Upcycled food that is sweet despite its "skin" of the sweet potato. Sweet potato snack "Skin Nice" that approaches social issues is now available.
Distribution release on January 31, 2024
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000005.000087627.html
The first in Tokyo Bar's ``KAWAÌINE'' series, which develops new foods.
~A healthy snack that is ``surprisingly sweet'' without using sugar using a unique manufacturing method~
Tokyo Co., Ltd. develops products with the aim of delivering food items that will be loved by a wide range of people for a long time, while addressing social issues related to food such as mass waste in food processing, greenhouse gas emissions *1, and safety. Bar (Headquarters: Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, CEO: Hiroaki Tsutsui, Co-founder: Reiko Tsutsui, hereinafter referred to as "Tokyo Bar") has recently developed "Ii Ii" using dried potatoes from Ibaraki Prefecture. .
“Hai Ii” is the first in the “KAWAÌINE” series, which is based on the basic concept of “upcycled*2 & plant-based food*3 that uses every ingredient to achieve both nutrition and deliciousness.” It becomes. Tokyo Bar will continue to expand this series and develop a wider variety of products.
While tackling social issues related to food, Tokyo Bar delivers food items with new ideas and new flavors that are both nutritious and delicious and have been loved by a wide range of people, from children to adults.
With the motto of "communicating the appeal of Japanese materials to the world," Tokyo Baru's base, which has been developing plant-based foods with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality, is a new material processing company established in Ibaraki in 2023. It is located in "Development LAB". With a view to responding to ``food diversity'' such as vegan, halal, oriental eating habits and religion, we are focusing on reducing domestic food loss, improving domestic self-sufficiency, and contributing to reducing environmental impact. Based on our pride, we use plenty of highly nutritious parts of vegetables such as skins and leaves, and use our unique know-how to bring out the maximum umami from plants, while disseminating new food styles to the world.
The first part of the "KAWAÌINE" series, "I Like the Skin," was submitted by various businesses in Ibaraki Prefecture, which is famous for its dried sweet potatoes. ” was born from the need.
The main challenges faced when commercializing dried sweet potato processing residue are a lack of know-how and resources, securing a production line, and expiration dates. Tokyo Bar focused on the high nutritional value of dried sweet potato processing residue, and in order to commercialize it, we used Tokyo Bar's unique know-how to solve these issues and maintain a one-year expiration date without adding additives. We have developed delicious food items that take advantage of the characteristics of the ingredients without using them.
Prior to the official sale of ``Ki Ii'', Tokyo Bar held tasting events and exhibited at exhibitions in the United States, Singapore, the EU, and other countries through the Ibaraki Prefecture Export Project.
We have received many surprised comments such as "Is it really this sweet and sugar-free!?" as well as those who are looking forward to the product's release.
(Photo: Exhibition in New York, USA)
Tokyo Bar has been operating the New Materials Processing Development LAB in Ibaraki Prefecture since 2023, which serves as the source of product development, and is receiving support for exhibitions from Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Courtesy visit to Tsukuba City. From left in the photo: Tokyo Bar CEO Hiroaki Tsutsui, Tsukuba Mayor Tatsuo Igarashi, Tokyo Bar Co-founder Reiko Tsutsui
Regarding the expansion of the KAWAÌINE series domestically and overseas, we have received the following comments from Tsukuba Mayor Tatsusei Igarashi.
I think it's great to see upcycling initiatives that utilize ingredients and food that would otherwise be discarded, add value, and create new products. I also tried it and was surprised at how delicious it was. Plus, it's nutritious! We hope that Tsukuba City will be able to share delicious, earth-friendly products that utilize existing local ingredients from Tsukuba City to the world.
Regarding "I like the skin"
Although the sweet potato skin is highly nutritious, it has been discarded because it is difficult to eat. In developing "Skin Ii", Tokyo Bar analyzed the best balance of heat, blending, and processing speed to bring out the flavor while maximizing the nutritional value of this part, and used Tokyo Bar's unique manufacturing method. We have successfully commercialized the product.
Developed with the theme of ``Three Likes.'', it is ``sweet'' even though it does not contain sugar.
The theme of “I like the skin” is “Three likes.”
・Carefully selected materials
We only use sweet potatoes and rice bran as raw materials. Even though no sugar is used and the skin is used, the unique manufacturing method gives it an amazing sweetness. A natural snack that is ``simple yet luxurious.''
・Full of nutrients with whole skin
When developing the product, Tokyo Bar focused on ``yarapin,'' a component found near the skin of sweet potatoes that is unique to sweet potatoes. "Yalapin" stimulates intestinal function and regulates digestion. Because the snack uses the whole skin, it is rich in dietary fiber, and even though it uses the skin, it is sweet, making it a snack that is good for health and beauty.
・Upcycling
The New Materials Processing Development LAB, which Tokyo Bar bases its product development on, is located in Ibaraki Prefecture. In Ibaraki Prefecture, known for its production of dried sweet potatoes, 2,000 tons of dried sweet potatoes are thrown away each year, with a particular tendency to throw away the nutritious parts such as the skins and leaves. Tokyo Bar focused on the inherent goodness of vegetables and developed this product using the whole residue of dried potatoes, including the skin.
Product name: “I like the skin”
Capacity: 15g
Available stores: Imoyasu (Ibaraki prefecture, roasted sweet potato specialty store), Imoya kaneki (Tochigi prefecture, operated by Tokyo Food Co., Ltd.), Iroha Mart (Singapore), SOMENOYA (Spain), Company website: https://tokyobal.co.jp/ products/kawaiine
The name ``Peel Love'' comes from the Japanese words ``Peel'', ``Good'', and ``cute''. Going forward, Tokyo Bar will aim to establish ``KAWAÌINE'' as a natural and healthy brand based on the basic concept of ``upcycled and plant-based food that uses every ingredient to achieve both nutrition and deliciousness.'' We will continue to develop a wider variety of products.
Tokyo Bar will continue to contribute to the creation of a prosperous society through food, and strive to deliver upcycled materials and plant-based ingredients to as many customers as possible.
[About the birth of KAWAÌINE]
My eldest daughter, who is now 3 years old, was born with Down's syndrome, and when weaning her on baby food, she had to eat very little food. I wanted to be able to get a lot of nutrition from even a small amount of food, so I used as much of the most nutritious parts of vegetables as possible, such as the skins and leaves, to feed my daughter. The parts of vegetables that are most nutritious, such as leaves and skins, are often thrown away. Let's create products that are easy to eat, delicious, and delivered in new ways while retaining the best parts of these vegetables! This is an upcycle brand that started with. Everyone from children to adults can enjoy it. Even the skin can be eaten for complete nutrition. That is KAWAÌINE.
Tokyo Bar Co-Founder Reiko Tsutsui
Member of Upcycled Food Association (USA)
Instagram:
Global https://www.instagram.com/kawaiine_food
Japan https://www.instagram.com/kawaiine_jp
*1: Greenhouse gas emissions (related to food)
According to the summary of the IPCC “Land-related Special Report” (2020 Ministry of the Environment), global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land uses (2007-2016) are anthropogenic. This accounted for approximately 23% of the total emissions (carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were approximately 13%, methane (CH4) emissions were approximately 44%, and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions were approximately 82%). Emissions associated with activities before and after food production and manufacturing in the global food system are estimated to account for 21-37% of total net anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. (Note: The transportation industry, including cars and airplanes, accounts for approximately 13% of the total)
According to a report published by WRI in 2016, "Beef is particularly notable when it comes to the environmental impact of food, requiring 20 times more land and producing 20 times more greenhouse gases per gram of protein than beans." "Beef is three times more expensive than beans." The world population in 2021 is 7.875 billion people, but it will reach 9 billion people in 2050, and FAO predicts that meat intake will increase by nearly 30% worldwide. Therefore, if things continue as they are, greenhouse gas emissions will continue to increase. Source: List of social issues related to food | UP FOOD PROJECT
*2:Upcycle
This is a method of modifying items that were scheduled to be discarded, adding value to them, and updating them into new products. Also known as "creative reuse," it takes advantage of existing characteristics such as materials and shapes to transform them into something better. Currently, cases are increasing not only in food, but also in clothing, cosmetics, and daily necessities.
*3:Plant-based food
Foods made from plant-based ingredients that do not contain livestock or marine products
*4: Processing residue
Waste generated on food manufacturing production lines
