Here's Where 7-Eleven Sources Its Sushi

As the first U.S. convenience store chain, 7-Eleven's impact on American culture cannot be denied. Where else can you go at 3 a.m. when a delicious gas station hot dog craving hits? Or quench your thirst over the course of a long drive with a sweet, fizzy Big Gulp? If you've ever perused the refrigerated foods section of your local 7-Eleven, though, in addition to sandwiches, salads, and fruit cups, you might have spotted sushi sold under the brand name Okami. And as wild as that might appear, this convenience store chain actually sources it from a reputable ready-to-eat sushi supplier: Fuji Food Products, based out of Santa Fe Springs, California.

We know this because of an unfortunate recall in 2019, when the company called back packages of sushi due to possible Listeria contamination. The recall also revealed that Fuji Foods supplies sushi to grocery chains like Food Lion and Giant Eagle, as well as one — perhaps surprising — retailer: Trader Joe's, under its store brand name. That's right: The sushi you might turn up your nose at in 7-Eleven is the exact same thing you'd consider putting in your basket at TJ's — the only real difference is the store setting.

Surprisingly, aside from the snide remarks you would expect concerning gas station sushi and food poisoning, the consensus is that 7-Eleven's rolls aren't half-bad. On a Reddit thread about people's experiences with the chain's sushi, the original poster wrote: "[The] sushi I've purchased ... has never gotten me sick like everyone says it will. It's not [particularly] great by sushi standards, but its not bad." Another commenter in Los Angeles mirrored that "not bad" sentiment, though they qualified it with a "definitely not my first choice."

On a different subreddit, however, one commenter mentioned that the Okami brand sushi's rice is perpetually "dried out." This is interesting, as one of the major complaints about Trader Joe's sushi — remember, made by the same supplier — is that its rice is too mushy and gluey. On yet another Reddit thread, one commenter mentioned how dry the rice can get, then went on to write that sometimes the "fish goes off slightly[,] too."

It's worth mentioning, too, that this mixed bag of sushi reactions concerns American 7-Eleven rolls. If you happen to be in Japan, it's a whole other kettle of fish, with the convenience chain offering incredibly high-quality and tasty sushi (as well as the trendy fruit sandos) to its Japanese market.