The Bread That Taught Me “There Are No Failures”

Hishida Bakery Co., Ltd. has been a beloved local bakery in Sukumo City, Kochi Prefecture, since its founding in 1951.  
At the roadside station in Sukumo, you can find a variety of breads, including savory options and loaves.

As part of Kochi Prefecture’s overseas business ventures, Hishida Bakery tested the market response to their Youkan (sweet bean jelly) bread in Singapore.

Youkan bread is not commonly seen even in Japan, but it exists in a few regions such as Kochi, Hokkaido, and Shizuoka although their history and product differ.

At first, I thought it would be like anpan (red bean paste-filled bread), where the youkan would be inside the bread.
However, the youkan is actually spread on the surface, while anko (sweet red bean paste) is also used as the filling. 

There are 10 different flavors, including Kochi’s famous yuzu.

One Key way to build a brand is by highlighting the product’s history and development story to differentiate it from similar products.

Hishida Bakery not only has a long history, but the story of how youkan bread was developed is incredibly unique.
It all started when they accidentally burned the surface of the bread!  To cover up the burns, they spread youkan over it.
For those with a sweet tooth, this mistake led to a doubly delicious product.

It’s a reminder that “failure” doesn’t exist.
Sometimes, a small mistake can lead to the creation of a beloved product that lasts for decades.

This distinctive product caught the attention of nationwide company that sells wheat-based products.
With the help of their marketing power, this locally loved youkan bread from Sukumo became known across Japan.
You can read more about it here: PR Times Article.

At Allied Verse, we support companies in expanding into overseas markets with the goal of increasing product awareness through “reimportation” into Japan, ultimately boosting overall sales.
We are excited to see Hishida Bakery’s youkan bread gain nationwide popularity even before its reimportation phase.

Many of the products I’ve encountered through Kochi Prefecture’s oversea business ventures are relatively unknown even within the prefecture itself.
Through projects like these, I hope these products will be recognized not only throughout Kochi and Japan but also internationally.