Developing new products using T-Card's big data and Sanriku oysters. "Frozen fried seasoned oysters" and "Basil-flavored oysters" will be released on October 5th.

2017.10.05 Press Releases
T Point Japan Co., Ltd.

-T Card's social value creation project "T Card Everyone's Social Project"-

T Point Japan Co., Ltd. (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and COO: Kitamura Kazuhiko) will utilize over 60 million T members, 175 T Point Alliance companies, and approximately 4 billion purchase data points provided by the T Card to implement initiatives that will lead to the resolution of social issues facing local communities and to regional coexistence. T Card's social value creation project, "T Card Everyone's Social Project" (http://tsite.jp/r/tcardsocial/) was launched in November 2016.

As the first step in the "T Card Everyone's Social Project," we have been working on product development using Sanriku oysters as an ingredient, based on the theme of "creating delicious local food with primary producers and T Card," using T Card's big data. Starting October 5th, 2017, we will be releasing new flavored frozen fried oysters: "Large fried oysters with curry and garlic flavor" and "Large fried oysters with parsley and cheese flavor," as well as basil-flavored oysters "Oysters and basil oil pickled" (http://tsite.jp/r/tcardsocial/oyster/).

　T Point Japan solicited support for the project from 550,000 T members*1 who are "seafood lovers and particular about food," based on various lifestyle data from the T Card and selected from among the more than 60 million T members. Nine T members participated from among them, and the nine of them took the lead in developing products using Sanriku oysters. The product development process involved the participation of stakeholders*3, including Sanriku fishermen, including Fisherman Japan*2, the primary producer and manufacturer of the product, as well as Yahoo Japan Corporation, Maruetsu Inc., Mamy Mart Inc., and Yaomasa Co., Ltd., who are responsible for selling the product.

We received a variety of advice from each stakeholder, including that the product should meet the needs of fishermen, such as being a processed oyster food that can be eaten all year round, even outside of the peak winter season, that it should bring out the characteristics of Sanriku oysters, and that it should be able to be sold in stores as a product that meets consumer needs. After that, based on the completed product recipe, the product went through various processes*4 such as creating a prototype at a food processing factory in Onagawa, manufacturing the product on the production line, quality inspection, and creating the product packaging, leading to its current release.

This product will be available at food supermarkets "Maruetsu," "Mamy Mart," and "Yaomasa," as well as the e-commerce site "Tohoku Yell Market" (https://yellmarket.yahoo.co.jp/tohoku/) and sales will begin. Additionally, some Maruetsu stores and all Yaomasa stores will be selling seasoned frozen fried oysters as a side dish.

Through this initiative, T Point Japan hopes to address the challenges facing Japan's primary producers through "sixth-sector industrialization," and to encourage people to learn about the good things about Sanriku through this product and visit the area. Going forward, we will continue to work to create new social value, with the aim of making T Points and T Cards "cultural infrastructure that connects people, and people and society."

[Product details for "Large Fried Oysters with Curry and Garlic Flavor" and "Large Fried Oysters with Parsley and Cheese Flavor"]
■ Flavors: Curry garlic flavor, parsley cheese flavor
■Quantity: 10
■Price: 1,480 yen (excluding tax)
■ Cooking method: Must be heated in oil
■Storage method: Freezing
■ Best before date: 6 months
■Features: We use spring oysters, which are larger and have a richer flavor than winter oysters. We focused on three things to make delicious fried oysters without losing the flavor of the oysters.
 1. Keep the amount of batter to a minimum
The batter ratio is kept to 35-40% to avoid compromising the flavor of the oysters.
 2. Introducing a cooking method that makes the most of the texture of oysters
By wrapping the oysters in batter and freezing them without cooking them, you can enjoy a soft, creamy texture that is just like eating raw oysters after cooking.
 3. Create a recipe that brings out the flavor of oysters
The recipe was devised with the idea that "I want people who don't like oysters to try it, but by making fried oysters, which everyone is familiar with, I think it will be easier for them to pick it up."The batter is already seasoned, so you can eat it as is without any sauce.
■Where you can buy the product in a package:
・Maruetsu Kachidoki 6-chome store, Lincos Roppongi Hills store
・Mamy Mart Sakado Yawata store
・Tohoku Yell Market (https://yellmarket.yahoo.co.jp/tohoku/)
　*Sales will end as soon as products run out. Please be aware of this in advance.
■Where you can buy fried oysters as a side dish:
　・Maruetsu Chigasaki store, Maruetsu Higashi-Narashino store, Maruetsu Kakio store
　　*The number of items sold per day and sales hours vary by store. Please be aware of this in advance.
・All Yaomasa stores
*Sales of prepared foods at Yaomasa will begin on Saturday, October 7, 2017.

[Product Overview of "Oysters and Basil in Oil"]
■Capacity: Approx. 140g
■Price: 1,280 yen (excluding tax)
■Storage method: Freeze or refrigerate
■ Best before date: 6 months frozen, 2 weeks after thawing
■Features: We use spring oysters, which are larger and have a richer flavor than winter oysters. I want to create something that is easy to eat and that will encourage people to eat oysters at the dinner table. This "Oysters and Basil in Oil" was born from that idea. We focused on three things in developing this product.
 1. Cooking methods that do not impair the flavor or texture of the oysters
To bring out the full flavor of the oysters, we quickly cooked them and then soaked them in olive oil overnight.
 2. Easy to use in a variety of dishes
It can be used in a variety of ways, including salads, pasta, and bread, making it highly versatile and easy to make, and it will stimulate the imagination of anyone who loves to cook.
 3. Cut it so that it still feels soft to the touch.
By deliberately cutting the oysters into pieces, they are easier to use in cooking, and the large cut oysters give them a strong presence, preserving their natural texture.
■Where you can buy the product in a package:
・Maruetsu Kachidoki 6-chome store, Lincos Roppongi Hills store
・Mamy Mart Sakado Yawata store
・Tohoku Yell Market (https://yellmarket.yahoo.co.jp/tohoku/)
　　*Sales will end as soon as products run out. Please be aware of this in advance.

*1 Data is derived in a way that does not identify individual customers, such as names or addresses.
*2 After the Great East Japan Earthquake, older fishermen were no longer able to fish and were quitting their jobs. However, young fishermen came together, transcending the boundaries of region and industry, with the aim of once again revitalizing Sanriku, one of the world's three largest fishing grounds, and creating a fishing industry that future generations will aspire to. First of all, they aim to become "truly cool and profitable fishermen," and are proposing a form of the future fishing industry that will continue for the next generation, from Tohoku to the rest of Japan and then to the world.
*3 Future Sessions Inc. cooperated as a facilitator for the product development session.
*4 Fisherman Japan carried out this project in response to the Reconstruction Agency's "Model Project for Revitalizing the Seafood Processing Industry through Teamwork."

Materials related to this matter

Developing a new product using T-Card's big data and Sanriku oysters
"Frozen fried oysters with seasoning" and "Basil-flavored oysters" will be released on October 5th

Inquiries regarding this matter
T Point Japan Co., Ltd.
Public Relations: Ando
TEL: 03-6800-4464