Meiji Holdings President Katsuya Matsuda outlines strategies to reignite probiotic yogurt growth by stressing “core value,” while Meiji’s chocolate business grows through smart pricing and cacao polyphenol messaging amid rising ingredient costs.

The Italian Trade Agency hosted a press luncheon in Tokyo for the “World Week of Italian Cuisine,” spotlighting essential Italian seasonings—olive oil, wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and sea salt—through a chef-led course menu and talks on health, culture and innovation.

Lindt launches its first-ever artisan praline collection “Signature Pralinés” in Japan on Nov. 27, crafted over two years by Maître Chocolatier Arnaud Ragot and offered in seven flavors including Dark Yuzu. The line targets more formal gifting and will be sold at 25 Lindt Chocolat Boutiques nationwide plus a limited-time pop-up at Shibuya Scramble Square.

Itochu Shokuhin and Otsuka Warehouse began full-scale electronic delivery slip operations on Nov. 11 at the Itochu Shokuhin Akishima Logistics Center in Tokyo, using Japan Pallet Rental’s “DD Plus” e-slip and information-sharing system. The project targets digitizing slips for about 20 companies (roughly half) out of around 40 manufacturers delivering to the center daily by the end of FY2026, with plans to expand to other centers.

Showa Sangyo and Nestlé Japan launched a loop “round-trip” transportation scheme in October, carrying flour from Showa’s Kashima Plant to its Shizuoka Sales Office and hauling coffee from Nestlé’s nearby Shimada Plant back to a Kanto warehouse in Chiba. With three runs per week, the companies expect to cut truck usage on these routes by about 50% by reducing empty return legs.

Sanden Retail Systems unveils a prototype “Oshikatsu Retail Trailer House,” a mobile, fully cashless pop-up store with five merchandise vending machines—co-developed with Trailer House Development and wrapped in the “Maebashi Witches” anime design to reduce event queues and labor.

Asahi Group Holdings says ordering and shipping operations disrupted by a ransomware cyberattack since Sept. 29 will return to system-based processing starting in December, with full normalization expected to progress sequentially through next spring as SKU and lead-time constraints remain.

Suigei Shuzo marks the 10th anniversary of its ultra-premium Junmai Daiginjo “DAITO” with the 2025 release featuring a dragon design based on woodblock artist Tomikichiro Tokuriki’s original work; brewed with Special-A Yamada Nishiki (Kato, Hyogo) polished to 30%.

Ezaki Glico expands its “Tunmel” chocolate brand with new “Tunmel Bonbon Chocolat Cacao Selection,” featuring 80%+ cacao ganache made via Oro de Cacao’s Cold Extraction method for smooth, low-bitterness taste—without sugar alcohols, emulsifiers, or stabilizers.

Seven‑Eleven Japan rolls out “Freshly Finished Noodles In‑Store,” using SoftBank Robotics’ steam-cooking robot STEAMA to cook frozen noodles to restaurant quality in about 90 seconds—capturing late-night demand while reducing labor and food waste.

Nippon Ham deepens its alliance with Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) by forming a pork-processing joint venture, combining CPF’s Asia-wide sales and raw-material supply networks with Nippon Ham’s product development, manufacturing and quality assurance strengths.

Fuji Nihon launches “SAYUNOMI,” a Food with Functional Claims featuring its proprietary inulin, designed to mix into morning hot water (sayu) to support bowel movements and skin hydration/elasticity, with lemon and ginger powders and no artificial additives or caffeine.

Amid rampant counterfeit “matcha” overseas, THE MATCHA TOKYO opens its flagship “THE MATCHA TOKYO HARAJUKU” near JR Harajuku Station to showcase authentic tencha-based Japanese matcha through a concept cafe, tea-room experiences, and wellness programs like matcha-and-yoga.

House Foods Group starts limited sales of the 2025 harvest “Smile Ball,” a tear-free, mildly sweet onion with little pungency that can be eaten raw without soaking, expanding availability via online channels and select supermarkets plus deli and salad-shop menu tie-ins.

SL Creations’ office frozen-meal service “Office Premium Frozen” surpasses 3,000 installations (3,044 as of Oct 2025), offering around 100 menu items employees can buy for ¥100–¥200, with restocking/maintenance included via a monthly fee and added health-management support.

Kubara Honke Group opens “Tokyo Ginza Kayanoya” on Nov. 21 as the flagship of its Kayanoya brand, showcasing Japanese dashi culture with exclusive ingredients, dried-food kits by region, premium gifts, and store-only items in a Kengo Kuma–supervised space.