Employee interview
The product in charge of development is
It is crowded with the world.
At the age of 24, I can experience this much.
HC2019 new graduate hire
ウォータービジネスカンパニー
商品部
商品製造ユニット
- profile
- 学生時代は、BECK'S COFFEE SHOPと地方特産品で作られた食事やドリンクが楽しめるカフェで接客のアルバイトを経験する。就職活動で食品業界を中心に検討する中で、当社に出会う。少数精鋭で一人当たりの担当業務が幅広く様々なことにチャレンジできる点や、JR東日本グループとして地域素材を活かした商品開発をしており、地域活性化にも貢献できる点に魅力を感じ、入社を決めた。
- Career / transfer history
- After training after joining the company, I was assigned to the product department in June 2019. Engaged in vending machine buyer business assistance and product selection for vending machine "naturacure" with the theme of "nature" and "materials". From April 2020, he will be in charge of product development such as "From AQUA", "Morning Tea Ceremony" and "Natural Water in the Shirakami Mountains" and product selection for innovation vending machines. From April 2021, he is also in charge of new factory related work completed in 2022 to manufacture "FromAQUA".
Experienced as a buyer in the first year of joining the company, and started product development in the second year.
I am happy that the products I was involved in are being drunk by customers.
It's hard to say that a newcomer who has just joined the company can take care of this. That is my first impression when I was assigned to the product department. From the first year of joining the company, I was involved in the buyer business that decides the product lineup of the vending machine "naturacure" with the theme of "nature" and "materials", and the product development of the dessert drink "white grape & nata de coco". From the second year after joining the company, I have been in charge of the "spring business," which is also the identity of the Water Business Company. Coordination with manufacturers involved in stable supply of core products such as "From AQUA", "Morning Tea Ceremony", and "Natural Water in the Shirakami Mountains", and development of new products utilizing the spring water of the Joetsu Shinkansen and Oshimizu Tunnel. Is working on.
The commercial product "From AQUA Returnable Bottle" released in April 2021 was a job that gave me confidence. This new product focuses on returnable bottles, which are environmentally friendly containers that can be reused multiple times, in anticipation of trends in the world aiming for a sustainable society. It was released for wholesalers such as hotels and restaurants where it is easy to maintain a bottle collection scheme. I was particular about the design. The bottle is printed directly instead of being labeled, and it has a simple and stylish design with the motif of Mt. Tanigawa and Ichinokurazawa, which are the symbols of the water sampling area, the Tanigawa mountain range, so that it can be placed in luxury hotels. Did. I want you to see it.
Every job was possible only with the help of my boss, seniors, and cooperating partner companies. The products I'm involved with are naturally blended into my daily life, and every time I see a customer drinking or receiving a response on SNS, I grin. It is because of this joy that we can overcome even the toughest things at work.
In collaboration with a Retail company,
Developed limited-edition products to liven up the 20th anniversary of Suica.
2021年は、Suica20周年の年。それを盛り上げるべく、看板商品である『From AQUA』では初めてSuicaペンギンをモチーフにしたオリジナルラベルの商品を数量限定で発売しました。クロスステーションになったからこそ実現できたのですが、リテールカンパニーが運営する『NewDays』とコラボし、店舗販売限定で、商品に「Suicaペンギンのオリジナルふせん（全4種）」を付けるなど、カンパニーをまたいだ挑戦をしています。
Until the product was released, I had many opportunities to interact with employees of Retail company and related parties, and because it was an unprecedented initiative, I faced many problems for the first time, and I had a lot of trouble (laughs). However, the label design I created while directing the designer of an external partner company was well received and became a hot topic on SNS, and after the product was released, the cuteness of the penguins helped it to become a popular product. The story of creating and exciting multiple original products for the 20th anniversary was very easy to do because the story went smoothly because it was merged as a Cross Station. I think that such collaborations will continue to occur frequently in the future.
In my third year as a new graduate, being involved in the "water products" field, which is the company's identity, is a valuable experience. Now, I am also involved in the start-up of the factory completed in 2022, and I am taking on new challenges. I don't think there are many environments where young people can experience not only glamorous work but also muddy work and give them such growth opportunities.
What kind of EKINAKA do you want to achieve because it is a Cross Station?
「水」をもっと使った商品開発を手掛けていきたいです。これまでのウォータービジネスカンパニーは飲料しか取り扱えませんでしたが、4社が統合したことで取扱品目も広がり、実現できることが格段に広がりました。『From AQUA 天然水ゼリー』が話題になったように、将来的には天然水をフックにお酒やお菓子、お弁当を開発できるかもしれません。谷川連峰の水は、クロスステーションの宝だと思ってもらえるように、水を広げる新たな挑戦を果敢にしていきたいと思っています。
(It will be the contents at the time of the interview in December 2021)