Christmas cakes and osechi New-Year cuisine will come with a twist this year.
To help prevent coronavirus infections in the upcoming season, when many gather around the table in a large group, retailers are taking orders and delivering food in a way that avoids the "Three-Cs" -- closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. Retailers are also selling products already divided into smaller portions so there is no need to share them.
Ginza Cozy Corner Co. began taking reservations at noon on Nov. 2 for its Christmas Assortment for 4,190 yen (tax included) by mail only. It comprises eight popular individual cake slices arranged to form one cake.
"This year, instead of cutting the cake into pieces at home, some people may feel more comfortable with a cake that's already separated," said the company's spokesperson.
In October, Hankyu department stores began delivering whole frozen cakes to homes. Since the delivery of fresh cakes that they began last year has been popular again this year, Hankyu expanded delivering whole frozen cakes to all parts of Japan. With no need to visit the store during busy times of the year, the service helps customers avoid crowds. Many people refraining from going back to their home town for the upcoming holiday season are ordering the cake as a gift for their families back home, according to the store.
-- Individual osechi
Osechi traditional New Year cuisine is changing as well.
Matsuya Co. conducted a nationwide survey of 1,440 people in August and found 74% said they plan to spend the upcoming New Year's Day at home, exceeding the 63% of those who spent New Year's Day at home this year. On the other hand, those visiting their parents' homes or traveling in Japan and abroad fell. Sixty-nine percent of the respondents said they would buy osechi, up from 53% who bought it for this year.
"Many people seem to want to have a luxurious time at home this year," a person in charge said.
Matsuya's authentic Spanish-style osechi comes in two-tiered boxes filled with pinchos and other dishes, and is being sold for 43,200 yen (tax included) for two to three servings. The food prepared for the osechi was supervised by a Spanish restaurant. As many people are likely to forgo overseas trips during the New Year's holiday season, "We hope customers can feel like they are traveling while at home," said Matsuya's spokesperson.
Sogo & Seibu Co. is taking pre-orders for osechi in cups, which are then put into square boxes. The store offers four types of osechi, including one supervised by chefs from Japanese restaurant Uemura and Italian restaurant Piatto Suzuki for 32,400 yen (tax included) for three to four servings.
This year's pre-order sales have tripled from that of last year, when two types of photogenic osechi were released. Sogo & Seibu said this year's osechi selection is characterized by consumers' desires to not share food off of one plate.
Instead of buying assorted osechi, customers can buy each item separately and then arrange everything together onto individual plates at home.
Kibun Foods Inc. has introduced an "easy-to-make osechi on a plate" on its website featuring osechi cuisine. It recommends putting items like kuromame (sweetened black soybeans) and kuri kinton (candied chestnuts mixed in mashed sweet potatoes) onto tiny plates called mamezara and placing those onto a larger plate to make one serving. Colorful paper laid over a big plate first can help add to the festive feel of the meal or uniquely designed mamezara plates that are placed onto it. Each family member can make their own plate using the same food, Kibun suggested.
"Demand for smaller portions was already seen before the coronavirus crisis, but this trend seems to have spread even more," said NLI Research Institute Senior researcher Naoko Kuga, who is well versed in consumer trends. "If safety and proper hygiene can be ensured, I think many people would like to spend Christmas and New Year's with others, eating and drinking together.
"Products and services corresponding to this 'new lifestyle' are likely to only expand."
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