House Foods launched three types of ready-made curry on August 11: 2 varieties of onion-centered curry under the name “Condensed and Rich Onion Curry,” 5 varieties of authentic international curry in the “World Curry” series supervised by popular restaurants, and “Selected Popular Restaurant French Curry Beef” created under the supervision of “French Curry Spoon” in Nishi-Ogikubo, Tokyo. The company will strengthen its lineup of retort-pouch curries.
Amid growth in vegetable-centered retort curries, the company focused on onions, which rank high among consumers’ favorite vegetables but are less prominent as a curry ingredient. To address this, they developed “Condensed and Rich Onion Curry” series and released “Bouillon-Flavored” and “Fresh Cream-Flavored” varieties.
The key feature is the generous use of caramelized onions, creating a curry with the rich umami reminiscent of onion gratin soup. Other onion ingredients, such as raw onion providing crisp texture and flavor, as well as onion chips, are also added, making it an “all-onion product” (according to the company). The use of bouillon or fresh cream further enhances richness and depth.
The packaging is also designed around the onion theme, featuring illustrations of “sizzling onions” and copy highlighting the “umami of caramelized onions.” The products target a broad age range, especially women in their 30s and 40s. Each portion is 150g, with a suggested retail price of 238 yen (before tax).
In response to growth in the ethnic curry segment, the company developed “World Curry” series ensuring authenticity and reliability through supervision by well-known restaurants. 5 items are “Thai-Style Green Curry,” “Pakistani-Style Shrimp Curry,” “North Indian-Style Butter Chicken Curry,” “Goan-Style Pork Vindaloo,” and “Pakistani-Style Chicken Curry.”
The name “World Curry” expresses the idea that “there are many different kinds of curry around the globe, and we want consumers to try them” (the company explained). The products are aimed at a wide age range, primarily those aged 30 to 50. Each serves 150–180g, with a suggested retail price of 409 yen (before tax).
Meanwhile, products supervised by famous restaurants have also established themselves as a major category. As part of the “Selected Popular Restaurant” line, which recreates flavors from restaurants chosen for the prestigious “Tabelog Top 100 Restaurants,” the company released “French Curry Beef.” This addition aims to revitalize the brand by broadening its menu appeal.
“French Curry Beef” features meat-derived flavor and spice aroma, balancing the beef broth with spices. To achieve this, the company introduced, for the first time in its retort products, “Glace de Viande,” a beef stock reduced and strained repeatedly, known for its rich flavor. For the spice aroma, they deliberately used a non-emulsified sauce to bring out distinctive fragrance of each spice. The product targets women in their 30s and 40s seeking flavors that are a little different, with authenticity and a professional touch. Each serving is 180g, with a suggested retail price of 409 yen (before tax).
