Toshifumi Suzuki, the man who transformed twenty-four-hour stores, dies at ninety-three

Published on May 26, 2026 | Translated from Spanish

Toshifumi Suzuki, a retail pioneer in Japan and the person responsible for bringing the 7-Eleven model to Asia, passed away on May 25, 2026, at the age of 93. His vision changed the way people shop in Japan and expanded the chain to markets such as Thailand and China, setting standards of efficiency and logistics that are now a global benchmark.

meticulous elderly Japanese man placing a 24-hour store sign on a refrigerated shelf, nighttime logistics showing a delivery truck unloading barcode-coded packages, digital inventory system with touchscreens while an employee scans products, counter with freshly prepared coffee and onigiri, white fluorescent lights, urban nighttime atmosphere, clean aisle with orderly shelves, restocking process during the early morning hours, photorealistic cinematic style, cold industrial lighting, details of operational efficiency

Logistics and data: the invisible engine of Asian expansion 🏪

Suzuki implemented a replenishment system based on real-time demand analysis, reducing waste and optimizing inventories. He introduced the concept of the store as a proximity logistics hub, with multiple deliveries per day. His integrated franchise model with POS technology allowed 7-Eleven to tailor products to each neighborhood, from onigiri to bill payment services, setting the standard for Asian retail.

The genius who made us buy onigiri at 3 in the morning 🍙

Thanks to Suzuki, any hungry insomniac could get a bento at 4 AM without having to wake up a shopkeeper. His obsession with efficiency ensured that even the last pen was always in its place. Now, when entering a 7-Eleven, we can pay silent homage while buying a hot coffee at any time of the day or night.