Quality Enhancement from Breeding and Harvest to Production
At Nissui, we are intensifying our research to improve access to high-quality ingredients, focusing specifically on comprehensive research into chicken and vegetables. Leveraging Nissui's expertise in aquaculture feed formulation, we developed innovative feed and optimized breeding environments, resulting in significant improvements in chicken meat quality. In vegetable research, continuous discoveries of proprietary insights reveal how harvest temperature affects frozen broccoli quality, how frozen cabbage quality varies by variety, and how both temperature and water quality impact frozen edamame quality. These research findings serve as crucial elements in maintaining Nissui's competitive advantage in delivering premium products.
Figure 1. Correlation between frozen broccoli firmness and harvest temperature
Research Approach
The foundation of raw material research rests on two key elements: proactive collaboration with external experts and comprehensive field knowledge. Initial research began with extensive visits to universities, livestock research stations, NARO (National Agriculture and Food Research Organization), and other research institutions and farms, as in-house expertise in poultry farming and vegetable cultivation was still developing. Although there was no prior precedent for in-house breeding and cultivation trials, a viable framework was established through strategic partnerships with domestic chicken suppliers and NARO. Given the constraints on trial frequency, innovative approaches to accelerate research outcomes are continuously being developed.
Figure 2. Edamame cultivation site
Quality assessment encompasses comprehensive analysis through sensory evaluation, physical property measurement, structural observation, and component analysis. This systematic approach enables precise understanding of the factors affecting flavor based on varieties, breeding methods, and cultivation techniques.
Figure 3. Chicken thigh meat analysis results
Research Results
This comprehensive research initiative has culminated in the development of GRANDORI, Nissui's premium chicken brand, distinguished by superior elasticity, refined texture, enhanced juiciness, and the profound natural umami characteristic of quality chicken. The inaugural product, "Kyou no Okazu Domestic Chicken Thigh Karaage" in the retail frozen food category, brings out the best qualities of the chicken and has gained significant market acceptance. Similar achievements have been realized in frozen vegetables, where research applications deliver quality comparable to fresh produce. The innovative approach to frozen food raw materials, combined with Nissui's proprietary insights, enables the development of products with distinctive taste and textural qualities that only Nissui can achieve. This commitment drives continued exploration of new possibilities in innovative food solutions.
Figure 4. GRANDORI logo and frozen karaage product example