OSAKA--Snack makers are revamping the high-end versions of their products sold in department stores, aiming to attract young people and respond to consumer demand for fancy treats that can be given as gifts.
Luxury versions of snacks were initially presented as special products and attracted a lot of attention. However, the novelty has worn off as time passed and more companies entered the market.
On Oct. 2, Calbee Inc. refurbished its directly managed shop for high-end potato chips at Hankyu Department Store's Umeda Main Store in Osaka City. To attract more young customers, the shop's atmosphere was made more casual through greater use of wood grain tones.
It was the first renovation since the shop opened in 2014.
The company has also revamped its Grand Calbee product line. Six flavors have been newly developed, including salt and konbu, which bring out the flavor of the ingredients, and burnt soy sauce and burnt caramel, which are roasted after being fried to strengthen their aroma.
"We want to expand our customer base from over 40-year-olds to include 20- to 30-year-olds," a Calbee representative said.
On Oct. 7, Ezaki Glico Co. added "Baton d'or Riche et doux" as the highest-end version of its Baton d'or series of Pocky bread sticks coated with chocolate. It uses ganache, and each piece retails for 864 yen. The previously most expensive Baton d'or series of Pocky was 1,051 yen for eight pieces.
It's been nine years since the introduction of the Baton d'or series, and customers have been asking for even more special Pocky that can be given as gifts. Baton d'or Riche et doux is being marketed this way and is available at directly managed shops in department stores such as the Takashimaya Osaka store and Hankyu's Umeda Main Store.
Nestle Japan and UHA Mikakuto Co. are also relaunching their high-end products after three to six years of sales.
Snack makers started to develop high-end versions of their popular standards around 2012. They initially aimed to expand their customer base from young people to housewives and seniors, who are key shoppers at department stores. The number of young people is expected to decrease due to the chronically low birthrate.
However, manufacturers say these products are now grouped together simply as high-end versions of standard snacks, and companies have been rushing to renew them in order to stand out from the crowd.
These moves are also beneficial to the struggling department store industry.
A representative of a department store in Osaka City said, "If a new product becomes a talking point on Twitter and Instagram, it may attract younger customers who do not frequent department stores."
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