Seven-Eleven Japan will grow vegetables for its own salads products sold at convenience stores by establishing a plant factory in Tokyo, reported Nikkei Asian Review.

Seven-Eleven is the largest convenience store operator in Japan and it began the project in order to reduce the supply risks caused by weather. The indoor farming facility will be set up in Kanagawa Prefecture to produce lettuce for stores in the Greater Tokyo Area.

(Image: Osram)

According to the report, the facility will cost about 6 billion yen (US$53.3 million) and is scheduled to operate in January 2019 by Prime Delica, a subsidiary of Prima Meat Packers which makes items of boxed meals and others for the convenience store chain. The facility will be installed with LED lighting system to produce vegetables for about 70,000 salads per day.

The company used to buy vegetables from other sources but the price and the quality of vegetables could difficult to manage due to drastic weather changes. Building up its own growing facilities might increase the cost for the convenience store company, but it can ensure the stability of the supply. Seven-Eleven Japan plans to build more indoor farms in Japan and considers plant factories will eventually lower the cost of production.