Bread with a shelf life of over 35 days! The reason for the expansion of the market for long-life bread

Due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the frequent occurrence of natural disasters such as earthquakes and heavy rains, there is a growing demand in Japan for long-term stock food items, such as emergency food and disaster prevention food. There is also an increasing demand for stockpiling among busy generations. In this environment, Shikishima Pan (Aichi Prefecture/President Morita Atsuo) is expanding its “Long Life Bread” sales channels not only in Japan but also overseas, including Asia, the United States, and Australia. We spoke to a company representative.

Ingenuity to balance quality and expiration date

It has been more than 20 years 　since Shikishima Pan Group started working on developing “bread with a long shelf life.” In 2002 , its subsidiary Shikoku Shikishima Pan (Ehime Prefecture/President Eiji Kubota) began selling “Long Life Bread” as a national brand.

　Long Life Bread currently offers 21 items , primarily targeting women in their 20s to 40s . The best-selling item is “Tokachi Butter Sweet,” which features the rich flavor and soft texture of Tokachi butter.

Long Life Bread’s lineup is centered on sweet breads, but they also sell savory breads such as curry and pizza, which have become standard items. In January of this year , they released their first Western-style confectionery category, “chocolate scones,” and are working to expand their product variety.

　Generally speaking, “long life” means a best-before date of around 30 days, but the company defines long-life products as ” bread products currently manufactured by Shikoku Shikishima Bread with a best-before date of 35 to 68 days,” and sets a date for each product that, according to the manufacturer’s quality standards, will maintain its deliciousness even if eaten just before the expiration date.

　This “long shelf life” is achieved by the panettone yeast used as an ingredient. Panettone yeast is a fermentation yeast that has been used since ancient times in a certain region of northern Italy. It contains a lot of lactic acid bacteria, making it highly acidic, and it has the effect of increasing the water retention and bacteriostatic properties of the bread. By using this panettone yeast, a long shelf life has been achieved using the same ingredients as regular bread.

　For other products, they use fillings that retain their flavor, taste, and quality even when stored for long periods, and are working with each ingredient manufacturer to accumulate knowledge and advance product development. For example, they use special packaging for their “Walnut Danish” to ensure deliciousness. In this way, they are making efforts to maintain quality over time. Although it is technically possible to extend the expiration date even further, they are commercializing their products by finding the perfect balance between quality and deliciousness.

Source：Diamond Chainstore 15th Aug 2024.