[Interview] Japan’s Sauce of Life - Enjoy Delicious Food Worry-Free

Otafuku Sauce Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture) develops a variety of products, mainly okonomiyaki sauce, an essential part of Japanese food culture. Since 2019, they have been using FOODPICT on some of their product packaging to provide information tailored to consumer needs, such as dietary restrictions due to religion or allergies, and health consciousness.

The company will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2022 and is promoting okonomiyaki culture not only in Japan but also around the world. We spoke with the person in charge of product planning, who continues to meet the growing inbound demand and the increasingly diverse food needs of consumers in recent years.

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―　Could you tell us how you introduced FOODPICT and what has happened since then? 

FOODPICT was used in Organic Okonomiyaki Sauce, which was released in 2019. The person in charge of product planning at the time wanted to make sure that "everyone could enjoy delicious okonomiyaki," and started developing the product as a product for people who were particularly health conscious. Around the same time, we received feedback from our restaurant customers that they were having trouble meeting the needs of vegetarians, especially those from inbound tourists, so we developed a product that combined the concepts of "organic" and "vegetarian-friendly."

As we continued development, we realized that if the product is aimed at people who have dietary restrictions due to religious reasons, it would be difficult to get them to understand if the information was only in Japanese. So, while researching various information, we came across FOODPICT. In addition to FOODPICT, we also included the vegan recommendation mark of the certified NPO Japan Vegetarian Association.

Although our company had previously sold products that catered to health-conscious and allergen-free consumers, this "Organic Okonomiyaki Sauce" was the first household product that was explicitly designed with the eating habits of inbound tourists, vegans, and religious dietary restrictions in mind. 

Sora Yoshihiro, Household Product Planning Division, Marketing Department, Otafuku Sauce Co., Ltd.

Thus, in 2019, we launched "Organic Okonomiyaki Sauce" and introduced it to restaurants so that they could use it when inbound customers visited. However, the launch coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the initially anticipated inbound demand turned out to be difficult. Therefore, in September 2024, we relaunched a new product while retaining the inbound-friendly characteristics of "Organic Okonomiyaki Sauce." This premium product, called "Okonomiyaki Sauce Vegetables and Fruits," contains 75% vegetables and fruits by weight, and is sold at supermarkets and other mass retailers.

Like the "Organic Okonomiyaki Sauce," this product doesn’t contain any animal-derived ingredients or alcohol, making it suitable for vegetarians and vegans. It also doesn’t contain any of the eight specific ingredients

The packaging for Okonomi Sauce Vegetables and Fruits was designed primarily for domestic customers who are picky about the seasonings they choose. Sauce packaging is generally red or brown, so this product is differentiated by using a vibrant dark blue color. The front has a simple design that conveys a premium feel. Additionally, FOODPICTS are printed on the back to clearly convey information when you pick the product up.

In addition to FOODPICTS, information such as product features, allergen information, website QR codes, etc. were prioritized. The design is also conscious of inbound tourists, with English notations such as “Premium”, a vegan recommendation mark, and some key information written in English.

―　It must be difficult to include FOODPICTS on product packaging that has limited space. Could you tell us why you decided to use it in this situation? 

Certainly, the issue of space is a big one. Even so, we continued to use FOODPICT during the renewal process because we trusted them. It’s praised for its track record of being used in many facilities and international conferences, and for being created in compliance with the pictogram production rules of ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards).

At trade shows, the presence of FOODPICT is obvious at a glance, so it has the added benefit of making people aware that "Oh, so there’s a product that offers this kind of service!"

Also, before the launch of a new product, we attended information sessions at sales bases across the country, and when it came to the revamped "Okonomiyaki Sauce with Vegetables and Fruits," several sales representatives asked if it would continue to use FOODPICTS. That's why we feel FOODPICT is a distinctive feature of the product.

Other comments from sales representatives included, "FOODPICT conveys information visually, so I think it has the advantage of making it easier for consumers to make choices," and "It can be communicated to foreigners and gives them a sense of security." Another comment was, "It conveys that we’re working on developing products that consider food diversity, which will improve our company's image."

―　Please tell us about the current need for food diversity and your future prospects.

In product planning, we use the opinions of salespeople who deal with retailers such as supermarkets and mass retailers, as well as the opinions of consumers who reach our customer service center, to help us create products. In the midst of all this, we feel that food diversity is steadily increasing, both in Japan and overseas, with health consciousness, allergies, religion, and preferences.

Also, as inbound tourism is growing rapidly at the moment, we are working to respond to that trend. In addition to products, we will also hold okonomiyaki tasting events, and hope to popularize okonomiyaki not only in Japan but also around the world. We are also focusing on product development using e-commerce sites, and we would like to focus more on sales on e-commerce sites in the future by utilizing the visual information of FOODPICTS, which have been effective with our previous products.

Our company slogan is "To contribute to a joyous society with health, wellness, and happiness through food." We do business to make people smile through food. We’ve positioned okonomiyaki, a "borderless food," as a symbol of this, and we will continue to work to ensure that customers with diverse food cultures and tastes can enjoy okonomiyaki.

At the Otafuku R&D Center, with our company representative, Kikuchi

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Many of the customers who use FOODPICT are restaurants and other facilities, but this time we spoke with a food manufacturer who has used it on their product packaging. With large lot sizes and limited frequency of package updates, we were reminded that the high quality of FOODPICT, which complies with ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) pictogram production rules and CUD (Color Universal Design) guidelines, is becoming more and more important.

We also heard that compared to restaurants, the amount of information that can be communicated to customers is limited, so FOODPICT, which provides visual information rather than written information, is easy to understand and provides reassurance.

FOODPICT Inc. aims to work with manufacturers, restaurants, and other organizations to create a world where people with dietary restrictions due to religion, beliefs, or allergies can access the information they need to make informed choices about what to eat and enjoy food with peace of mind.

We would like to thank Otafuku Sauce Co., Ltd. for their cooperation in this interview. 

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Interview date: September 2024

Interviewer: Nobutaka Kikuchi

Edited by: Ayaka Usui (SUICOU)

Photography: Sosuke Yokoyama (g)