OpenSecrets.org Anheuser-Busch InBev

Anheuser-Busch InBev ranks as a heavy hitter.

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000042510&cycle=A

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

Nestle KitKat World Variety

This is a variety pack featuring chocolate from Australia, Japan and the US. Some might wonder about that selection, but interesting nevertheless and 20 yen from the sale of every package goes to the disaster hit Tohoku area reconstruction.

http://d.nestle.jp/kitkat/limited/kk_mini_world_variety_13.html

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

Kikkoman Aujoux Beaujolais Nouveau

Much to do is made each year for when the new Beaujolais Nouveau goes on sale. This year the Aujoux Beaujolais Nouveau, sold through Kikkoman, will go on sale Nov 15th.

http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/wine/aujoux/boaujolais_nouveau2012/index.html

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

Out of Town for Almost Two Weeks

I will try to stay active, but posting and replies might be somewhat erratic. In the interim, hope all are well and (for you Americans) don't forget to vote!

Kirin Nodogoshi Beer

Kirin's Nodogoshi Beer holds the No. 1 spot in the 2nd beer category. No barley or malt is used, but soy peptides are featured. They have some interesting information on their website so I will extend this topic to 4 posts. The important point I would like to make here is that this product uses a low amount of barley malt (actually zero) and therefore does not count as a beer for tax purposes. It is a completely fermented drink, with no added sprits (no added shochu), so it does not fall into the 3rd category beer category. The name refers to how easily drinkable it is, nodogoshi のどごし.

http://www.kirin.co.jp/brands/nodogoshi/index.html

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

OpenSecrets.org Kraft

Even split between parties, but lots of money for Obama.

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000001024&cycle=A

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

Nestle KitKat Strawberry Tarte

This is a limited edition strawberry tarte flavored KitKat.

http://d.nestle.jp/kitkat/limited/kk_minimini_patisserie_strawberrytart_6.html

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

OpenSecrets.org Food Products Manufacturing

Here are some interesting charts of food industry spending.

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?ind=G2100

Also, here is a brief, but interesting, summary of what issues influences food industry donations. It is two years old, but is still relevant.

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/background.php?cycle=2012&ind=G2100

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

Kirin Koku no Jikan

Kirin claims the secrets to the luxurious taste of its Koku no Jikan or full body taste time 3rd category beer are 1) an extra amount of barley and 2) a extra aromatic hops. Keep in mind that maintaining a non-beer status requires balancing the amount of barley (keeping it low) and the amount of non-beer alcohol added. A company can call their "beer" 100% barley derived if the shochu spirit or alcohol that is added is also derived from barley. This is a careful dance to avoid taxes that is very out in the open and which most Japanese beer drinkers are aware of to some extent.

http://www.kirin.co.jp/brands/kokunojikan/product/index.html

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

OpenSecrets.org Nestle

So much for companies from liberal Europe.

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000042332&cycle=A

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

Nestle KitKat Sakura Matcha

This Nestle KitKat variety is matcha flavored with a bit of sakura (cherry blossom) aroma included. Sounds a bit strange at first, but sakura do have a distinctive aroma, and smell and taste are very closely related.

http://d.nestle.jp/kitkat/limited/kk_minimini_sakuramattya_latte_6.html

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

Kikkoman Aujoux Wine

Aujoux Wines of France, which include the Belena and SUD brands, goes through Kikkoman in Japan.

http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/wine/aujoux.html

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

Kirin Honkaku Beer

Kirin's Honkaku 3rd category beer has been renewed with reported big improvements in 3 measures - rewarding flavor 飲みごたえ, dry taste 辛口, crisp/sharp taste キレ. The name Honkaku 本格 translates as genuine or the real thing, which of course implies that beer makers continue to try and convince customers that 3rd category beers taste as good as the "real" thing. I think there are some really nice tasting 3rd category beers, but they still have a ways to go.

http://www.kirin.co.jp/brands/honkaku/index.html

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

OpenSecrets.org Tyson

Lots of red. The home state representative tops the list.

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000460&cycle=A

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

Nestle KitKat Kohaku

This KitKat comes in a variety of red and white packages which correspond to milk and white chocolate. Kohaku literally means red and white, but is most closely associated with New Year's Eve song contest on NHK.

http://d.nestle.jp/kitkat/limited/kk_mini_kohaku_14.html

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

Kirin Tarunama Ichiban Shibori Beer

Following the trend of drinking at beer at home, Kirin is offering the draft experience of its flagship beer, Kirin Ichiban Shibori, 1,520 ml tanks, which can be ordered online and are shipped to you via refrigerated express delivery. Tarunama, means "fresh from the barrel". キリン、樽生、一番搾り

http://www.kirin.co.jp/brands/tarunama/index.html

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

Wendy's Smart Set

Wendy's is selling 3 smart sets through the end of the month, all for 550 yen, which include a sandwich, fries and a Coca-Cola Freestyle refills. Sandwiches include a smart burger which looks like a regular single, a bacon smart burger and a teriyaki smart burger.

http://wendys.co.jp/wendys/index.php

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

Harvest Time Burger King Pumpkin

Here are some better photos of the pumpkin sandwich I mentioned earlier. They have also announced that a heavy pumpkin version where you get 10 slices of pumpkin instead of the usual 2 for an additional 100 yen.

http://www.burgerkingjapan.co.jp/campaign/cp63.html

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

Dole Sports Banana Lakatan

Dole is promoting the banana is a sports food and as such is using the Japan's Women's Soccer Team in commercials. They are calling the promotion and related sports goods giveaway Lakatan, but the meaning of that escapes me (and the Japanese I asked).

http://www.dole.co.jp/campaign28/index.html

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

OpenSecrets.org PepsiCo

From across the Pacific, the state of democracy in the US is pretty depressing no matter what your politics. Respect for the truth or for the facts seem to be in short supply, corporations are people and unlimited contributions by individuals, organizations and corporations is considered free speech.

There is one silver lining in the form of transparency laws. Groups like OpenSecrets.org do a wonderful job of putting publicly available information up for all to see. I thought it might be interesting to show some of the spending of the top US food companies running up to the election.

For the record, I am not am not anti-industry or anti-big corporation, and I realize these companies have to play the game or suffer the consequences. The system is the problem. However, it is instructive to know how some of the choices we all make as consumers ends up affecting the political process.

Another good site with good information is http://vote.sigfig.com/. Anyone interested should visit that site also, but it is much more interactive and I was looking for static visuals.

I will be going down this list of top food processors in the US.
http://www.foodprocessing.com/top100/index.html

Politics in Japan has its own set of unique and troubling problems. Such openness here would not solve those problems, but would be a nice start.

This is the link for the charts shown above.
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000200&cycle=A

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

Kirin Rich Taste or Koi Aji

Kirin's Koi Aji 濃い味 3rd category beer claims to be Japan's No. 1 low calorie beer. It contains 19 kcal/ 100 ml, 2.5-3.5% alcohol, 0% sugar and a rich taste due to a special Kirin manufacturing process and the use of caramel malt and fine aroma hops. I like the photo of the somen noodles piled high. This is apt, because somen noodles are a mouth watering summer treat, but are nevertheless relatively healthy and would go well with a low calorie beer.

http://www.kirin.co.jp/brands/koiaji/index.html

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

Nestle KitKat Strawberry Cake Flavor

This limited edition KitKat flavor looks Western, but Japanese really love strawberry cakes.

http://d.nestle.jp/kitkat/limited/kk_mini_strawberrycake_confiture_13.html

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

Kirin Mugi no Gochiso

With the bad economic times cutting into people's disposable income, so Japanese businessmen are - shockingly - eating and drinking more often at home. This offering from Kirin tries to play into this trend by promoting a beer which is good with meals. The English copy on the can pretty much tells it all "For your happy home. A delicious, malty brew brings smiles to your table." The Japanese product name 麦のごちそう translates loosely as "taking a meal with barley". It is also notable that even in English this is not called a beer, but instead a brew. That is because it is what I tend to call a 3rd category beer, which is no legally beer in Japan and is thus subject to a much reduced tax rate.

http://www.kirin.co.jp/brands/muginogochisou/index.html

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

McDonald's Big Chicken Rich Cheese

McDonald's will also begin selling a limited edition Big Chicken Rich Cheese sandwich today which in addition to a juicy chicken patty, features two thick slices of cheese (one cheddar, one gouda), lettuce, fried onion and Dijon mustard.

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

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

Kikkoman Cousino-Macul Wine

Cousino-Macul Wine of Chile go through Kikkoman in Japan.

http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/wine/cousinomacul/index.html

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

McDonald's Teriyaki Chicken Filet-o

From tomorrow, McDonald's will start selling a limited edition Teriyaki Chicken Filet-o sandwich which features a teriyaki coating with sweet and spicy soy sauce base.

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

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

Kikkoman Del Monte Hot Vegetable

Kikkoman is selling a Del Monte branded hot vegetable juice in PET bottles. It is not sold hot, but formulated to taste good even when heated. It can be consumed as is, or used for cooking. It contains tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, celery, cabbage, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower and asparagus. 温野菜、キッコーマン

http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/delmonte/onyasai/index.html

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

JR The Oita Hitanashi Soda

This is a pear juice soda drink make from Hita City, Oita Prefecture pears. It is regionally branded as "The Oita". 日田の梨ソーダ

http://www.jre-water.com/release/index.html

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

JR POM Mikan Jelly Drink

This is a drink introduced earlier this year. POM is the brand used for fruit juices from Ehime Prefecture. This is a mikan (Japanese mandarin orange) jelly drink sold in JR East Water vending machines.

http://www.jre-water.com/release/index.html

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

Burger King Kuro Burger Coke Zero Combo

Burger King is offering free refills if you order a Kuro Burger and a Coca Cola Zero combination. The black on black is the key to this match. The copy is interesting as it uses the Zero in Coca Cola Zero "this is a combination with Zero precedent".

http://www.burgerkingjapan.co.jp/campaign/cp60_2.html

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

Meiji Essel Flower Giveaway

Meiji is giving away special flower bouquets to 1,000 people who mail in proof-of-purchase labels from multi-packs of Meiji Essel Super Cup ice cream boxes. This promotion is in collaboration with Hibiya Kadan, an online flower delivery service. 明治、エッセル、スーパーカップ、

http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/icecream/essel/campaign/

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

Meiji Meltykiss 20th Anniversary

Meiji is holding a campaign to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Meltykiss line of chocolates. People who log onto the special Meiji site each day will automatically have chances at product.

http://www.meiji.co.jp/sweets/chocolate/meltykiss/cmp/121016_cmp/index.php

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

Meiji Cafe Mocha

This is a 500 ml coffee milk which uses 100% Arabica coffee beans and features espresso coffee and double roasted cocoa.

http://www.meiji.co.jp/corporate/pressrelease/2012/detail/20121012_01.html

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

JR Yamagata Cherry

JR East Water is selling limited edition cherry drinks which use this year's crop of cherries from Yamagata Prefecture (10% fruit juice). These are available in train stations.

http://www.jre-water.com/

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

Burger King Coca Cola Freestyle

Burger King has introduced Coca Cola Freestyle machines in selected stores. Free refills and self serve drinks continue to make slow but sure progress here in Japan. Drink bars have finally become commonplace in family restaurants, and now as some of the fast food chains are are catching on could convenience stores be far behind? The answer of course is yes, while some things in Japan move at lightning speed, other things are maddeningly slow.

http://www.burgerkingjapan.co.jp/menu/freestyle.html

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

Wendy's Halloween Cosplay

Wendy's is holding a unique Halloween promotion. Anyone entering a Wendy's in costume, will automatically receive a free frosty. Then if they post a photo of themselves in the costume to Twitter, they will automatically be entered in a contest where 20 people win one month's worth of free meal coupons at Wendy's.

http://wendys.co.jp/wendys/index.php

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

JR Asahi Fauchon French Apple Tea

JR East Water and Asahi are selling a limited edition Fauchon branded French Apple Tea in railway station vending machines and kiosks. Fauchon is a famous French gourmet food company.

http://www.jre-water.com/

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

Kikkoman Kibun Extra Strength Soy Drink

Kikkoman's soy drink line is branded Kibun and they are selling an extra strength version which carries a health claim for lowering cholesterol.

http://www.kibun-tounyu.jp/03_lineup/02-004.html

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