Many Kids' Foods Released in Japan despite Population Fall

Tokyo, April 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese food makers are actively launching easy-to-prepare food products for children aged 1 to 6, although the population in the age bracket keeps decreasing.

With their frozen side dishes for lunch boxes and food sales services including at nursery schools, companies are trying to meet growing demand for quick meal solutions that reflects an increase in double-income households. Products that prioritize color and nutritional balance are particularly popular.

In March, Ajinomoto Co. sold online its "Pitamo" set of frozen side dishes for children on a trial basis, aiming for commercialization. At a price of about 680 yen per set including shipping, all 1,200 sets that had been prepared sold out on the launch day.

Pitamo developers at Ajinomoto showed confidence about the product, in which side dishes are packaged inside a container that fits into a standard-size lunch box, saving parents from the trouble of arranging food in a lunch box.

As children tend to care how their lunches look to their friends, Ajinomoto emphasizes both visual appeal and nutritional balance of the side dishes.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]