Prepared-food innovation as the third stage of business transformation

「また、当社グループの戦略商品である、お店で炊きたてのご飯を盛りつける「ポプ弁」については、前期に引き続き、徹底的な見直しによる品質向上に取り組むとともに、好評の、ごはんの大盛り350グラムでも普通盛りと同一価格を継続、売上を伸ばしました。」

「Although revising selling prices was unavoidable in response to continuing increases in raw material and supply prices, the company promoted the development of value-oriented products addressing consumers' persistent cost-saving behavior, as well as prepared foods combining affordability with safety and security. It also introduced products reflecting changing consumer needs, including a greater emphasis on added value and quality, and worked to increase average spend per customer.」

「While continuing to improve quality through a thorough review as in the previous fiscal year, the company launched a new series, "Pop Don," featuring rice cooked in-store with selected ingredients served in a separate container. The first products, "Special Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl" and "Sichuan-Style Mapo Rice Bowl," were well received, and sales of the products remained strong.」

「In terms of products, a fundamental review of the quality of Popben, the company's core product of store-cooked rice served in a bento, resulted in a substantial increase in units sold. The company also worked to strengthen community-based merchandising, including the rollout of jointly developed products created in cooperation with universities, high schools, social welfare corporations, and other organizations.」

「The company also thoroughly reviewed and redesigned Popben, its strategic product of freshly cooked store rice served in a bento, and efforts to improve quality as a result led to a substantial increase in sales. In addition, it promoted product development in cooperation with the local community, including the launch of the Big Rice Ball: Hiroshima in One, a commemorative product using long-selling products from 3 leading long-established companies representing Hiroshima.」

「For the bento and prepared foods produced at the company's own bento factories, the company will continue developing products that reflect customer needs more closely and meet diverse sales-floor needs. Based on those needs, it will also work to expand sales channels beyond convenience stores. In addition, it will further refine Popben, its distinctive product of store-cooked rice packed into a bento, as a differentiated product versus other chains, and work to increase sales as a distinctive product.」

「In terms of products, the company thoroughly reviewed Popben, its flagship product of freshly cooked store rice served in a bento, in pursuit of improved taste and value for money, resulting in an increase in units sold.」

「As one of its priority initiatives for the period, the company began a thorough review to strengthen Popben, its store-cooked rice bento, in pursuit of improved taste and value for money. It also completely renewed its best-selling chicken nanban bento, including increasing the amount of tartar sauce by 1.5 times, resulting in a substantial increase in units sold.」

「The 40th Anniversary Customer Appreciation Bento series for Popben, the company's flagship product of freshly cooked rice served in-store and marking its 40th anniversary that year, was well received. The company also sold the Umai de Gansu® Rice Ball, wrapped around gansu, a famous Hiroshima product made from fried fish-paste ingredients, which attracted attention after receiving a special award in the rice-ball category at the 2024 Bento and Prepared Foods Awards.」

「In the sales division, the company sought to improve repeat visits by implementing the ONE BUY ONE sales promotion, under which customers were guaranteed to receive a popular new product when they purchased a specified product, as well as an instant-win points rebate campaign. It also sold rice balls developed in cooperation with a long-established local food manufacturer in Hiroshima and a Regional Bento series. For Popben, its flagship product of freshly cooked rice served in-store and marking its 40th anniversary that year, the company sold the 40th Anniversary Customer Appreciation Bento series.」

「In the sales division, the company sought to improve repeat visits by implementing the ONE BUY ONE sales promotion, under which customers were guaranteed to receive a popular new product when they purchased a specified product with manufacturer sponsorship, as well as an instant-win points rebate campaign. It also sold rice balls developed in cooperation with a long-established local food manufacturer in Hiroshima. For Popben, its flagship product of freshly cooked rice served in-store and marking its 40th anniversary that year, the company sold the 40th Anniversary Customer Appreciation Bento series, which had been launched in the previous period.」

「As Popben, the company's flagship product of freshly cooked store rice served in a bento, marked its 40th anniversary in 2023, the company sold 3 Customer Appreciation Bento products in stages for a limited time.」

「As Popben, the company's flagship product of freshly cooked store rice served in a bento, marked its 40th anniversary in 2023, the company sold its Customer Appreciation Bento in 2 waves. The product was packed with warm rice and generous portions of filling side dishes, representing the origins of Poplar's bento-making, and was well received as characteristically Poplar.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale division, the company worked to strengthen sales of Popben, its core product, to stores operating under both the Poplar and Lawson Poplar brands, and brought its external sales business into full operation. It is also focusing on product development based on sales performance and on developing sales channels, working in line with its business plan to establish this as its third business pillar.」

「For the bento and prepared foods produced at the company's own bento factories, the company will continue developing products that reflect customer needs more closely and meet the diverse needs of sales floors. It will also further refine Popben, its distinctive product of store-cooked rice packed into a bento, as a differentiated product versus other chains, and work to increase sales as a distinctive product.」

「In the product division, the company sought to enhance its product lineup and improve operational efficiency by specializing in buying suited to stores located within facilities. It also focused on developing chilled bentos and daily bentos as new products for the planned launch of its external sales business.」

「The company also began developing new products in preparation for launching its external sales business.」

「For the bento and prepared foods produced at the company's own bento factories, the company will continue developing products that reflect customer preferences more closely. It will also further refine Popben, its distinctive product of store-cooked rice packed into a bento, as a differentiated product versus other chains, and work to increase sales as a distinctive chain.」

「As product initiatives, the company worked to strengthen individual products and extend their use-by periods, and introduced chilled Popben at stores under the jurisdiction of the Okayama plant. The longer sales period increased the volume of products on display, particularly in the evening and late-night periods, producing a certain degree of improvement in sales and reducing disposal losses. The company also plans to introduce chilled Popben at stores under the jurisdiction of the Hiroshima plant by the end of this year and has begun renovating the necessary equipment.」

「In the Popben category, one of the company's core products, which consists of store-cooked rice served in a bento, the freshly prepared Popben, filled with freshly fried chicken and other items cooked in the store fryer, continued to drive performance. Same-store sales remained strong at 100.6% of the year-earlier period.」

「On the product front, we continued strengthening prepared foods. In particular, sales of Freshly Made Popben, containing freshly fried chicken prepared in the in-store fryer, continued to perform well and drove the overall Popben category.」

「On the product front, we continued strengthening prepared foods. In particular, sales of “Freshly Made Popben,” which contains freshly fried chicken prepared in the in-store fryer, continued to grow significantly and drove the overall Popben category, which reached 101.7% of the prior-year level.」

「On the product front, we continued strengthening prepared foods. As a result, the Popben category, one of our core product lines featuring rice cooked in-store, performed well, led by “Freshly Made Popben,” which contains freshly fried chicken prepared in the in-store fryer and achieved same-store sales of 123% of the prior-year level. The Popben category as a whole reached 102% of the prior-year level.」

「On the product front, we continued strengthening prepared foods and fast food, while using Rakuten Points for promotions to increase visit frequency and attract new customers.」

「The four Saika series brands launched in the previous fiscal year continued to perform well. In particular, Saika Cafe had been converted at 280 stores, and sales exceeded the prior-year level in every month after rollout began, reaching 105% of the prior-year level as of February 2018.」

「We continued prioritizing the strengthening of prepared foods and fast food. Saika Cafe, whose full-scale rollout began in June, had been introduced at 280 stores by the end of November and continued to perform well at 108% of the prior-year level.」

「We continued making the renewal of prepared foods a priority. Of the four Saika series brands launched under the theme “Bring color to everyday life with products made with care,” Saika Cafe began its full-scale rollout in June. Coffee brewed in a single extraction using espresso machines from Italian long-established manufacturer Carimali, bringing out the beans' natural flavor, got off to a strong start, with June sales volume per store reaching 130% of the prior-year level. As of the end of August, Saika Cafe had been introduced at 190 stores.」

「As in the previous fiscal year, we continued renewing our prepared-food products. We began a full-scale rollout of the four Saika brands—Saika Deli, Saika Bakery, Saika Sweets and Saika Cafe—under the theme “Bring color to everyday life with products made with care.”」

「As part of the third stage of business transformation and the renewal of prepared-food products, we began rolling out four brands under the theme “Bring color to everyday life with products made with care”: Saika Deli, Saika Bakery, Saika Sweets and Saika Cafe. For boxed meals, we developed the “Light & Healthy” range; for bakery products, we strengthened the rollout of premium breads; and for desserts, we expanded roll cakes and cheesecakes, which became Poplar's signature core products, from the Tokyo metropolitan area to all regions.」

「This fiscal year, we are working on the renewal of prepared-food products as the third stage of business transformation. We strengthened the freshly wrapped and premium rice-ball lines, developed roll cakes and cheesecakes as core strategic dessert products, and began rolling out the Saika Deli series, including specialty boxed meals, healthy boxed meals and premium sandwiches.」

「Business transformation entered its third stage, prepared-food innovation, meaning a fundamental renewal of our prepared-food products. We strengthened the freshly wrapped and premium rice-ball lines, developed roll cakes and cheesecakes as core strategic dessert products, and began rolling out the Saika series of brands, including Saika Deli, initially in the Tokyo metropolitan area, along with specialty boxed meals, healthy boxed meals and premium sandwiches.」

「Business transformation entered its third stage, prepared-food innovation, meaning a fundamental renewal of our prepared-food products. We strengthened the premium rice-ball line, began developing roll cakes and cheesecakes as strategic dessert products, and started rolling out healthy boxed-meal and premium sandwich lines under the Saika Deli brand, initially in the Tokyo metropolitan area.」