2014-02-22

Morinaga Partheno Yogurt Available in Kansai

Morinaga is finally taking its premium Greek style yogurt to the Kansai, Tokai, and Hokuriku areas of Japan. Sort of odd that it has taken this long for them to expand a product which has been a strong enough seller to remain on convenience store shelves.

Once again, this product is Morinaga's complete retake on the Greek yogurt boom started in the US. In the US, Greek yogurt is a product which sells well because it is thicker and tastes better, but also because it is high in protein and therefore fits in with consumers' growing interest in high-protein, low-carbohydrate foods. In Japan, the same approach would not work, because the resulting product would be much more expensive. So Morinaga sells it as a dessert-type product with a pack of  honey or other sweet mixture which can be stirred into the product. That of course completely goes against the low-carbohydrate angle seen in the US.

http://www.morinagamilk.co.jp/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

Morinaga EcoRaku Packs for Infant Formula


Morinaga is taking an eco-friendly initiative with its infant formulas. Instead of the traditional tin cans, Morinaga is selling plastic container starter kits (plastic tub, measuring spoons) which can be repeatedly used with separately sold paper container refills. After use, the paper bag can be lifted out of the tub, rolled up and discarded. The product name incorporates "eco" for ecologically friendly and "raku" for easy to use.

They perform some calculations and come up with some interesting figures, albeit based on an overly optimistic assumption. IF all the infant formula in Japan were used in this fashion, the resulting savings in CO2 output would be equivalent to the CO2 taken in by 1 million cedar trees a year, or enough to fill the 387 Tokyo Domes. The overly optimistic assumption is that Morinaga would not only become the largest seller of infant formula, but the only seller of infant formula.

http://www.hagukumi.ne.jp/ecorakupack/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.

KitKat Chocolatory Special Cream Cheese

Nestle has just opened the world's first store dedicated to KitKat in the Ikebukuro Seibu Department Store, Tokyo, called the KitKat Chocolatory. They have also introduced a special flavor only available at this store - special cream cheese - which employs natural cheese power (said to go well with the sweet chocolate flavor). These are said to be flying off the shelves.

http://nestle.jp/brand/kit/

Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.