Talk session product development

How was "Sugo Oni", which has been popular since it was released in June 2021 and has overturned the common sense of convenience store rice balls, born?

SM

It was around February 2021 that I thought about the project. Due to the corona sickness, the whole world was in a self-restraint mood and dark atmosphere, so for customers who use NewDays every day, we will release a slightly different dimension of rice balls to make it simple. I wanted you to enjoy it. I wish I could bring it to my office or home and talk about it, and aim for new visits.

At the same time as pursuing deliciousness, we also consider the appearance of SNS and emphasize the impact of appearance. We aimed to get customers who came to shop to look at the rice ball shelves and say, "It's amazing." I just hope you enjoy this rice ball.

NK

At the Foods Company, we are considering whether we can manufacture the project or idea as a product that we actually sell, but when I first heard about it, I was surprised (laughs). The volume of the onigiri ingredients is amazing, and it was a rice ball that I had never seen before so that I could see all the ingredients, so I was really worried whether I could make it. Since the unit price, form, and packaging of rice balls were unlimited, I enjoyed the fun of pursuing unprecedented rice balls, but at the same time I experienced the difficulty of mass-producing such rice balls. did. As a result of trial and error, we were able to realize manufacturing by setting up a new production line for "Sugo Oni" at the lunch box factory and packing it by hand.

There are many types of "Sugo Oni" on sale, but are there many ideas that you haven't commercialized?

NK

Considering not only the appearance and taste but also the development and profit aspects, we make the products that can be made into shapes and present them to the officers at the tasting party. Of course, there have been many proposals so far. There are so many that I don't remember (laughs).

SM

When it comes to commercialization, it is natural to release delicious food, and we are not a major chain, so we are thinking about what we can do. Our strength is that we can do unreasonable things that major companies cannot do.

NK

12月に発売される『粉もんバーガーおにぎり』も、絶対に大手コンビニエンスストアだったら実現できない斬新な商品です。お祭りの屋台で売られているものをカロリー度外視で、全部おにぎりに詰めました。

SM

We planned to create a fun atmosphere such as food stalls for rice balls because we are still in a self-restraint mood. The ekiben-style rice ball, which was also a hit product, was also wanted to be eaten by people who had less chance to go on a trip due to the corona and young people who did not have a habit of eating ekiben. Of course, I hope that people who use NewDays on a daily basis can change their mood with ekiben-style rice balls. The basic stance is to cheer up and entertain customers with rice balls. The idea may have been born because it was a corona virus.

Is it the same for beverages developed by the Water Business Company that you want to cheer up and entertain customers with products?

KO

Our vending machines sell products from major beverage manufacturers and our original product brand "acure made", but I don't think it is necessary to make similar products. I try to develop products that make me think, "I haven't seen it before" and "This is interesting."

"Ippudo Tonkotsu Ramen Soup with Rich and Umami" is also an interesting product that other companies do not have.
What was the reason for your birth?

KO

When we released "Shark fin soup from Kesennuma" in 2018, we received some comments on SNS such as "It's a good alternative to ramen after drinking," and I think there is such a need. That was the trigger. There was data that the canned miso soup that was handled by acure 's vending machine would sell better late at night, so we started development saying, "Then, let's make ramen itself, not as a substitute for ramen." did.

What made you decide to collaborate with Ippudo-san?

KO

There are various flavors of ramen such as soy sauce, salt, and miso, but I was wondering what kind of flavor would be good for a drink, and I came up with the idea that tonkotsu is the most ramen-like. I rarely see tonkotsu-flavored canned soup, and I thought it would have an impact. However, from the customer's point of view, I thought that buying a ramen soup drink would be a big adventure and courageous. Therefore, I asked him to supervise the tonkotsu ramen because he said "Ippudo-san".

NK

一風堂さんとは、フーズカンパニーが運営する『TOKYO豚骨BASE MADE by博多一風堂』や、NewDaysで発売している『一風堂監修　赤丸風おにぎり』で長年お付き合いがあるのですが、とんこつ味の缶スープには、相当驚かれたのではないですか？

KO

In fact, Ippudo-san also seemed to have a customer who said, "I want to drink only soup!", And I received a very positive reply that it would be a hit if it was released as a canned beverage. It seems that there was also a desire to come into contact with Ippudo's products through contact with a new customer called EKINAKA.

SM

How long did it take from the planning concept to the sale? Didn't you have a lot of trouble to reproduce that taste?

KO

It took more than two years from the planning concept to the release. For the tasters, it was the most difficult to balance the strength of the taste so that Ippudo-san's view of the world of soup would not be destroyed and it would be delicious as a canned beverage. It took several months to fine-tune the amount of oil and salt concentration to achieve a well-balanced taste so that people would be satisfied even if they did not contain noodles or ingredients. Also, I was particular about the design of the can. Vending machine products are products that cannot be picked up and viewed carefully, so the impression of appearance is everything. I used my head first where I had to choose in an instant.

SM

The same goes for the rice balls that will be released on NewDays. If you don't design it for you to buy it, it won't be a story. Make it easy to understand the ingredients of rice balls, show the product name firmly, create a character of "Sugo Oni" and leave an impact. When it comes to high-class rice balls, we are particular about rice, so make sure you know what kind of rice brand you are using. We are particular about the sizzle and font of the design.

KO

How can you make an impact by instantly and concisely communicating product information so that you can select from a large number of product groups in just a few seconds? It may be said that packaging is the most important factor in whether or not it sells.

『コクと旨味の一風堂とんこつラーメンスープ』とフーズカンパニーが運営する『TOKYO豚骨BASE MADE by博多一風堂』で、コラボ企画も生まれているんですね。

KO

A free coupon for "Ippudo Tonkotsu Ramen Soup with Rich and Umami" for the first 5,000 customers who eat and drink at stores operated by Foods Company with the desire to maximize the effect of collaboration with Ippudo. It is a plan to present. Instead of giving it as a gift at the store, you can download the app and use or exchange it at acure's innovation vending machine. We hope that the collaboration between the store and the vending machine will produce a synergistic effect.
It's a gathering of three companies, so let's do a little breasting from now on.

NK

From the perspective of collaboration that I would like to realize someday, I thought it would be interesting if Ippudo-san's soup and "Ippudo-supervised Akamaru-style rice balls" released on NewDays could be sold together at a vending machine. Since there is a problem of expiration date, there may be a lot of problems to be solved for realization, but since it is impossible for other manufacturers, I think that if it can be realized, it will be our unique strength.

KO

We are currently starting a vending machine for food sales as a test. There are still a few units, but there is a plan to do such a thing in the future. The range of ideas will expand, such as soup to drink with rice balls.

SM

From the perspective of enlivening EKINAKA, I think it would be interesting to release rice balls that look like the back menu of the employee cafeteria, which is usually available only to station staff.

NK

If we can collaborate with the soup developed by the Water Business Company and sell it at vending machines, I think it will surely be a hit for busy business people who do not have time.
Also, since October 2022 is a memorial year that marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the railway, it would be interesting if something could be set up by the entire Cross Station.

SM

The strength of Cross Station product development is that, unlike major manufacturers, it has a "small turn". Next year will be a commemorative year, and I would like to give shape to a novel project that has never existed in the world.