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Find the latest insights, innovations, and trends. From various news sources, we pick and summarize the most important insights, innovations, trends, and news from hundreds of reports each week in Japan.
Building a Fanbase with Upcycled Food Products
There is a growing variety of "upcycled" foods that turn waste generated during food processing into valuable products. The company's approach has attracted sympathy and led to the creation of fans. Sakaeya Bakery (Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture), which makes bread and other products for school...
Beverage giant revitalizes “sluggish” green tea in spring to stem private brand customer outflow.
Major beverage companies are revamping their green teas. Almost all major famous brands such as Suntory Beverage & Food's "Iemon" and Coca-Cola Japan's "Ayataka" were renewed. Inexpensive private brands (PB) are selling at their best in the past five years, and sales at the major players are...
Kellogg’s Japan introduces a new way to use oatmeal: Healthier Onigiri (rice balls) made with oatmeal.
Kellogg's Japan is proposing a new way of consuming oatmeal to expand its market in Japan. From the "Oatmeal Rice" series, which can be eaten like rice, they will release "Soy Protein Oatmeal Rice" on February 12th, which allows you to intake protein that is often lacking. The soy protein is...
Japan Kellogg’s Whole Granola Series with the highest reduction of 70% in fat content
Introducing Japan Kellogg's Whole Granola Series with the highest reduction of 70% in fat content. The new product is available starting from Monday, March 25th. Supervised by the Head Chef of Hotel New Otani, we've achieved a 70% reduction in fat content without compromising on taste. In each 40g...
The fermented vinegar drink, a new health beverage created by fermenting by-products such as “whey” with bifidobacteria by Morinaga company
Morinaga Milk will launch nationwide from Tuesday, April 2nd, "PURESU Fermented Vinegar Drink Pomegranate Flavor" and "PURESU Fermented Vinegar Drink Muscat Flavor," the first in Japan as functional labeled foods that are described on the package for the effects of acetic acid and bifidobacteria...
Food Trend 2024 in Japan Croissant Innovation
The name "croissant" originates from French, meaning "crescent." However, recently, a diverse range of "evolved croissants" has emerged in South Korea and landed in Japan, attracting attention, especially among younger generations. These variations come in various shapes, such as triangular like...
Blue Diamond Almond milk production inside Japan with Kagome company
On April 4, 2024, Kagome announced its intention to introduce the renowned U.S. almond milk brand "Almond Breeze" to the Japanese market, commencing sales from September. Partnering with Blue Diamond Growers, Kagome secured a licensing agreement for the production and distribution of "Almond...
Upcycle Beer innovation with bread
Sakaeya Bakery, located in Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture, which produces bread for school lunches, opened the Better life with upcycle craft beer brewery on February 5, 2024. The brewery, operated by the parent company, utilizes bread crusts that have been trimmed and deemed unnecessary from the...
Souvenir Japan : Meiji has launched a new line of chocolates specifically targeting the souvenir market in Japan
Meiji has launched a new line of chocolates specifically targeting the souvenir market in Japan. This marks the first time the company has tailored a chocolate brand specifically for this purpose. The chocolates have been revamped from existing brands to include ingredients and packaging that...
Upcycle Sweet potato scraps mixed with 16 types of grains
"Imoya Kinjiro, which manufactures and sells various sweet potato snacks such as imo-kenpi (sweet potato chips) and sweet potatoes, started selling 'Imoya's Mixed Grains Rice' from April 1, 2024. It uses 'Kogane-senkan,' a sweet potato variety well-known as a raw material for sweet potato shochu....
Snacks made with 100% organic fruit
"SMILEAT Organic Fruit Snacks" by T-Rex (Osaka, Japan)100% organic fruit. The product was heated at a low temperature for a long time and slowly hardened to create a gummy candy-like texture. The nutrition and sweetness of the fruit as it is, without sugar, gelatin, or additives. There are five...
Shibuya Chronicles: Sparkling Arrival of ‘Kirakira Donki’ in the Former Iconic Spot, Fizzling Out in Just 7 Months
Pan Pacific International Holdings (PPIH) announced on April 8 that it will open a new "Kirakira Donki" store in Shibuya, Tokyo, featuring products for young people under the discount store "Don Quijote" brand. The store will open on 23rd at the site of the recently closed Don Quijote private...
Aeon PB resonates with the MZ generation. Soft drink sales double.
AEON's private brand (PB) "Topvalu" will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024. Aeon has been supported by a "value proposition" that national brands (NB) cannot provide and a "price strategy" that offers the same or better quality as NB but at a reasonable price. Sales in fiscal year 2023 will...
Rainbow color limited edition products will be launched in Family mart again this year.
FamilyMart Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kensuke Hosomi) will release "Short Socks Rainbow" priced at 390 yen (including tax: 429 yen) and "Imabari Towel Handkerchief Rainbow" priced at 546 yen (including tax: 600 yen), both featuring rainbow-colored designs...
AEON celebrates the 50th anniversary of ‘Tasmanian Beef’ with the release of approximately 50 new products.
In 1974, when beef imports were restricted, AEON aimed to deliver delicious beef to customers at affordable prices. Believing Tasmania to be ideal for raising beef cattle for Japan, AEON started ranching on the island. Tasmania, situated approximately 240 km southeast of the Australian mainland,...
Upcycle in RTD category ; By 2027, the “Kirin Ice” brand plans to reduce annual fruit waste by 150 tons through this project.
Entering the canned chu-hai market as a latecomer, Kirin's "Hyoketsu" has become a blockbuster product with a cumulative sales volume exceeding 17.5 billion units (250ml cans, until the end of March 2022). If we redefine a blockbuster product, it's not just about individual sales but also about...
Why USMH launched its own brand “GREEN GROWERS Meal?
United Supermarket Holdings (Tokyo/President Motohiro Fujita: USMH) has launched its own private brand, "GREEN GROWERS Meal,'' a collection of foods made from plant-based ingredients. There is. Sales targets are not disclosed. We asked him about the background behind launching a brand specializing...
Seven & i launches “fully farmed yellowtail” from Seven Premium Fresh, the first to receive MEL certification.
Seven & i Holdings (Tokyo) will sell "Completely Farmed Yellowtail" as a new product under its private brand "Seven Premium Fresh" from April 8, 2024 at approximately 120 Ito-Yokado and some York stores nationwide. It will be released sequentially at stores.This product is the first for Seven...