I attended “The 7th Japanese Regional Beverage Companies’ New Products Expo” hosted by the JSDA (Japan Soft Drinks Association) in Tokyo (Pict1).
These products are usually sold in their local regions across Japan, and a number are quite unique:
(See right)Marugen Inryo Industries (Tokyo) supplies the on-premise and HORECA markets. Their newly launched products include a black tea jelly with berries in a ready-to-use jelly and frozen fruits (IQF) format. This is positioned as a premium dessert. They also launched 2 another read-to-use jellies: coffee jelly and brown sugar jelly.
(See Left) Hata Kurepasu by Hata Kosen (Osaka) is a collaboration with SAKURA COLOR PRODUCTS CORP., one of Japan’s leading manufacturers of color writing products such as pastel crayons. The product has 6 different colors and flavors designed to look like crayons. Hata Kosen is using this creative way to target kids and parents at this time of year, the start of the new school term in Japan.
(See right) Finally, three more interesting products. The 2 Neo drinks on the left are by Tomomasu Inryo (Saga Prefecture). The left one is Okinawan citrus-flavored tonic water and the middle one is a ginger ale. Both are designed for professional bartenders.
The right one, “Rose Cider” is rose-flavored carbonate by Kimura Drinks (Shizuoka Prefecture). It contains rose essence produced in Shimada City where both the biggest manufacturer of rose essence in Japan and Kimura Drinks are located.