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
Albis News | Four varieties of “Complete Meal Bento” jointly developed with Nissin Foods to be released from September 6th
Albis Co., Ltd. (Imizu City, Toyama Prefecture, President Kazuo Ikeda) will begin selling four types of "Complete Meal Bento" jointly developed with Nissin Food Products Co., Ltd. at all Albis stores from Saturday, September 6th. "Kanzen Meshi" is a brand that...
AEON Co., Ltd. (Mihama-ku, Chiba City, President and CEO: Akio Yoshida) launched three new “Adjustable Frozen Meals” from its private brand Top Value Best Price at approximately 500 stores nationwide, including AEON and AEON Style, on Wednesday, September 3rd.
Amidst the continuing rise in prices, Aeon is continuing its corporate efforts to offer bargain prices by launching "Top Value Best Price" with the key message "Everyday products, easy and affordable, anytime." The biggest feature of the newly released "Adjustable...
A chocolate substitute made from sunflower seeds is a big hit! The long-awaited block type of Topvalu “Choco ka?”, made without cocoa, is now available!
On Tuesday, September 2nd*1, AEON will launch three new products in its Topvalu "Choco?" series at approximately 5,300 stores nationwide*2, including AEON, AEON Style, and MaxValu. These sweets are made without cocoa and use a chocolate substitute derived from...