Asahi Group Foods has launched the toddler food line “Paku Paku Pre-Kids” under Wakodo brand, targeting children aged 1.5 to 2 years. The initiative responds to parents’ concerns after weaning, such as “I don’t know what to feed my child,” and leverages the company’s expertise in baby food to support child-rearing families while developing a new market category, while requiring the highest safety standards.
For the company, this marks a new challenge—expanding the toddler food category to enlarge the market and stimulate demand. The baby food is limited with its short usage period, and difficult in building a stable customer base. While requiring the highest safety standards, it is a challenge to pass cost increases on to its pricing. Takeharu Takahashi, General Manager of Consumer Marketing Department IV, emphasized: “This is not simply one business, but something we want to continue mid- to long-term with a sense of responsibility for protecting Japan’s future.”
The baby food market has grown 26% over the seven years through 2024, while the Wakodo brand expanded by 28% in shipment value. Despite a declining birth rate, demand for convenient baby food has increased, supported by higher female labor force participation and more men taking childcare leave.
However, many households struggle with what to feed children after the weaning period.
A survey conducted by the company with 234 guardians of children aged 1.5 to 2 found that over 70% said, “I don’t know what to give after weaning.” Many also felt burdened by meal preparation after returning to work. At the same time, while more families are using retort-packaged foods for children, concerns included “limited variety” and “uncertainty about nutritional value.”
In response, the company established a new category, “Pre-Kids Food,” aimed at children from about 1.5 to 5 years old, developing seven products under “Paku Paku Pre-Kids” in collaboration with registered nutritionists. These include dishes such as “Miso-Simmered Boneless Mackerel” and “White Fish Meatballs with Chinese-Style Ankake Sauce.” They are designed to resemble adult meals in appearance and flavor for greater satisfaction, while being adjusted in softness and size for toddlers. Notably, when eaten together with rice (80g), the meals provide one serving’s worth of protein, along with iron and calcium. A pre-release in September 2023 sold 2.9 times the target, demonstrating strong consumer response.
On the promotional side, the company is airing a TV commercial in collaboration with the infant TV program “Synapusyu” through December, alongside in-store promotions and social media campaigns.