Kirin Beverage Company, Limited, released its first children’s product, Tsuyoizo! MUTEKIDS, in June. (It is currently available at select Aeon stores.) Kirin Beverage’s Marketing Department collaborated with Kirin Holdings’ Brand Strategy Department and Health Science Business Division in a co-creative, cross-departmental effort, founded on a commitment to creating a healthier future for children. We spoke with Makoto Kishikawa of Kirin Holdings’ Brand Strategy Department and Natsumi Nakamura of Kirin Beverage’s Marketing Department about the product’s development process and underlying vision.

The corporate slogan of Kirin Holdings is “Joy brings us together.” The company has mobilized its scientific research on lifeforms associated with beer brewing—such as fermentation technology and microorganisms—to market its iMUSE brand products which utilize Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma. It is also engaging in nationwide activities to raise awareness of the importance of proper immune system care for a healthy life. The activities are targeted at both adults and children. Mr. Kishikawa, who leads the team promoting awareness of immune care, shares his thoughts:

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s screen time has skyrocketed. Many doctors have pointed out the prevalence of poor lifestyle habits such as staying up late, lack of exercise, and skipping breakfast. In response, we launched the Kindergarten and Nursery School Immune System Care Support Action in 2024. It targets children, kindergarten and nursery school teachers, and parents who wish to protect the kids’ well-being. To help children develop the habit of proper care for their immune system, we created original picture card shows that tell stories about immunity. We distributed them to over 1,000 kindergartens and childcare centers nationwide, so that caretakers can read them to the children. Likewise, we supplied families with habit-forming sticker charts to help them engage in immune system care (such as learning basic lifestyle habits) at home. Furthermore, we provided immune care products free of charge to teachers and parents to support them in working together to increase awareness of healthy living.”

Even before starting these activities aimed at small children, the Health Science Business Division has been organizing classes on immune system care for more than 35,000 older elementary school students since 2022. Kirin Holdings has used this experience to expand the scope of its activities. Its steady efforts have eventually inspired the children’s product Tsuyoizo! MUTEKIDS.

Ms. Nakamura, who led the launch of Tsuyoizo! MUTEKIDS, looks back on the development process: “Kirin Beverage aims to create delicious beverages that enhance people’s health. So, we decided to launch a full-scale operation that delivers health benefits to children who had not been the target of functional foods for adults with descriptions such as ‘Kirin Oishii Immune Care.’ However, it was challenging to determine which products to propose and how to craft a message that would promote a happy family life. Then, we heard about Mr. Kishikawa’s character-based storytelling. We met for the first time in the fall of 2024.”

Although Ms. Nakamura and Mr. Kishikawa usually work on different floors, the open corporate culture allowed them to hear about each other’s work, and ensured a seamless start to their collaboration.

“The first meeting lasted about an hour, but I clearly remember that we had so much energy and so much to talk about, we didn’t have enough time. We quickly bonded,” says Ms. Nakamura. “We shared a strong sense of purpose. Rather than feeling like we had a duty to accomplish this task, we both felt a strong passion for protecting children’s health. It was the moment we became true allies in this creative project.” Mr. Kishikawa chimed in to express the joy of co-creation. “Because we share the same goal, ideas just came naturally.”

Their goals were perfectly aligned. Nevertheless, every process, from product development to sales, presented a new challenge. And a series of high hurdles stood before them. Tsuyoizo! MUTEKIDS is a set of three 125 ml small paper packs designed for chilled sales. The company established its first production line for paper packs and established a new distribution channel to cater to children’s products. In manufacturing, children’s products require a more rigorous safety management system, including more scrupulous attention to nutrient target ranges. They visited the factory and worked closely with the Manufacturing Section, Quality Assurance Division, as well as beverage development departments to resolve issues.

“In typical product development, each department is assigned specific tasks,” Ms. Nakamura explains. “With this project, we worked as a large, cross-departmental team from the start that included manufacturing, development, quality assurance, and customer service, as well as the Health Science Business Division and Institute of Health Sciences. This collaboration provided momentum and accelerated the project by enabling us to overcome new challenges and carefully address issues one by one that our existing rules couldn’t resolve. After our meeting, many colleagues were inspired by Mr. Kishikawa’s passion for children’s well-being and joined the project with great enthusiasm.”

The Tsuyoizo! MUTEKIDS product was developed with great care and attention to detail through collaboration among experts from each department. As a product for children, it is marketed as a general food product rather than a functional food product. This means that it cannot make a functional claim. Ms. Nakamura, however, is assured of the product’s benefit. “We offer it with confidence that it helps enhance children’s health.” Tsuyoizo! MUTEKIDS represents the passion of all Kirin employees who care deeply about the well-being of the future generation.

“Health is not an end in itself, but rather a foundation for achieving dreams, hopes, and life goals,” Ms. Nakamura continues. “We want to continue developing delicious products that help children acquire good, healthy habits and build the foundation for their future. We hope to grow the brand bigger to support their dreams to love, take on challenges, and express their true selves.”

Mr. Kishikawa agrees. “We will continue promoting both awareness and product development for adults as well as children to help create a better society where more people enjoy a healthy future.”

Ms. Nakamura and Mr. Kishikawa provided a message for their colleagues at Mitsubishi Group:

“We would be delighted if our story has drawn your attention to the new product and our activities. We are confident that your interest in immune system care will lead you to a healthier, happier life. We look forward to your continued support for our activities!”