Niconico Nori will launch its first roasted nori made with raw materials from Onizaki, Aichi Prefecture. Two new flavors of the Korean snack “Kimbugak” are also expected to launch at the same time as the company’s autumn seasonal products.
Niconico Nori will launch its autumn seasonal product in September, “7 Sheets of Roasted Nori Made with First-Harvest Raw Materials from Onizaki, Aichi Prefecture.” It is the third product in the JAPAN PREMIUM first-harvest series, following products made with seaweed from the Ariake Sea in Kyushu and the Seto Inland Sea. The product contains 7 sheets of nori and has a reference pre-tax price of ¥1,000.
At a new product presentation held in Tokyo on 31 July, President Shiraha Kiyomasa (白羽 清正) commented on conditions during the latter half of Japan’s nori fishing season. Although rainfall in March resulted in some color recovery, color loss progressed overall and market prices fell. Unit prices for seaweed retaining its color were in the ¥10-to-¥20 range, while prices for discolored seaweed were in the single digits. Production totaled 5.43 billion sheets, below the previous year’s level.
Market prices for nori from South Korea and China have also declined. Lower domestic production, unstable market conditions and rising retail prices were identified as challenges facing the nori market. President Shiraha (白羽 清正) said the company would work to strengthen efforts to communicate new value propositions for nori and create more points of contact with customers.
The company cited expanding its range of high-quality products and strengthening its snack category as measures for new product development. The Korean snack “Kimbugak” is scheduled to receive 2 new flavors, wasabi and corn potage. Each product weighs 40g and has a reference pre-tax price of ¥420. The original salt and cheese flavors have sold a combined 140,000 units.
Kimbugak achieves a crisp texture through a traditional process in which rice flour is applied, the product is dried and then fried in oil. The product developer said the company aims to establish it as a new standard snack. In the nori industry, the Nori for Health Promotion Committee has designated “Black Nori Day” and plans to hold an event.