[Goal Achieved in 90 Mins] Ripe Black Cherries Not Found in Department Stores. 'Ripe Black Ponchitchi' Limited to 20 Jars Daily Launches Successfully on Makuake
Fruttier, based in Tendo, Yamagata, launched 'Ripe Black Ponchitchi' made from fully ripened 'Beni Sayaka' cherries. The project reached its crowdfunding goal on Makuake within just 90 minutes, highlighting a new value for agricultural resources.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 19:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 11:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 14:04 (3h 2m after Collected)
A fruit that once played a supporting role, ending its life unnoticed. A new challenge has begun to find hidden value in its secret deliciousness and deliver it nationwide.
Introducing the 'Ripe Beni Sayaka,' which had never been in the spotlight until now. Ripe cherries are extremely delicate and easily damaged by the slightest impact. Floating in Ponchitchi syrup gently protects them, making nationwide delivery possible for the first time.
Development Background: The Jet-Black 'Fully Ripe' Beni Sayaka Known Only to Farmers
'Beni Sayaka' is typically a sour cherry. Its true deliciousness emerges only when it ripens to a jet-black color on the tree, increasing its sweetness and turning into a rich flavor. This is a sight known only to farmers.
However, when Beni Sayaka reaches its peak ripeness, it coincides with the peak harvest of 'Sato Nishiki' cherries. Thus, the sweet, ripe Beni Sayaka often ends its life unnoticed.
Masayuki, the husband, is a fruit expert. Hiroko, the wife, is a professional pastry chef. For years, Masayuki wanted to bring the intense flavor of the cross-pollinator Beni Sayaka, which usually disappears in the shadow of Sato Nishiki, to the world. Now, 20 years after their daughter named the brand 'Ponchitchi,' their desires have aligned to deliver this 'Ripe Black' cherry, which is difficult to process but possesses the most vivid flavor.
Harvest Operation with Bonds!
To deliver this taste, Masayuki's rugby club juniors joined the project, along with their second son who is training in agriculture. They pack the pride of the production area into jars after a 30-minute early morning harvest.
Preserving the 'Phantom Ripeness' Too Delicate to Transport in a Jar
1. A Moment Only Possible with Ponchitchi
'Ripe Beni Sayaka' is very delicate. By floating in Ponchitchi syrup, it is protected and can be delivered nationwide.
2. Encounter with Syrup
Cherries harvested in the early morning are processed into Ponchitchi on the same day. The sweetness of the fully ripe cherries stands out with a 'rich sweet-and-sourness' when combined with the syrup.
As a 'raw dessert' Ponchitchi that is not heat-treated, you can enjoy the change in the fruit's flavor as it quietly matures in the syrup while maintaining its fresh texture. This is a 'once-in-a-lifetime Fruit Ponchitchi' made during a concentrated 10-day period because they are fully ripe.
Thoughts on this Project
For the past two years, Yamagata's cherries have suffered from unprecedented poor harvests due to environmental changes. We heard that even in the midst of last year's poor harvest, fields with a high ratio of cross-pollinator trees had higher yields. By conveying the deliciousness of fully ripe Beni Sayaka, which has not been in the spotlight, we hope to lead to stable cherry harvests. It's a small step, but we want to grow it into a strong one.
About Fruttier: 'Fruit Expert (Connoisseur) x Pastry Chef (Technique)'
Brand Concept: 'Papa, Ponchitchi is better!' This brand was born 20 years ago from a comment by their then 4-year-old daughter. What we wanted to put in the jar was not just fruit, but the 'happy atmosphere surrounding the family' like her smile at that time. The core of the product is the fusion of two professional experiences: the husband, a connoisseur from a long-standing greengrocer, and the wife, a pastry chef who knows how to handle ingredients. We poured all our experience into closing the 'moment when the fruit is most alive' without using preservatives or heat.
Introducing the 'Ripe Beni Sayaka,' which had never been in the spotlight until now. Ripe cherries are extremely delicate and easily damaged by the slightest impact. Floating in Ponchitchi syrup gently protects them, making nationwide delivery possible for the first time.
Development Background: The Jet-Black 'Fully Ripe' Beni Sayaka Known Only to Farmers
'Beni Sayaka' is typically a sour cherry. Its true deliciousness emerges only when it ripens to a jet-black color on the tree, increasing its sweetness and turning into a rich flavor. This is a sight known only to farmers.
However, when Beni Sayaka reaches its peak ripeness, it coincides with the peak harvest of 'Sato Nishiki' cherries. Thus, the sweet, ripe Beni Sayaka often ends its life unnoticed.
Masayuki, the husband, is a fruit expert. Hiroko, the wife, is a professional pastry chef. For years, Masayuki wanted to bring the intense flavor of the cross-pollinator Beni Sayaka, which usually disappears in the shadow of Sato Nishiki, to the world. Now, 20 years after their daughter named the brand 'Ponchitchi,' their desires have aligned to deliver this 'Ripe Black' cherry, which is difficult to process but possesses the most vivid flavor.
Harvest Operation with Bonds!
To deliver this taste, Masayuki's rugby club juniors joined the project, along with their second son who is training in agriculture. They pack the pride of the production area into jars after a 30-minute early morning harvest.
Preserving the 'Phantom Ripeness' Too Delicate to Transport in a Jar
1. A Moment Only Possible with Ponchitchi
'Ripe Beni Sayaka' is very delicate. By floating in Ponchitchi syrup, it is protected and can be delivered nationwide.
2. Encounter with Syrup
Cherries harvested in the early morning are processed into Ponchitchi on the same day. The sweetness of the fully ripe cherries stands out with a 'rich sweet-and-sourness' when combined with the syrup.
As a 'raw dessert' Ponchitchi that is not heat-treated, you can enjoy the change in the fruit's flavor as it quietly matures in the syrup while maintaining its fresh texture. This is a 'once-in-a-lifetime Fruit Ponchitchi' made during a concentrated 10-day period because they are fully ripe.
Thoughts on this Project
For the past two years, Yamagata's cherries have suffered from unprecedented poor harvests due to environmental changes. We heard that even in the midst of last year's poor harvest, fields with a high ratio of cross-pollinator trees had higher yields. By conveying the deliciousness of fully ripe Beni Sayaka, which has not been in the spotlight, we hope to lead to stable cherry harvests. It's a small step, but we want to grow it into a strong one.
About Fruttier: 'Fruit Expert (Connoisseur) x Pastry Chef (Technique)'
Brand Concept: 'Papa, Ponchitchi is better!' This brand was born 20 years ago from a comment by their then 4-year-old daughter. What we wanted to put in the jar was not just fruit, but the 'happy atmosphere surrounding the family' like her smile at that time. The core of the product is the fusion of two professional experiences: the husband, a connoisseur from a long-standing greengrocer, and the wife, a pastry chef who knows how to handle ingredients. We poured all our experience into closing the 'moment when the fruit is most alive' without using preservatives or heat.