On April 21, Miyagi Co-op and FamilyMart Co,. Ltd opened the first integrated shop "FamilyMart + COOP Shichikashuku shop" in the city of Shichikashuku, Miyagi prefecture.

This partnership agreement to open the first integrated store of a super market and convenience store function is the first of its kind in the area and it is anticipated to serve as food desert countermeasures to improve the shopping convenience of the local residence as well as revitalizing the town where depopulation and aging are progressing.

The store has total area of about 340 square meters with the sales area alone covering 276 square meters which is about 1.7 times the size of a conventional convenience store.

In addition to offering ordinary FamilyMart handling products and services, Miyagi Co-op has about 500 items of fresh local produce (fruits, fresh fish, meat and cooked meal) and “Megumino” products together with about 700 items of co-op products arranged in the store. Approximately a total of about 4,200 items are available for sale.

The store operates 24 hours a day and has the merit of convenience stores and supermarkets.  In the opening ceremony, Mr. MIYAMOTO Hiromu, President of Miyagi Co-op (M), mentioned that the integrated store would provide the local people with a place to shop irrespective of advancing depopulation.

Also present at the opening ceremony were Mr. FUKUDA Minoru, Tohoku 2nd District Officer, FamilyMart Co., Ltd. and Mr. KOSEKI Koichi, mayor of Shichikashuku city who also mentioned that the initiative is a policy drive towards "community improvement where local citizens can live in peace with a feeling of security".