TableMark is set to renew its frozen food lineup for the fall of 2025, updating the “Craft Bakers” series of stone-oven baked bread for B to B frozen foods, and further enhancing the taste of “Ishi Gama (stone-oven) Baguette” so that it can be served in Italian and French specialty restaurants. The company also aims to contribute to solving labor shortages and reducing food loss.
For household frozen foods, it plans to strengthen the image of “Frozen Udon = TableMark” through sampling experiences of its flagship “Katokichi Sanuki Udon,” while also launching new distinctive udon and ramen products with toppings included.
Pursuing Authenticity and Taste
In the B to B market, rising menu prices caused by high raw material and other costs, as well as the prolonged labor shortage, remain key issues. TableMark has set three development policies as follows:
1.Improve customer satisfaction with a substitute of professional-level quality
2.Differentiate menu offerings by simplifying food preparation operations.
3.Balance cost reduction with enhanced quality to meet the needs of price-conscious customers.
The company commented, “In the delicatessen and restaurant market, it is increasingly difficult to raise unit prices any further. Without relying too much on reducing product volume, we want to focus on improving quality and customer satisfaction through ingenuity.”
The “Craft Bakers” series is baked in a stone-oven using natural granite. This time, the ingredients, sourdough starter, and production method of the “Ishi Gama Baguette” have been revised to further pursue authenticity and taste. The result is improved volume upon baking, a more aromatic crust, and a moist chewy crumb.
The convenient cooking “Range de Kantan (easy by microwave)” series of tray-packed noodles with toppings include two new products: “Shiru Nashi (sauceless) Tantanmen” and “Gyokai (seafood) Mazesoba.” After microwaving, the dish can be served directly in the tray or transferred to a plate with additional toppings such as green onions or eggs. These products are also proposed for business formats without full kitchen facilities, aiming to expand new users.
For the deli channel, the “Gottsu Atsui (extra thick) Okonomiyaki” has been increased in volume while keeping the same price, boosting its appetizing visual volume. It comes in “Buta Tama (Pork)” and “Ika Tama (Squid)” varieties. A functional oil blend has been added to enhance the fluffiness of the batter and the crispness of the cabbage.
Since spring 2025, the company has been expanding its “BEYOND FREE” brand in the B to B market. While adoption has so far been concentrated in hotel restaurants as vegan and vegetarian menu options, this fall it will broaden its target with the launch of “Shokubutsu Umareno (plant-based) Croissant” and “Shokubutsu Umareno Baked Cheesecake” By offering these mainstream buffet staples in plant-based form, the company seeks to appeal not only to vegans and vegetarians but also to a wider target.
Promoting Frozen Udon Year-Round
For household frozen foods, TableMark collaborates at retail store with seasoning manufacturers to stimulate summer demand for its core product, “Katokichi Sanuki Udon.” In addition, through nationwide tasting events for 20,000 participants annually, the company aims to reinforce the image of “Frozen Udon = TableMark.” From October onward, recipe proposals highlighting the product’s distinctive “kubire (curved) noodles” will be promoted, along with a television commercial scheduled for November.
As new products for noodle with toppings, two unique udon varieties and two ramen varieties will be released. Careful attention has been given to noodle and broth characteristics to achieve reproduction of taste and menu.
The “Niku Gobou Tem (meat and burdock tempura) Udon” recreates a taste originating in Fukuoka. Featuring soft, fluffy noodles which are gaining attention from restaurants businesses, paired with a sweet broth, it includes three servings of domestically produced burdock tempura.
The “Himokawa Udon,” from Jyoshu (Gunma Prefecture), is characterized by wide 4 cm noodles, offering striking impact. The umami taste broth pairs well with colorful toppings.
The two ramen products are supervised by popular shops from eastern and western Japan. Reproducing the method of combining ramen-shop-style broth and seasoning sauce, they deliver authentic taste.
The “Tantanmen,” supervised by “Ganso New Tantanmen Honpo” in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, features a spicy kick from chili peppers, punchy garlic, and rich animal-based umami for a fiery yet tasty dish.
The “Stamina Ramen,” supervised by “Tenri Stamina Ramen” in Tenri, Nara Prefecture, is distinguished by a spicy soup with doubanjiang and garlic. It is complemented by the umami taste of cabbage, garlic chives, carrots, and pork.
