Cheesecake ice cream is hot in Japan
February 14, 2013
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General Mills Global Communications |
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Women give to men Unlike other countries, Japan treats Valentine’s Day a little differently. It's women who give small gifts such as sweets and chocolate to men. It’s not necessarily considered a romantic day, because women provide sweets not only to their loved ones, but also to friends and co-workers. Typically, the higher quality chocolate and sweets are reserved for spouses and lovers. |
What’s cold is really hot. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Häagen-Dazs Japan has unveiled a rich, melt-in-the-mouth “rare” ice cream flavor that is reminiscent of a popular cheesecake dessert in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Häagen-Dazs Japan’s Rare Cheesecake ice cream hit the country’s supermarkets and convenience stores this month, and in a short time is already among the brand’s top sellers.
Stellar sales are presumed to come primarily from young women, who like familiar products that cross from one category into another. Those women have already tried cheesecake in trendy cafes and restaurants.
To promote the new flavor, Häagen-Dazs Japan is counting on “transit advertising” since Japan is a society of commuters.
People spend a lot of time on trains, so there are images inside the train cars to build awareness.
A new Valentine’s Day treat?
The new Rare Cheesecake flavor is a blend of Hokkaido cream cheese, ice cream, honey lemon sauce with crispy butter cookie pieces mixed in.
It’s reminiscent of Japan’s popular no-bake dessert – rare cheesecake – made with cream cheese, heavy cream, yogurt and gelatin mixed together and poured on top of a butter-based biscuit crust and then chilled.
The dessert is typically served with fresh fruits and sauces such as lemon. Its popularity comes from its no-bake simplicity since many Japanese homes do not have traditional ovens in the kitchen.
The Rare Cheesecake launch marks the second straight year that Häagen-Dazs Japan has introduced a flavor coinciding with Valentine’s Day. Last year, Chocolate Brownie joined the portfolio, becoming one of Häagen-Dazs Japan’s most successful new products.
Häagen-Dazs did not directly tie the new flavors to Valentine’s Day, a holiday in Japan where women are the ones giving sweets to men. Rather, Japanese consumers made that connection, giving ice cream as the treat instead of the traditional gift of chocolate.
