Rokko Butter, which operates the “QBB Baby Cheese for mom” project to “listen to, stand alongside, and support the real voices of pregnant women and mothers,” and Oguni Hospital, an obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, which sympathized with the initiative, held “for mom CAFE” in three sessions at the hospital on June 21. Approximately 20 groups of pregnant women and their families participated in each session.
Oguni Hospital developed eight menu items using products including the company’s QBB Baby Cheese “Cheese DE Iron,” which contains iron and folic acid, nutrients considered necessary for pregnant women. Participants enjoyed visually appealing meals and desserts made with QBB cheese.v
The project began with the experiences of a company employee during her pregnancy, including learning that “pregnant women around me were eating baby cheese containing iron” and finding that “even when morning sickness is severe, it is nutritious and easy to eat.” The company has pursued the initiative with the aim of “supporting healthy, bright, and enjoyable eating for pregnant women.” Yumi Aizawa, Administrative Manager of Oguni Hospital, learned of the initiative on the radio and made an inquiry, which led to the realization of this collaborative event.
Oguni Hospital places great importance on food, to the extent that it also operates dedicated social-media accounts for meals. The menu for this event was developed by the hospital’s registered dietitians and cooks. It included “Bite-Sized Cheese Potatoes” and “Cheese Brownies,” made with iron-fortified baby cheese, as well as a “Napoleon Pie Cake-Style” dessert made with “QBB Cheese Dessert 6P Strawberry Shortcake,” a new product introduced this spring that has been selling well.
At each table, Rokko Butter explained the outline of the project and shared employees’ experiences. It also conveyed in an easy-to-understand manner that consuming “Cheese DE Iron” makes it easy to take in nutrition even when morning sickness is difficult.
“Cheese DE Iron” is heat-treated processed cheese that can be eaten during pregnancy. One piece, weighing 13.5 grams, provides one-quarter of the daily iron requirement of 6.8 milligrams and one-quarter of the daily folic acid requirement of 240 micrograms. While noting that “iron is difficult to obtain from meals alone,” the hospital reflected on its menu development by saying that “Cheese DE Iron” was “easy to incorporate into menu items without any sense of incongruity, including in terms of taste.”
In addition to the meals, a large photo panel was installed at the entrance to the venue “to create memories of the pregnancy period,” adding to the event’s appeal.
