Osechi ryori is a special traditional dish prepared to celebrate the New Year in Japan. Historically, Japanese families would prepare food in advance to give the “kitchen god” a rest during the first three days of the new year. Osechi is typically served in a layered box called *jubako*, and each type of dish and its presentation represents wishes for the family’s happiness, longevity, and prosperity. In response to the demand for convenience, supermarkets and department stores offer a wide range of osechi, from affordable to premium options.
As of September, major department stores and supermarkets have launched their 2025 New Year’s osechi sales campaigns. While the osechi market saw growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by the demand for home consumption, sales began to decline in 2024, signaling a saturation of the market. In this context, companies are now focusing on attracting younger generations. This year, entirely new products have been developed. Aeon, the largest supermarket chain, is appealing to consumers with unique offerings, such as AI-supervised “futuristic osechi” and the nostalgic “Showa retro” design.
For the “futuristic osechi,” various keywords were entered into a generative AI system, which produced images that inspired the creation of the final dishes. The result includes innovative osechi items like blue-wrapped chocolates and fried chicken garnished with gold flakes. While AI played a role in the design, the flavors were developed by human chefs.
Price is 18,144JPY for 2～3 person. AI thought up the Osechi and human beings incorporated it. Sensation and colour like never before.
By leveraging AI, large companies can accelerate the product development process, easily gather real-time consumer feedback, and incorporate it into their offerings. Moving forward, the fusion of AI and food development will enable more customized products tailored to individual needs, further enhancing competitiveness in the food industry.
Source: Aeon website , AEON press release
Related Articles
Marusanai relaunches “Soymilk Yogurt 400g made with domestic soybeans” as a functional food
[Press Release] Announcement date: August 1, 2024 <Lactic acid bacteria are also derived from plants! The "Soy Milk Yogurt" series has seen an increase in shipments for 13 consecutive years> "Soy milk yogurt made with domestic soybeans" A functional food that...
“Horoyoi ” New release for a limited time
Suntory Limited will launch "Horoyoi (Netflix Cola Sour)" nationwide for a limited time from Tuesday, November 5th. The Horoyoi brand is a long-selling brand that has been supported by customers of all ages since its launch in 2009 as a drink with a mild taste and an...
The popular refreshing taste of Morinaga Aloe Yogurt has been transformed into snacks!”Hi-Chew Premium “, “Large Ramune “, and “Morinaga Aloe Yogurt Flavor Sandwich Cookies”will be released on Tuesday, October 22nd.
Morinaga & Co., Ltd. (Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Eijiro Ota) will release three new products in collaboration with Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.'s (Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yoichi Onuki) popular product...