New employees challenge opening a sweets shop: 'HALF TREND SWEETs'
Yamata Group has opened 'HALF TREND SWEETs' in Tottori City, launched by its new employees as part of their training program. The shop utilizes a vacant building and will change its main products every six months, starting with Korean-style scones.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 10:31
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Yamata Group opened a sweets shop named 'HALF TREND SWEETs' at 1-106 Katahara, Tottori City on March 21, 2026. The operation is managed by More Comfort Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: 2-130 Chiyomi, Tottori City, Representative Director: Yusaku Yamada). This initiative was carried out as part of the young employee training 'Yamata Grow Camp (YGC)', where new employees were responsible for everything from planning and product development to store preparation. As about one month has passed since the opening, we are announcing the store overview and the results of the training.
From left: Yusaku Yamada (Representative of Yamata Group), new employees of fiscal year 2025: Hyoga Hiraki, Yuya Kimura, Mao Sugimoto, Kaito Murata, Yuka Matsuda, Hayato Takenaka, and Takuto Yamada (YGC training manager for FY2025).
Store Overview
Store Name: HALF TREND SWEETs
Location: 1-106 Katahara, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture
Opening Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Business Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (Closed on Wednesdays)
Key Points of the Initiative
1. Selling new sweets every six months
We will change and sell our main products on a six-month basis. We are rolling out scones for the first six months after opening.
2. Store launched by new employees
New employees took the lead in the processes up to the opening, including planning, product development, administrative procedures, and store creation.
3. Utilizing vacant buildings to challenge regional revitalization
In the Wakasa Kaido shopping street near the store, the number of vacant stores has increased from 16 in 2015 to 22 in 2025, an increase of about 1.4 times over the past 10 years (Source: Tottori City Central Urban Area Revitalization Council). Utilizing a vacant building, we challenged not only training but also solving regional issues.
About the Menu
For the first six months after opening, we are selling scones as our main product. We plan to switch to a new main sweet in six months. Cookies sold by weight and drinks will continue to be sold as regular menu items.
The scones are 'Korean-style scones' with particular attention to appearance through toppings. By using butter luxuriously and being particular about the ingredients kneaded into the dough, we finished them with a crunchy outside and a moist inside. For the matcha latte and hojicha latte, we use matcha and hojicha powder from 'Inoue Seikien' in Daisen-cho, Tottori Prefecture. It features a rich aroma, strong umami, and soft bitterness.
All products use 'Shirobara Milk', an unadjusted milk using 100% raw milk produced in Tottori Prefecture.
Cookies sold by weight (left) and scones lined up in the store (right)
SCONE
- Seasonal strawberry scone with spreading sweet and sour taste ... ¥370
- Earl Grey scone with bergamot scent ... ¥410
- Melting burnt caramel scone ... ¥430
- Plenty of chocolate scone for chocolate lovers ... ¥470
- Reward scone to taste rich matcha ... ¥470
COOKIE (Sold by weight) ... ¥8 (per gram)
- Plain
- Chocolate chip
- Boule de neige
- Black tea piped cookie
- Matcha and hojicha cookie
DRINK
- Matcha Latte ... ¥600
- Hojicha Latte ... ¥600
- 100% Apple Juice ... ¥400
Store Launch as New Employee Training
At Yamata Group, we implement the training program 'Yamata Grow Camp (YGC)' every year with the aim of developing young employees. The content differs each year, and so far we have done things like planning and operating ceremonies and business experiences. In FY2025, we tackled the launch of a store utilizing a vacant building in central Tottori City, leading to the opening of this store. New employees were involved in planning, product development, administrative procedures, store creation, etc., gaining practical experience through the actual store opening process.
New employees of FY2025 and training managers discussing in the store before renovation.
Review of the Training
After the store opened, Group Representative Yusaku Yamada and Training Manager Takuto Yamada sat together to conduct a review.
Challenges raised included a lack of prioritization and progress sharing. On the other hand, achievements such as the experience of realizing a store opening while cooperating as a team, and the improvement of the ability to act proactively were also seen. By facing delays in planning and difficulties in coordination through practical work, it became an opportunity to realize the necessity of 'the importance of acting first and making corrections' and 'the attitude of not postponing decisions'.
Future Store Operation
Currently, the operation has transitioned to store staff belonging to More Comfort Co., Ltd.
From left: Yusaku Yamada (Representative of Yamata Group), new employees of fiscal year 2025: Hyoga Hiraki, Yuya Kimura, Mao Sugimoto, Kaito Murata, Yuka Matsuda, Hayato Takenaka, and Takuto Yamada (YGC training manager for FY2025).
Store Overview
Store Name: HALF TREND SWEETs
Location: 1-106 Katahara, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture
Opening Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Business Hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (Closed on Wednesdays)
Key Points of the Initiative
1. Selling new sweets every six months
We will change and sell our main products on a six-month basis. We are rolling out scones for the first six months after opening.
2. Store launched by new employees
New employees took the lead in the processes up to the opening, including planning, product development, administrative procedures, and store creation.
3. Utilizing vacant buildings to challenge regional revitalization
In the Wakasa Kaido shopping street near the store, the number of vacant stores has increased from 16 in 2015 to 22 in 2025, an increase of about 1.4 times over the past 10 years (Source: Tottori City Central Urban Area Revitalization Council). Utilizing a vacant building, we challenged not only training but also solving regional issues.
About the Menu
For the first six months after opening, we are selling scones as our main product. We plan to switch to a new main sweet in six months. Cookies sold by weight and drinks will continue to be sold as regular menu items.
The scones are 'Korean-style scones' with particular attention to appearance through toppings. By using butter luxuriously and being particular about the ingredients kneaded into the dough, we finished them with a crunchy outside and a moist inside. For the matcha latte and hojicha latte, we use matcha and hojicha powder from 'Inoue Seikien' in Daisen-cho, Tottori Prefecture. It features a rich aroma, strong umami, and soft bitterness.
All products use 'Shirobara Milk', an unadjusted milk using 100% raw milk produced in Tottori Prefecture.
Cookies sold by weight (left) and scones lined up in the store (right)
SCONE
- Seasonal strawberry scone with spreading sweet and sour taste ... ¥370
- Earl Grey scone with bergamot scent ... ¥410
- Melting burnt caramel scone ... ¥430
- Plenty of chocolate scone for chocolate lovers ... ¥470
- Reward scone to taste rich matcha ... ¥470
COOKIE (Sold by weight) ... ¥8 (per gram)
- Plain
- Chocolate chip
- Boule de neige
- Black tea piped cookie
- Matcha and hojicha cookie
DRINK
- Matcha Latte ... ¥600
- Hojicha Latte ... ¥600
- 100% Apple Juice ... ¥400
Store Launch as New Employee Training
At Yamata Group, we implement the training program 'Yamata Grow Camp (YGC)' every year with the aim of developing young employees. The content differs each year, and so far we have done things like planning and operating ceremonies and business experiences. In FY2025, we tackled the launch of a store utilizing a vacant building in central Tottori City, leading to the opening of this store. New employees were involved in planning, product development, administrative procedures, store creation, etc., gaining practical experience through the actual store opening process.
New employees of FY2025 and training managers discussing in the store before renovation.
Review of the Training
After the store opened, Group Representative Yusaku Yamada and Training Manager Takuto Yamada sat together to conduct a review.
Challenges raised included a lack of prioritization and progress sharing. On the other hand, achievements such as the experience of realizing a store opening while cooperating as a team, and the improvement of the ability to act proactively were also seen. By facing delays in planning and difficulties in coordination through practical work, it became an opportunity to realize the necessity of 'the importance of acting first and making corrections' and 'the attitude of not postponing decisions'.
Future Store Operation
Currently, the operation has transitioned to store staff belonging to More Comfort Co., Ltd.