House Foods Group Inc. will begin selling Smile Ball, a conventionally bred onion variety that causes less tearing, in limited quantities from mid-October as part of the 2026 harvest. Contract farmers in Hokkaido will produce the entire volume, which will be sold mainly through mass retailers and online.
House Foods Group Inc. has developed Smile Ball, a new onion with reduced pungency, and has built up sales results every year since its launch in 2015. This season, sales of the 2026 harvest will begin in mid-October, with the company expected to expand sales while building on its 2025 results, when shipments reached a record high.
The onion is characterized by its almost complete lack of pungency and its suitability for eating raw and whole. Because it does not need to be soaked in water, it is said to retain its nutrients in full. The enzyme activity that causes tears and irritation when the onion is cut is reduced, giving consumers more ways to eat it than conventional onions.
Its season and distribution will differ from those of previous years. This year, it is scheduled to be available from mid-October through the end of February at mass retailers and through online sales, mainly in Hokkaido, Kanto, Koshinetsu and Tokai. The company aims to capture demand for raw onions and promote the product to consumers as a new onion for the Reiwa era.
Smile Ball has continued to grow since its launch in 2015, with shipments reaching a record high in 2025. The entire volume is produced by trusted contract farmers in Hokkaido and distributed mainly for raw consumption. The company will continue expanding its sales channels, centered on the fresh produce market, with sales beginning in mid-October.