General Sales Begin on Rakuten for Additive-Free Retort Curry Previously Exclusive to Subscription Members

AIVICK Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture; CEO: Tomoko Yazuda; hereinafter "the Company"), operator of the additive-free refrigerated side dish delivery subscription service "Chef's Additive-Free Meal Prep", launched general sales of its additive-free retort pouch curry for children, "Chef's Additive-Free Meal Prep Original Curry: Sea Otters Hold Hands When They Sleep", on its Rakuten Ichiba store on Monday, April 27, 2026. This product was born from the voices of the Company's subscription members.

For the dining table after Golden Week and ahead of the May 25 "Housewives' Holiday"

This product was originally launched exclusively for the Company's subscription members. In response to a high rating of 93.0% of members stating they "want to eat it again" in a member survey, the Company started general sales on the Rakuten Ichiba store with the desire to "deliver it not only to members but to more families seeking additive-free foods."

[Why it's needed now] Post-Golden Week fatigue and May 25 Housewives' (Househusbands') Holiday

The period right after Golden Week is a season when physical and mental fatigue, commonly known as "May sickness," becomes a topic of conversation as people experience fatigue from consecutive holidays or adjust to a new lifestyle. The Company has received many voices saying, "Preparing dinner is the most exhausting," as household chores, work, and handling children's new school terms overlap.

Furthermore, May 25 is recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association as "Housewives' (Househusbands') Holiday."

It is an anniversary established at the end of months with many consecutive holidays, aimed at giving those in charge of household chores a day to rest and relax.

The Company hopes to deliver this to as many households as possible as a dish that can be served to children without guilt on days when they decide, "I will not stand in the kitchen today."

[Background of Development] Product development born from subscription member insights

"I was always worried about the dining table on days when the side dishes didn't arrive."

"Chef's Additive-Free Meal Prep" is a subscription service that delivers handmade, additive-free side dishes weekly under refrigeration. However, even when using the subscription, there are nights during the week when users have to prepare dinner themselves, as well as days when they urgently need to prepare a meal due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Company realized that the dining table on these "days the service doesn't reach" is precisely when families raising children struggle the most, and began developing a product that can be stored at room temperature to fill the "gap" in the subscription service.

While commercially available retort curries require no cooking effort and are a popular menu item for children, they pose a challenge in being hard to choose as a "first curry" because they are high in salt and fat, and some contain spiciness or specific allergenic ingredients.

"We wanted to overturn the image that retort curry is 'something you eat on days when you have no other choice'" (Development Staff).

Without using preservatives, artificial colors, flavorings, thickeners, or MSG, it uses 6 types of domestic vegetables and considers 8 specified allergenic ingredients. Even so, it was developed over about a year under the supervision of a Doctor of Nutrition and a gluten-free expert to create a dish that children find "delicious."

It can be stored at room temperature. The packaging was also carefully designed so as not to disrupt interior aesthetics. It uses domestic vegetables, making it safe for children.

[Members' Evaluation] "We want to deliver to households other than subscription members" Heading to Rakuten sales

Survey results of "Chef's Additive-Free Meal Prep" service members:

Taste evaluation (Very delicious + Delicious): 86.9%

Child's reaction (Ate happily + Ate normally): 85.9%

Want to eat again (Definitely + If there is an opportunity): 93.0%

Purchase intention (Definitely want to purchase + Want to purchase): 52.7%

(n=114 / Conducted in April 2026)

Real feedback unique to subscription members was received, such as: "My daughter, who always leaves her white rice, ate it all up!" (Family with children aged 2 and under), and "It said 'a sense of security that you fed them something good for their body, not cutting corners,' so I was able to give it without guilt" (Family with children aged 3 to 5).

Features that were particularly highly evaluated included:

"Additive-free (no preservatives, artificial colors, etc.)" (88.6%)

"Reduced salt" (63.2%)

"Uses 6 types of domestic vegetables" (57.9%)

This revealed that parents' interest lies in the transparency of ingredients and seasoning.

In response to these members' voices, general sales on the Rakuten store began with the desire to "deliver to households other than subscription members." This has become a product that allows the Company to deliver its commitment to being additive-free for the first time to those who have never tried "Chef's Additive-Free Meal Prep."

[Product Features]

(1) "Zero Spiciness" but "Rich Umami" — "Taste Education" Design

Without using any stimulants like chili peppers, it achieves a taste that is lightly seasoned yet deeply satisfying by layering natural umami ingredients from miso, tomato, and fish powder. Utilizing the original flavors of the ingredients, it supports "taste education" to nurture the palates of modern children.

(2) 7 "Free-from" aspects and free from 8 specified allergenic ingredients

Free of preservatives, artificial colors, flavorings, thickeners, and MSG.