Press release of Josho Gakuen Educational Corporation (2024.11.05) Josho Gakuen Educational Corporation [Setsunan University] Industry-academia collaboration: Students from the Department of Food and Nutrition in the Faculty of Agriculture collaborate with popular stores at Keihan Department Store to develop bento boxes based on the five flavors of sweet, savory, bitter, acid, and salt. Setsunan University (President: Yasuyuki Kubo) will be collaborating with two popular Keihan Department Store stores to create collaborative bento boxes with a focus on “Gomi” at Keihan Department Store’s “Autumn Thanksgiving Special Project” from October 10th to 30th. has been developed. [Key points of this case] ● Developed a collaborative lunch box based on the five tastes (sweet, savory, bitter, acid, and salt) through industry-academia
collaboration ● Collaboration between students from the Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture and popular Keihan Department Store stores
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Participating students were involved in a series of processes, from planning to meetings with stores, menu development, nutritional calculations, and store sales on the day. The students’ ability to take proactive action stood out, as they actively collected customer feedback while deepening their collaboration with store staff. This industry-academia collaboration project also functions as a place for practical learning, and collaboration between universities and companies also leads to career education with a focus on employment. In the future, based on the results of this project, we will continue to We plan to continue to develop food education activities through academic collaboration. We will leverage the creativity and expertise of our students to contribute to improving the health of local communities. Features of 2 types of collaboration bento incorporating 5 flavors 1. Green Gourmet x Setsunan University “Taste travel bento that explores the five flavors” A bento that skillfully incorporates five basic flavors. It features two types of luxurious salads: seafood salad and island tofu and hijiki salad. “Sweet, salt, and acid” can be felt from sauces and cooked vegetables, “umami” can be felt from chicken and cheese leaf rolls and fried shrimp, and “bitterness” can be felt from leafy vegetables such as kale. This is a special lunch box that combines nutritional education and deliciousness, packed with the ingenuity of students aiming to become registered dietitians. We developed this product with the idea of guiding you through the world of five flavors, which is reflected in the product name, on a “journey of flavor” where you can enjoy every bite. This product allows you to discover new deliciousness from the harmony created by each carefully selected ingredient.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/140284/80/140284-80-a243b6fdd29703f6b2a52f88578b7d3d-684×228.jpg “Taste journey bento that explores the five flavors” 2. Plum blossom x Setsunan University “Autumn colorful bento packed with five flavors”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/140284/80/140284-80-ba100e5c5a93ec397752263ea042ecfc-326×218.jpg “Autumn colored bento packed with five flavors” This is a two-tier bento box where you can enjoy the five flavors of autumn, including tofu hamburger as the main dish, as well as yuba and namafu. The tofu hamburger steak served with grated radish sauce has a refreshing taste. Side dishes include standard Umehana dishes such as lotus root manju with yuba sauce, raw yuba soaked in komatsuna, and fried yuba. In addition, there are textures and flavors such as mushroom rice that condenses the flavor of the soup stock, two types of sweetened raw gluten dengaku and Daigaku imo, sour radish namasu, and deep-fried ginkgo nuts with a subtle bitterness and salty accent. We also offer a rich variety of items. Voices of students who sold
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/140284/80/140284-80-a6b8b1dfd7370b39dcf29f7d41f9ce6a-305×209.jpg In developing products with the five tastes in mind, we carefully researched each flavor from the planning stage, and used kale, a popular ingredient, to make the bitterness, which has a negative impression, delicious. By taking advantage of the
characteristics of green gourmet and pursuing innovative ideas, we have also developed original dressings. As a result of repeated trial and error, the product received a response that exceeded expectations after its release, and the product became so popular that it sold out by the morning of every student sales support day. We have had many people pick up our products, including customers who came to our store after seeing advertisements and flyers, as well as families of current students, and we feel that the passion we put into our development is reaching our customers. . Comments from the person in charge of green gourmet planning The 18 different ideas submitted by the students were all attractive and in line with the theme. We proceeded with product development while incorporating students’ innovative ideas, focusing on vegetables, which are cherished by green gourmets. Initially, we planned to develop one type of bento, but we received a proposal that focused on different customer groups along the Keihan Railway: “business people on weekdays” and “families on weekends,” so we decided to develop two types. Ta. Although this was a challenge that they took on while studying for their studies and qualifications, the students’ sincere efforts resulted in the completion of an attractive product.