Made available for purchase in 2016, Kitakyushu's Neji Choco -- chocolates made in the shape of nuts and bolts -- became a sensation in the blink of an eye and is now set for mass production. These sweets are bite-size, easy to eat and turn to tighten just like the real thing.
Neji Choco gained popularity as a souvenir that symbolizes Kitakyushu, known as a city of craftsmanship. Due to continued short supply, a new factory went into operation in January to increase production.
Gran Da Zur Soigner in Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu, which played a role in the development of Neji Choco, sells Western-style sweets using seasonal ingredients based on traditional French sweets. Upon entering the shop, you'll be greeted by shelf of twisted chocolates.
Sold as a bolt and nut set, the intricate design that allows them to turn just like their metal counterparts created an instant buzz.
Many people outside of Fukuoka Prefecture appear to be looking to buy them, and according to shop owner Chihiro Yoshitake: "Many of our customers are men who are involved in the manufacturing industry. Since it's in the shape of something they deal with at work, the emotional attachment is all the more stronger.
"Because this is a store that specializes in Western sweets, we are at the very least very particular about the flavor of our sweets," Yoshitake added.
Just as Yoshitake said, the chocolates, while bite-size, are rich in cacao and have a bittersweet and smooth flavor that anyone can enjoy. It seems that in order to achieve a firmness that's just right along with a high-quality flavor there were many stages of trial and error. Soon after going on sale, the patisserie made several hundred of the chocolates in a single day.
In 2015, institutions related to the former state-owned Yawata Steel Works, which contributed to the modernization of Japan, were registered as World Heritage sites. The telecommunications company OA Center Co. in Kokurakita Ward, Kitakyushu, using this as an opportunity, began developing a souvenir that could conjure images of steel and manufacturing. Using 3D printing that could reproduce the minute details of an object, Neji Choco was created.
Because of Neji Choco's wild popularity, some stores sell out from preorders before ever hitting the shelf, paving the way for OA Center's huge production increase.
Construction of the new Kitakyushu factory was completed in January and was named the Neji Choco Laboratory. Implementing state-of-the-art facilities, the factory can produce 30,000 chocolates a day. There are also plans to continue an expansion into the foreign market, hoping to make a name for Kitakyushu as the city of craftsmanship.
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