- Commemorative Event Marking 50th Anniversary of Exchanges between Kindai University and Taiwan Also Set to Be Held to Promote Friendly Relations -

Kindai University based in Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, has been selling “Kindai Mango Soft Candy,” an agriculture-commerce collaboration product developed jointly by Kindai and UHA Mikakuto Co., Ltd., at 7-Eleven convenience stores in Taiwan since late October 2018.

Image: Product package

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M105134/201811280850/_prw_PI1fl_ijnV73yG.png

Points of the project

- Kindai and UHA Mikakuto have been selling the product for the first time in Taiwan.

- The project is designed in part to showcase the results of practical learning ahead of “Kindai EXPO in Taiwan.”

- It is aimed at building recognition in Taiwan of Kindai by selling the soft candy using “Kindai Mango” raised at Kindai’s experimental farm.

Outline of the project

“Kindai Mango Soft Candy” was jointly developed by Kindai and UHA Mikakuto through industrial-academic collaborative efforts with the participation of teachers and students from laboratories of Kindai’s faculties of pharmacy, literature, arts and cultural studies, and business administration. The undertaking, featuring the combination of humanities and sciences, took advantage of each area of expertise to achieve the whole process ranging from extracting and analyzing collagen to designing the package and promoting the product. The mango used in the product is “Kindai Mango” (cultivar: Irwin) grown on Kindai’s experimental farm.

The product has been sold ahead of the “Kindai EXPO in Taiwan,” an event marking the 50th anniversary of the start of exchanges between Kindai and Taiwan, to be held on December 21 (Friday), 2018. On the day of the event, “Kindai Mango Soft Candy” and other industry-academia collaboration products will be sold, providing an opportunity not only for foreign students who are interested in Japan but also for businesspeople to know about the university’s latest research.

Product name: Kindai Mango Soft Candy

Designation (by category): Soft candy

Net weight: 62 g (including wrapping paper)

Sales: 10,800 packages (as of late November)

Release date: Late October 2018

Place: 7-Eleven convenience stores in Taiwan

Brief overview of “Kindai Mango Soft Candy”

It is a product using “Kindai Mango” (cultivar: Irwin) raised on Kindai’s experimental farm called “Yuasa Farm.” Taking advantage of relatively warm weather, the farm, established in 1952, has been engaged in research on mango cultivation since 1987. ”Kindai Mango” is a fruit brand characterized by the smoothness on the palate and rich sweetness.

It is made of soft candy using puree based on “Kindai Mango” coupled with “puchi puchi gummy” -- the main characteristic of the product -- in such a way as to make one feel the smoothness and rich sweetness. The package design features the “sizzle” to communicate the soft candy and Kindai’s collaborative effort to consumers.

Photo1: “Kindai Mango” fruit

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/201811280850-O2-Y1losO8q

Photo2: Students growing fruit (Kindai University’s experimental “Yuasa Farm”)

https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/img/201811280850-O3-c2ymAUZK

Brief overview of “Kindai EXPO in Taiwan”

It is an event aimed at further deepening exchanges between Taiwan and Japan through exchanges with Taiwan’s universities and companies on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Kindai accepting students from Taiwan. Besides a business forum, a workshop on research seeds and a consulting corner will be set up.

Date: Dec. 21 (Friday), 2018

Place: Taipei International Convention Center (TICC)

Website: http://www.kindaiexpo2018.com/

Brief overview of Kindai University

Address: 3-4-1 Kowakae, Higashiosaka City, Osaka Pref., Japan

Representative:

Board of Directors Yoshihiro Shimizu, President Yoshihiko Hosoi

Founded: 1925

Number of teachers: 9,788 (entire school)

Number of students: 53,379 (entire school) as of May 1, 2018

Website: https://www.kindai.ac.jp/english/

Brief overview of UHA Mikakuto Co., Ltd.

Address: 4-12 Kanzaki-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Pref., Japan

Representative: President and CEO Yasumasa Yamada

Number of employees: 400

Sales amount: 33 billion yen

Website: https://www.uha-mikakuto.co.jp/english/

Please feel free to use the images on the project provided on the following website.

https://goo.gl/66nurK