Two new products are born

Readers will be interested to learn that Hokkaido has long been known domestically as an area to test new products. Supposedly, we are more accepting of new products. There is a constant stream of new products that pass by the shelves of 7-11. If you do like something new, you should stock up, because one day a month later it will often be gone, as happened a couple of months ago with a good green iced tea I discovered. (Following up yesterday however, I discovered the tea was mysteriously back on the shelves.) Normally I don't try anything new, even things that have been in Japan forever, but in this post I will take one for the team and introduce the readers to two new products that may, or may not, be there next time I go to the store.


I bought Van Houten Cocoa on a whim because I had been outside for awhile and was going home; I felt like something chocolately. I'm sure it says to shake before drinking somewhere in Japanese on the package because I made a rookie error. I had drank half of it before I thought to shake it. Thus, the first half was pretty weak tasting and the last half too strong. I would describe the taste as sort of melted chocolate ice cream; which kind of made me nestolgic. It was okay.


This product from Suntory really surprised me. I was in buying a drink after running and saw this "Canadian Hops Quality" beer. Of course all sorts of things went through my head about why the Japanese linked Canada with beer but who really knows. That seal of approve was good enough for me and I bought a can. It gave the cashier pause because it was still morning when I bought it. Suntory is the fourth largest beer producer after Sapporo, Asahi, and Kirin and no one really enjoys their beer. I guess this tastes a bit more hopsy than usual but really it's just normal beer. (That bear is pretty cool.)