Bringing Restaurant-Quality Taste to Everyday Life: The Challenge Behind Seven Premium Gold "Golden Hamburg Steak"
Hamburg steak—a dish that brings smiles to the faces of both children and adults.
Whether it’s a homemade version or one served at a specialty restaurant, each has its own special flavor.
But what if that "restaurant-quality taste" could be enjoyed at home, any time?
Seven Premium Gold "Golden Hamburg Steak" was created to make that dream a reality.
With its thick, juicy patty and a rich, savory sauce that perfectly complements the meat, every bite feels like a special treat straight from a restaurant.
This iconic product was launched 15 years ago—at a time when few people believed that a private label chilled food could truly rival the flavor of a specialty restaurant dish.
This article sheds light on the efforts of the developers behind Seven Premium Gold, a brand that has redefined what private label food can be by aiming for an "even higher level of quality."
The First Hint to "Elevated Quality" Was at the Dining Table
"When we were told to create a private brand product that would surpass Seven Premium, I honestly didn’t know what to do. We were already committed to high quality and great taste—how could we go even further?"
So recalls Suzuki, the original merchandiser (MD) behind the Seven Premium Gold series and now Manager of Product Brand Strategy in the Marketing Strategy Department at Seven-Eleven Japan.
Faced with the challenge of creating a product that didn’t yet exist in the market, the team had to consider everything—flavor, pricing, quality. The first clue came from daily life and the modern dining experience.
Suzuki
With more dual-income households, there’s a growing need to ease the burden of daily cooking. I have a family too, and meal prep is always a challenge. Seven Premium’s prepared side dishes, like potato salad, were a lifesaver for me.
At the same time, I saw the need for more satisfying main dish options. I imagined how it would be to enjoy something a bit special at home—as a small reward after a busy week, whether on a Friday night or during a weekend lunch.
Suzuki wasn’t aiming for something extravagant or seasonal—rather, she focused on everyday meals that people enjoy both at home and in restaurants.
Suzuki
There are plenty of delicious dishes you can enjoy when dining out. But if it’s not something people usually eat at home, they might hesitate to pick it up at a convenience store. So we looked into common family meals.
Hamburg steak, curry, and beef stew came out on top—these would later become the first items in the Seven Premium Gold lineup.
Suzuki
Take hamburg steaks, for example. Those served in restaurants often feature a delicious sauce, but at home, few have the time or energy to prepare that extra element. So we thought—what if we could have that all ready to eat at home? That’s how the development of the ‘Golden Hamburg Steak’ began.
The goal was not just to make a tasty dish, but to make it a "special treat" that went far beyond what typical private label products offered. Thus began a long process of trial and error.
It’s Not Just About Taste—It’s a Battle with Price
Suzuki
The development team, working alongside NH Foods Ltd., first determined the ideal meat ratio—balancing the savory richness of beef with the natural sweetness of pork to suit Japanese tastes. The sauce pairing was also crucial, and the core concept was settled early on.
The first thing that stood in the way was the evaluation of taste.
Suzuki
The taste of a hamburg steak changes dramatically depending on the meat ratio, grind size, mixing technique, and cooking method. We went through countless fine-tuned prototypes before getting internal approval.
After months of testing, the team finally got the green light at a tasting session, which was a huge relief for Suzuki. But soon there was another hurdle: Pricing.
Just when Suzuki thought she had achieved a satisfactory taste, she was asked if the price was reasonable.
Suzuki
In theory, if price isn’t a concern, you can pursue flavor as far as you want. But setting a retail price is tricky. Back in 2010, many chilled products under Seven Premium sold for just over 100 yen. Some had reached 198 yen, which was already a stretch. Pricing the ‘Golden Hamburg Steak’ was an even greater challenge.
Just like she had done when selecting the menu item, Suzuki returned to real-life insight.
Suzuki
I thought, how much would it cost to make this at home? I compared flyers from various supermarkets and proposed a price point that would be about the same as homemade ingredients—despite the product tasting better.
Even then, I was told to revisit the pricing. I’ll admit, that was tough to hear.
From there, it is a repetition of detailed adjustments. To reduce prices as much as possible, we looked at the cost list of raw ingredients, packaging, production costs—making small adjustments to bring the price down without compromising quality.
Suzuki
It was a tough journey, but what saved me was the reaction at our product exhibition before launch. A franchise owner said to their staff, ‘This is delicious—we’re definitely going to sell this!’ I still remember how moved I was in that moment.
Receiving a stamp of approval from those with the sharpest eyes for products—franchise owners—marked the true beginning of the "Golden Hamburg Steak" journey.
The first line-up of Seven Premium Gold. A total of four items were launched, including hamburger steak and beef curry.
Constant Evolution of the "Golden Hamburg Steak" with a Steady Vision
Since its launch, the Golden Hamburg Steak has undergone repeated improvements—adjusting the meat blend, revising the sauce, reevaluating ingredients—all while maintaining its high standards.
One of the people who inherited this project was Hirata, then MD of Daily Frozen Food in the Fast Food Daily Department.
Hirata
Suzuki and I joined the company the same year. I was honestly impressed when I first tasted the Golden Hamburg Steak—not just the flavor, but the price-quality balance was amazing. But when I took over, I also realized the challenge. No matter how good something is, people can grow tired of it.
To keep up with evolving customer expectations, Hirata oversaw multiple updates—one of the most impactful being a packaging change in 2016.
Hirata
Until 2015, the Golden Hamburg Steak could only be heated by boiling. But in customer interviews, we learned that nearly half of them were transferring it to a plate, covering it with plastic wrap, and microwaving it.
My wife was cooking it that way too.
Concerned that microwaving often led to the sauce burning on the plate and ruining the flavor, Hirata began researching better packaging solutions.
Hirata
One day at a supermarket, I happened to see a product using microwave-safe packaging. I thought—this could be it. However, things weren’t that simple.
It was difficult because the Golden Hamburg Steak needed to evenly heat both the patty and the generous portion of sauce. No existing microwave-safe packaging offered that level of performance.
Determined to eliminate extra steps like boiling water or transferring to a plate, Hirata worked with packaging manufacturers to create something new—without any reference samples.
Hirata
In the early prototypes, some steam vents were placed where fingers might touch, risking burns. There were no previous examples, so the process was always trial-and-error. We had the help of many people until we reached our current form, so that anyone could use the product safely and conveniently.
6th generation (May. 2016): Switched to microwave-safe packaging
The final packaging allows both boiling and microwave heating. Why not go microwave-only? Hirata says, "When families want to heat multiple portions at once, it takes time to heat in the microwave one by one. The first one heated first gets cold, so we also needed to support hot water boiling, which can be used to heat more than one meal at a time."
The Golden Hamburg Steak has been developed from the beginning with a viewpoint rooted in people's daily lives. It has been passed down from generation to generation.
A Special Hamburg Steak—Now and Into the Future.
In July 2025, the Golden Hamburg Steak entered its 15th generation.
Though today’s challenges include soaring ingredient costs, the team continues its pursuit of "something so delicious, you want to tell everyone about it."
Hirata
Balancing taste and price has become increasingly difficult these days. At home or when dining out, I often watch how my children react to food. For kids, price doesn’t matter—they simply go for what tastes good. That kind of honest, instinctive feedback is a valuable reminder to always keep the customer’s perspective in mind. Of course, we still need to carefully consider the final price point, but those pure reactions often inspire our product development.
Suzuki
When we leave our jobs, we are just another consumer. If I and my family find something delicious or something we want, I am sure that our customers do as well. Instead of overthinking at my desk, I find it more meaningful—and fun—to imagine our customers and listen to their voices.
Finally, we asked both of them to share the moment when they felt the "sky cleared up" in this journey.
Hirata
Microwavable packaging materials came with cost and supply challenges, and it was said that they could only be used for the Seven Premium Gold Series. But now, it is widely used in Seven Premium products. What we have developed with many people through hard work has become something indispensable. My heart is too full for words.
Suzuki
When I ask people what their favorite Seven-Eleven Japan product is, many say the ‘Golden Hamburg Steak.’ That’s because each generation of merchandisers poured their hearts into making it even better. Hearing that makes me incredibly proud.”
The Golden Hamburg Steak will continue to be a little reward in people’s everyday lives—now and into the future.
In its 15th version as of July 2025, the Golden Hamburg Steak now features enhanced juiciness and a deeper blend of beef richness and pork sweetness.
This text has been translated using an automatic translation tool.
