Photo - Hakata Torimon Manju

This is one of the most famous omiyage or gifts from Fukuoka. Very good and frequently seen in offices around Japan as Fukuoka is a big destination for business trips (and thus people bring these back for co-workers). 博多通りもん

7-Eleven Sapporo 100 MALT Beer

In a new collaboration with Sapporo Beer, 7-Eleven is offering a PB beer with a premium taste, "100% MALT Beer". There are many interesting points immediately obvious about this product.

1) in many ways it looks very similar to the 7-Eleven and Suntory collaboration on "The Brew", a discount 3rd category beer with a superior taste (my opinion). This collaboration is on a 1st category or "real" beer, so it is naturally more expensive than The Brew.

2) 7-Eleven is working with the big Japanese brewers to produce to quality PB brands. It also looks like they are trying to be careful not to alienate anybody in the process. First Suntory, then Sapporo, I would not be surprised if the next collaboration is with Asahi or Kirin. Since Suntory and Sapporo are in the 3rd and 4th places respectively, it might have been easier to start with them and then move to the top players.

3) this product is advertised as having a dry taste 辛口ドライ and comes in a silver can, which obviously creates a strong comparison with Asahi Dry, the best selling brand in Japan.

and
4) three points are noted as making this beer special: use of 100% malt, subzero degree aging 氷点下熟成 , which is a Sapporo process for avoiding bitter taste (the wort is immediately cooled), and another special Sapporo process called high fermentation which I cannot find an explanation for although it is mentioned for various Sapporo products starting at least 5 years ago 高発酵製法.

http://www.sej.co.jp/products/100malt.html

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

Photo - Meiji Kilimanjaro Blend Coffee

This is pretty good, a bit stronger and less sweet than other brands.

Photo - Hato Sable Cookie

This is a popular gift to be purchased in Kamakura, but can be found other places as well. This product takes back to the early Meiji era, also sable products in general were imported as early as the Nara Era, according to the website. Hato means dove, and the cookies are in this shape because it is a symbol of the main shrine in Kamakura, Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine. 鳩サブレー 鎌倉 鶴岡八幡宮

http://www.hato.co.jp/hato/index.html

Photo - Meiji Gohobi Cafe Latte

This is a slightly premium latte, thus the slightly smaller package. Generally, it is much easier to produce good tasting drinks in cartons, but the shelf life is shorter than when using cans. Gohobi translates as a luxury or something to pamper yourself with. 明治ご褒美ラッテ

McDonald's Oreo McFlurry

For a limited run, the Oreo McFlurry starts tomorrow at McDonald's.

http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/campaign/mcflurry/index.html

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

November Japanese Beer Shipments

The following is a quote from a Kyodo article. Just these numbers give you a good idea of Japanese beer trends. All categories are falling except for the lowest price third category beers (essentially a mix of beer and some sort of liquor like shochu in order to be categorized into a lower tax category). This trend could lead to 3rd category beer overtaking real beer by volume in next few years.

"Shipments of regular beer slumped 4.1 percent to 18.59 million cases, while those of third-category beer climbed 5.5 percent to 12.69 million cases. Shipments of "happoshu" low-malt beer fell 2.1 percent to 4.96 million cases."

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nb20121213a1.html

November Sales:
36.25 million cases
Beer: 18.59 million cases (down 4.1 percent)
2nd Category or Happoshu: 4.96 million cases (down 2.1 percent)
3rd Category or Happosei: 12.69 million cases (up 5.5 percent)

Another interesting point to note is how just 5 breweries are large enough to represent the entire beer market. Since Orion is an Asahi company, you could narrow it down to just 4 companies. Obviously little guys have a hard time in Japan.

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

Photo - Bento Lunch at Work

We had food brought into work to have lunch with a business associate. Nice, high-class bento. I think it is the first time I have seen the small chest of drawers used for the different servings. And best of all, it actually tasted very good.

Photo - Meiji Love Milk Disney Packaging

These are some different variations on the Disney packaging used with Meiji Love Milk.

Photo - Miyakojima Yukishio Chinsuko Omiyage

This is a famous omiyage or candy used as a present from Okinawa or more specifically Miyakojima Island. Although it is pretty much a crumbly sugar cookie, it uses the white salt which is recovered from the sea around Miyakojima island - the yukishio in the name translates as "snow salt". 宮古島雪塩ちんすこう