To promote its new premium frozen pizzas, Meiji is giving away a Fiat 500 car which has a special design from popular TV personality Karen Michibata 道端カレン. Answering a simple quiz online is necessary for entry. The new premium pizzas are branded as Kodawari Pizzaria こだわりピッツェリア, which translates as something like "pizzaria for those with exacting taste", and they come in two varieties margherita and picante. 明治、マルゲリータ、ピカンテ
http://www.meiji-reisyoku.jp/form/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Lotte and Suntory are collaborating on coffee flavored candies to note the 20th anniversary of Boss brand can coffee. I think this multi pack that looks like a canned coffee vending machine is an interesting presentation.
http://www.lotte.co.jp/products/catalogue/candy/04.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Mister Donut's fall offerings all use chocolat (or chocolate) that is promised to melt in your mouth. They also write the copy using a transliteration from the French to give it all an added flair (ショコラ chocolat).
http://www.misterdonut.jp/m_menu/index.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Weider sports nutrition products from Canada are sold through Morinaga in Japan. Associated with muscle building in other countries, Weider in Japan is probably best known as a general sports drink. 森永、ウイダー
http://www.weider-jp.com/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
I have mentioned previously that Dole goes through Snow Brand MegMilk for its fruit juices, but for Dole branded fruit yogurt, it goes through Kyodo Milk Industry (whose brand is Meito).
http://www.meito.co.jp/products/cat2/000151.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
At the end of the month, Lotte will introduce two new hot chocolate extensions of their Ghana chocolate line. One of these will be brandy flavored and the other rum flavored.
http://www.lotte.co.jp/products/brand/ghana/top.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
In recent years, allergy notices on foods have become much more prominent all around the world and Japan is no exception. Probably one of the most visible places I have seen is at Mister Donut, probably due to the highly processed nature of the products it can be hard to know exactly what they contain. The notices in stores are right next to each donut variety, so they are hard to miss. If you go on the website there is even more detailed information which might be of interest. There is a long list of products and I only included the top few as I was more interested in the types of allergy worthy of inclusion.
The first 7 categories are required to be displayed by law (特定原材料):
wheat, soba, egg, milk, peanuts, shrimp, crab (小麦、そば、卵、乳、落花生、えび、かに)
The second set of 18 categories are not required by law (特定原材料に準ざるもの):
beef, pork, chicken, gelatin, soy bean, abalone, squid, salmon roe, salmon, mackerel, orange, kiwi, walnut, matsutake mushroom, peach, Japanese yam, apple, banana （牛肉、豚肉、鶏肉、ゼラチン、大豆、あわび、いか、いくら、さけ、さば、オレンジ、キウイ、くるみ、まつたけ、もも、やまいも、りんご、ばなな）
http://www.misterdonut.jp/m_menu/eiyou/index.html
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Takanashi sells LGG products in Japan. LGG is a probiotic ingredient from Finland, but the name of the ingredient often ends up being used in a manner very similar to a well known brand. 高梨乳業
http://www.takanashi-milk.co.jp/products/lgg/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Orion Beer, the Okinawan beer brand which is now a subsidiary of Asahi, has introduced a new 2nd category beer called Southern Star, which promises a new taste born in Okinawa. The small print states that the product will be sold nationwide - except Okinawa and Kagoshima - which is sort of odd.
http://www.asahibeer.co.jp/products/beer/southern_star/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
Lotte is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of their Choco Pie with a special cocoa cream filled, bitter chocolate cake version.
http://www.lotte-chocopie.com/
Photo is a web capture for explanatory purposes, copyright belongs to the company.
