Economy & Tech

Rising Prices Drive Demand for 'Imperfect' Foods

Japanese snack food manufacturers are putting imperfect products up for sale to reduce food loss and offer affordable products amid rising prices for food.

Published

6 months ago

November 16, 2023

The Sankei Shimbun

Chuoken Senbei, a century-old rice cracker manufacturer, selling chipped rice crackers in bulk, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, October 30. (©Sankei by Toshinari Nishimura)

Read the full story on Japan 2 Earth - Rising Prices Drive Demand for 'Imperfect' Foods

Alongside rising prices, consumer demand is growing for less-than-perfect food products. These include food items that cannot be sold as standard products due to having been broken or chipped in the manufacturing process. Despite their non-standard shape and appearance, imperfect foods have the same taste and quality as regular ones. Their imperfections also mean they can be bought for a cheaper price.

More consumers are turning to imperfect products to alleviate the burden on household budgets. The growing trend to stock imperfect products, especially among the food and retailing industries, also helps reduce food loss.

Rebranding Broken Crackers

Chuoken Senbei is a long-established rice cracker producer that recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. On October 30, the company announced a project called GRAM Kakecco to sell rice crackers that were chipped or broken during production. From November 2-4, the company conducted bulk sales at its main store in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Continue reading the full story on Japan 2 Earth to learn more about the increasing demand for imperfect foods.

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(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Toshinari Nishimura