clearly feel the presence of the fruit. It blends together naturally with the R‑1 and has great compatibility, elevating it to the levels of a luxurious smoothie you’d drink at a cafe. The only downside was the R‑1 sank right to the bottom, so it took a bit of extra stirring before drinking.

▼ Strawberry Banana Soy Smoothie + Drinkable Yogurt

This time, instead of R‑1, we added 7-Eleven’s own-brand Yoghurt Drink to the mix. Thanks to the richness of the yoghurt, the result was super luxurious, adding extra creaminess while still allowing the flavour of the fruit and soy milk from the smoothie to shine through.

▼ The added thickness makes for a filling beverage that’s particularly great for breakfast.

So next time you’re looking for a quick and easy breakfast option, or a fun pick-me-up at any time of the day, you might want to try the viral 7-Eleven smoothie hack.

Our preferred variation was Strawberry Banana with the Yoghurt Drink, but if you prefer a lighter yoghurt flavour, then you’ll want to opt for the R-1. Once you open the door to experimenting with the smoothies, you’ll be tempted to explore even more options so let us know if you find any combinations worth trying!

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