Sapporo Nippon Lager Premium

Sapporo is selling a Nippon Lager Premium beer exclusively through UNY Group companies, the most familiar of which is the CircleKSunkus convenience store chain. Nippon, as many people may know, is the Japanese name for Japan. The name refers to the largely Japanese ingredients used: 100% of the hops are from the Furano area of Hokkaido and 75% of the malt is from Hokkaido. It also uses the special Sapporo 3 step hops processing method. 富良野 北海道 ニッポンラガープレミアム サッポロ サークルKサンクス ホップ３段仕込み

http://www.circleksunkus.jp/

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

Grand Kirin White Day Campaign

Kirin's premium beer Grand Kirin brand is holding a White Day campaign where a man can give a friend a beer via Facebook or Twitter. You can 1) send a friend a chance to win a bottle of premium beer, 2) try to win one yourself and send anything you win to a friend or 3) buy a bottle and send the coupon to a friend. Either way the coupon you send via Facebook or Twitter is sent with a special "secret" message of your choosing.

You can choose either the original Grand Kirin or the newer Grand Kirin The Aroma, which uses special hops and a proprietary production process. The concept behind Grand Kirin is a beer so good that you can be satisfied with just one bottle (and it is priced accordingly).

The campaign is limited to men, as White Day is a commercially created holiday where men give Valentine's like gifts to women. As many people know, in Japan there is a Valentine's Day, but women give men chocolates. So one month later, confectionary companies get one more opportunity to profit on White Day (March 14th).

Interestingly, it specifies that only men can be on the giving end, but uses the gender neutral "friend" for the receiving end. Not sure if they are trying to be enlightened or not.

http://www.kirin.co.jp/

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

Fujiya Hinamatsuri Strawberry Shortcake

Hinamatsuri or Girls' Day is tomorrow. It is not a work holiday like the former Boys' Day (now Children's Day), but ceremonial dolls are part of this event and cakes and other items that mimic these ceremonial dolls are popular seasonal products. Fujiya, now a subsidiary of Yamazaki Bakery, runs nationwide cake and sweets shops. Pictured is a strawberry shortcake for this event where the traditional Japanese court figures are replaced with the Fujiya store characters - Peko-chan and Poco-chan.

http://www.fujiya-peko.co.jp/

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

7-Eleven Sicilian Salt Vanilla Ice Cream

7-Eleven is selling a limited edition Sio Vanilla Ice Cream made with Sicilian salt and vanilla beans from Madagascar. I like the way many products here in Japan market the source of ingredients. Morinaga is not mentioned in the advertising, but they manufacture this product. "Sio" is an alternate transliteration of "shio" or salt. シチリア 塩バニラ セブンイレブン

http://www.sej.co.jp/

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

7-Eleven Cold Stone Cheesecake & Berry Pie

Cold Stone Creamery is selling limited edition Glamorous Cheesecake Fantasy and Mille-Feuille Berry Pie ice cream versions only through 7-Eleven. ガラマラスチーズケーキファンタジー ミルフィーユベリーパイ

http://www.sej.co.jp/

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

Pronto Strawberry Chocolate Mocha

Pronto, the coffee chain, is offering a strawberry chocolate mocha which looks more like a dessert than a cup of coffee. Hope they can serve it looking this nice.  プロント コーヒー ストロベリー チョコレート モカ

http://www.pronto.co.jp/

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

Kraft Eat Cheese for Beauty

Kraft, which goes through Morinaga in Japan, also promotes the potential beauty benefits of cheese: calcium for female hormone balance, vitamin A for skin care and vitamin B2 for skin and hair care. These are not accepted claims.

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

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

Suntory 7-Eleven Limited Edition Boss Coffee

Suntory and 7-Eleven have collaborated on a limited edition Boss Coffee only available through SEVEN&i Premium outlets, meaning 7-Eleven and Itoyokado. It is called 7 because it is a blend of coffee from seven different countries. It would be interesting to learn what benefit 7 varieties brings to the mix, but that is not detailed. There are regular (blue) and reduced sugar (red) versions.

http://www.sej.co.jp/

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

CircleKSunkus Strawberry Castella

Under its private brand Cherie Dolce, the convenience store chain CircleKSunkus is offering a Strawberry Castella that looks very good. It uses Amaou strawberries from Shizuoka Prefecture. あまおう苺 カステラ シェリエドルチェ サークルKサンクス

http://www.circleksunkus.jp/

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

Calpis L-92 Probiotic

Calpis has the L-92 probiotic strain and sells this drink in 200 ml bottles. They do not have FOSHU () approval for a claim so they try to on the package, they try to convey the feeling without actually making a claim.

カルピス社からの乳酸菌科学から
from Calpis' Lactic acid bacteria science
守る働く乳酸菌
Lactic acid bacteria that works to protect
カラダの中から、より強く
become stronger from the inside

https://www.calpis.co.jp

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