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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.
AEON to Introduce Digital Receipt Service Across All Group Stores.
AEON announced that from Friday, June 21, 2024, it will gradually introduce "digital receipts" (receipt-less function) at approximately 4,000 stores operated by 19 AEON Group companies. This service digitizes the usual paper receipts, including purchase dates, store names, and product details,...
Belc Supermarket Starts Operation of “Armo” Store Robots.
Belc has taken a significant step towards innovation in the retail industry by introducing the store robot "Armo," developed by MUSE. The deployment began in June 2024 at Belc's Wako Nishiyamato and Kita-Sakado stores in Saitama Prefecture. Key Developments:1. Pilot Testing and Verification: The...
Major convenience store chain FamilyMart will resume sales of straw-type cookies called “Corone Cookies” from June 18.
FamilyMart Co., Ltd. will start selling "Corone Cookies," straw-type cookies developed by Bourbon Corporation, from Tuesday, June 18, in approximately 2,200 FamilyMart stores in Hokkaido, Tohoku, Northern Kanto, and Niigata Prefecture. The price is 71 yen per cookie. These cookies were designed by...
Beet flavor is also expanding in Japan; Beetroot & Almond, a smoothie powder from ZENB company.
ZENB JAPAN has launched a new smoothie powder called "ZENB Smoothie Beets & Almond" on June 5th, available on the ZENB website and other platforms. This product features a delightful sweetness and rich flavor, highlighting the deliciousness and nutrition of its ingredients. It mainly uses...
New category of udon donut snacking from Marugame Seimen Company.
Marugame Seimen is one of the largest udon chains in Japan. It will launch a new sweet called "Marugame Udonuts" nationwide on June 25th. The aim is to propose a new way to enjoy traditional udon and create a new category. To commemorate the launch, a pop-up store called "Marugame Udonuts Shop"...
Seven-Eleven launches its own brand “Aquarius” – a functional food.
On the 14th, Seven & i Holdings and Coca-Cola Japan announced that they will be releasing "Seven Premium Aquarius S-Body" as a Seven-Eleven private brand product on the 24th. It will be sold in approximately 22,000 group stores nationwide as a functional food containing rosehip-derived...
Seven & i to release Seven Premium ice cream made with non-standard “Mottainai Bananas.
(Left) "Seven Premium Just Like a Ripe Banana" 148 yen (159.84 yen including tax), (right) "Seven Premium Waffle Cone Banana Shake" 248 yen (267.84 yen including tax) (From a Seven & i Holdings news release) On June 3rd, Seven & i Holdings (Tokyo) began releasing two products from the...
Challenges and solutions in five confectionary categories in Japan by Yamaseiya, the Leading Confectionery Wholesaler.
Yamaseiya, through discussions with confectionery manufacturers, has identified challenges and devised solutions for five key categories: snacks, rice crackers, candies, biscuits, and chocolates. These solutions will be presented to retailers at the "ARISTA FAIR 2024," scheduled for June 19 and...
AEON Private Brand’s new product presentation focuses on allergy-friendly and environmentally friendly products, aligning with the company’s future growth strategy.
Aeon Topvalu, which manages the private brand sector of the Aeon Group, is evolving its private brand in fulfillment of its social responsibilities. President Tsuchiya stated, "Supporting the parenting generation is a social issue. With one in ten children having allergies, we are committed to...
Soy milk butter from Fuji oil company.
Introducing Soy Milk Cream Butter: Fuji Oil's Innovative Plant-Based Delight from GOODNOON Brand. Featuring a deep richness from soybeans combined with an overwhelming melt-in-your-mouth quality and a light aftertaste, this product has received positive feedback in commercial use and is now...
Next to Mochi? Kuzukiri Sweet innovation
The chewy texture of Japanese sweets MOCHI is gaining attention overseas, and the texture of kuzukiri is likely to become a new innovative product in the market. A new sensation in ice cream made with kudzu starch and eaten "semi-thawed" is generating buzz. This evolved traditional Japanese sweet...
Muji Upcycle new snack items
Japanese major retailers are advancing product development using upcycled materials. Although the concept of upcycling has existed for a long time, with the rise in environmental awareness, retailers are actively developing products using discarded materials to appeal to consumers. Muji has been...
Unstoppable growth of 24-hour unmanned frozen confectionary store ‘ 24- Sweets shop’ in Japan.
The growth of "24 Sweets Shop," an unmanned sweets specialty store, is unstoppable. In just a year and a half since its opening, it has expanded to over 90 locations. They have developed a business model that allows for the sale of popular sweets from across Japan on a per-item basis. 24 Sweets...
Muji’ｓ new business “MUJI room essentials”
MUJI, known for its simple and functional design, faces the risk of overlapping with other brands. However, it continues to innovate. In 2020, "MUJI Naoyetsu" opened, aiming to become the center of daily life in the Joetsu region by introducing local attractions and new, useful services. Despite...
The prepared foods market in 2023 hit full recovery in Japan. Japan can be the best new market to learn for particularly in the realm of hot deli items.
The prepared foods market in 23 hit a full recovery, reaching ¥10.9827 trillion, up 106.4% from pre-pandemic levels. According to the "2024 Edition Prepared Foods White Paper" issued by the Japan Prepared Foods Association on June 1, the prepared foods market in 23 reached ¥10.9827 trillion, up...
Imported Orange juice crisis, expanding produt developments for domestically produced mandarin juice in Japan.
Orange juice is a familiar drink in the home. Almost all of the juice is imported, but natural disasters and disease outbreaks in orange-producing countries have led to supply shortages, and the yen's depreciation has also caused prices to soar. Domestic manufacturers unable to secure juice are...
How Kagome’s Tomato Juice is Dominating the Vegetable Beverage Market: The Power of Lycopene and GABA”
Kagome's vegetable beverages are gaining support across a wide range of age groups. In 2023, while the vegetable beverage market remained flat, Kagome's "Tomato Juice" achieved a 123% year-on-year growth, expanding its market share to over 60%. As a result, the tomato juice market as a whole grew...
The Era of Enjoying Authentic Sushi at Home: Innovations in the Frozen Sushi Market Frozen
Frozen sushi technology advancements have made it easier to enjoy authentic sushi at home. Traditional challenges of refrigerated storage, which makes the rice hard, and room temperature storage, which spoils the toppings, have been resolved by the latest freezing and thawing techniques developed...