Haagen-Dazs Mango Crispy Sandwich

Haagen-Dazs will offer a limited edition mango flavored crispy sandwich starting March 3rd, and is said to contain whole mangos, which I take to mean in the form of mango bits in the ice cream. ハーゲンダッツ

http://www.haagen-dazs.co.jp/

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

Meiji Marble Chocolate Latte Art

Very nice latte art using Meiji Marble Chocolate. The colors are actually made with colored chocolate powder. 明治 マーブル チョコレート

http://www.meiji.co.jp/

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

Lotte Uru Up Collagen Technology

Lotte has a patent on its Uru Up Collagen supplement mentioned a few days ago. Collagen is frequently derived from either pigs or fish. In both cases, taste and smell can frequently be a problem. There are a number of patents addressing this problem. On its website, Lotte advertises their method and notes that a patent has been filed (but not yet accepted). The website explains that moderate heating and reduced pressure result in evaporation of the unwanted odor causing compounds. I was interested in exactly what these compounds are, so I tracked down the patent application and still found vague wording. However, they do mention that the compounds cause a caprylic smell, meaning caprylic acid, which does have a high boiling point. The chart on the right is the reduced odor. ロッテ コラーゲン

http://www.lotte.co.jp/

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

Morinaga Aloe and Gold Kiwifruit Yogurt

Morinaga's popular Aloe Yogurt line is celebrating 20 years on the market this year. Many other companies also sell aloe yogurt, but the connection between Morinaga and aloe yogurt is strong in customers' minds due to 20 years of advertisements associating this product with weight loss. No official claim is made, but the same associations/claims are made for aloe products in other countries.

As part of the 20th year commemoration, they have introduced a new flavor, aloe and gold kiwifruit. 森永 アロエ ゴールドキウイ

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

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

Yebisu Beer 124 Years Old Today

Yebisu Beer (a Sapporo brand) was born 124 years ago today. Feb 25th 1890. Happy Birthday! 恵比寿ビール

http://www.sapporobeer.jp/yebisu/

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

Asahi Mintia Calpis Collaboration

Asahi bought Calpis in 2012 and is now using the popular and destinctive Calpis flavor in a variety of products. This is called a collaboration, but it is within the larger Asahi group of companies. Asahi Food & Heath is now offering a Calpis flavored version of its popular Mintia breath mints.

http://www.asahi-fh.com/

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

Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie

Nice photo of a new Ben & Jerry's flavor in Japan - chocolate fudge brownie.

http://www.benjerry.jp/

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

Lotte Uru Up Collagen

Lotte sells a collagen supplement meant for skin care. Products in this category each have a different combination of ingredients which promise the best results. Lotte lists the following as active additives:
1) collagen 5,000 mg
2) vitamin C 100 mg
3) hyaluronic acid 20 mg
4) placenta extract 2 mg
5) lotus embryo extract 2 mg
6) pearl barley extract 1 mg
per 6.7 g serving (powdered form).

The first 3 are fairly commonly seen in this category, the latter three appear to have been plucked from Chinese medicine.

The name of the product comes from the Japanese word associated with healthy skin, but often simply translated as moist - uruoi. ロッテ うるアップコラーゲン ヒアルロン酸 プラセンタエキス ハス胚芽エキス ハトムギエキス

http://www.lotte.co.jp/

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

KitKat Kohaku Pack

The red-white combination is traditionally associated with good fortune in Japan and can be frequently seen in products, at shrines and even the national flag. Nestle mixes the traditional red KitKat packages with white chocolate packages in one bag to achieve the same effect and sells it as a good luck for students taking their entrance exams. They have also added a popular young singer, Miwa, on the label.

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

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

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.