<Event Report> "2025 Fiscal Year Milk for Smiles Project Excellent Case Report Meeting" Held - 26 Excellent Cases Selected from 1,121 Members Nationwide, 7 Cases Awarded

On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, J-Milk Corporation held the "2025 Fiscal Year Milk for Smiles Project Excellent Case Report Meeting." This event selected 26 excellent cases from the initiatives of the "Milk for Smiles Project" registered members, which has expanded to 1,121 nationwide, and awarded 7 particularly outstanding cases among them. Diverse stakeholders, including dairy farmers, dairy manufacturers, dairy industry organizations, educational institutions, NPOs, and students, participated on the day, sharing practical examples and aspirations for spreading the appeal of milk.

■ From Points to Lines, Then to a Surface: The Expanding "Milk for Smiles Project"

In his opening remarks, Yoichi Onuki, Chairman of J-Milk, stated, "The supply-demand challenges for milk remain severe, but the individual initiatives born across the country are expanding from points to lines, and then to a surface," emphasizing that the accumulation of activities is becoming a crucial force supporting the dairy industry.

■ Achievements and Trends Seen from the Activities of 1,121 Members: Sharing the Progress of the "Milk for Smiles Project"

Following this, the J-Milk Secretariat reported on the progress of this fiscal year's activities. The "Milk for Smiles Project" reached 1,121 registered members, with approximately 230 event announcements posted on the project's portal site. PR videos recorded over 1 million cumulative views. Furthermore, in addition to strengthening SNS outreach, the information platform has been enhanced with the expansion of AI chat and matching functions. It was announced that the foundation for visualizing initiatives across the country has been further strengthened.

Click here for the "Milk for Smiles Project" portal site.

■ Diverse Initiatives Converge: Introducing 26 Excellent Cases Nationwide

This fiscal year's excellent cases were selected and divided into the following seven categories:

① Timely demand stimulation according to supply-demand situations (Responding to supply-demand challenges)
② Providing experiential value utilizing regional characteristics (Real events and exchange activities)
③ Approaching the next generation (younger demographic) using digital content
④ Creating new touchpoints and value through "cross-industry collaboration"
⑤ Expanding consumption scenes by promoting the appeal of milk-based dishes
⑥ Promoting health value and understanding of dairy farming through Milk x Sports
⑦ Co-creation-based consumption expansion and promotion activities involving consumers and stakeholders

In the excellent case introduction segment, J-Milk explained 26 cases selected from the "Milk for Smiles Project" portal site across the seven categories. Diverse initiatives spanning regions, lifestyles, cultures, and entertainment were presented as being developed nationwide, including a tasting event at public baths, a winter demand stimulation campaign, milk recipes devised by university students, PR combined with sports viewing, utilization of digital and web media for the digital age, SNS campaigns, and a trading card project using milk cartons. It was also conveyed that all cases were evaluated from the perspectives of novelty, dissemination, originality, continuity, versatility, and scalability.

■ Announcement of 7 Award Recipients and Commentary on Judging Criteria

Following this, the 7 award-winning projects for this fiscal year were announced. This year, from the 26 excellent cases nationwide, initiatives that were highly evaluated for their contribution to novelty, dissemination, originality, continuity, versatility, and scalability were selected. After the announcement, Senior Managing Director Watanabe of J-Milk took the stage to provide commentary on the judging.

Below are the 7 award-winning cases and the key points of the commentary.

Calls for Consumption by Ministers and the Government (To Everyone Involved in Consumption Expansion)

Highly praised for avoiding a supply-demand slump at year-end and New Year through public-private collaboration, achieving consumption expansion nationwide.

"Yugami Milk Future Conference" Talk Event + Milk Tasting (Kosugiyu Tonari)

A highly reproducible initiative that modernly reconstructs public bath culture and promotes milk understanding through tasting experiences.

Web Media "milushi" (Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.)

Praised for novelty and scalability in clearly communicating dairy farming through diverse writers and participatory measures.

"Gokutto Morning! Milk Project" (Kyushu Raw Milk Sales Agricultural Cooperative Federation)

Appealed the importance of breakfast through station-front distribution. High evaluation for public nature and behavioral change effects in collaboration with JR.

Milk-based Dishes Devised by University Students Featured on Sun TV's Hyogo Prefecture Public Relations Program "Hyogo Hassin!" and in Hyogo Prefecture Public Relations Magazine (Konan Women's University)

Praised for "dissemination" contributing to increased milk utilization through the penetration into households via students' free ideas and multi-platform dissemination.

Milk for Smiles in Mazda Stadium 2025 (Hiroshima Prefectural Dairy Farmers' Cooperative, Hiroshima Milk Promotion Association)

Praised for continuity and scalability in an initiative promoting milk at a professional baseball game event.

"Local Milk Trading Cards" (Local Milk Trading Card Project)

Praised for "novelty" in creating added value of "collecting" and "continuity" in creating purchase motivation for children and collectors.

■ Award Recipients of the Excellent Case Award Share Practical Ingenuity and On-site Feedback

After the awards ceremony, the recipients presented their initiatives.

● "Yugami Milk Future Conference" Talk Event + Milk Tasting (Kosugiyu Tonari)

Kosugiyu Tonari introduced the "Yugami Milk Future Conference," which was realized based on a proposal from university students. Held at "Kosugiyu Tonari," a shared space next to Kosugiyu, a public bath famous for its "milk bath" in Koenji, the event featured a two-part program: a talk show on the theme "Let's Talk About the Future of Milk" and a milk tasting. Through the experience of tasting four types of milk with different fat content, etc., a mechanism was incorporated for participants to discover the taste differences themselves. Feedback from participants included "I discovered my favorite milk for the first time" and "I'll look at the 'type' next time I buy." It was shared that over 90% of participants became interested in the "type" labeling, and the initiative was highly praised for fostering a conscious choice through experience.

Click here for details on the "Yugami Milk Future Conference" initiative.

● Web Media "milushi" (Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.)

Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. presented "milushi," a web media launched with the aim of bridging the gap between dairy farming/industry and consumers. Since its launch in September 2025, it has been operated with an editorial policy that values "small triggers" that make people feel "a little curious" or "somehow interesting," not just "conveying information." The presentation explained the efforts made from the consumer's perspective, such as a structure that combines topics about the milk supply chain with light reading, a design that allows for natural engagement in daily life, and sparking interest through reader participation projects. They expressed that the award was received for the design that allows consumers to engage without difficulty while covering the entire supply chain, and for the spread of interest through participatory projects, emphasizing that it is a media built together with internal and external stakeholders and readers.

Click here for details on the "milushi" initiative.

● "Gokutto Morning! Milk Project" (Kyushu Raw Milk Sales Agricultural Cooperative Federation)

The Kyushu Raw Milk Sales Agricultural Cooperative Federation presented the "Gokutto Morning Milk Project," implemented in consideration of the characteristics of the Kyushu region, which has a high rate of breakfast skipping and low milk consumption. Based on data, the project aimed to convey the importance of breakfast and the benefits of drinking milk in the morning. Sampling was conducted at major JR stations in each prefecture, combining milk with foods that pair well with it. An SNS campaign was also developed. 6,500 sampling sets were distributed, and 656 people responded to the survey. While 60% of respondents in a preliminary survey answered that they "drink milk in the morning," over 90% answered after the event that they "want to drink milk at breakfast," indicating significant behavioral change in a short period. The report also mentioned thorough effect measurement through flyers with QR codes and staff interaction, and that insights were gained that can be utilized in future milk consumption expansion measures.

Click here for details on the "Gokutto Morning! Milk Project."

● Milk-based Dishes Devised by University Students Featured on Sun TV's Hyogo Prefecture Public Relations Program "Hyogo Hassin!" and in Hyogo Prefecture Public Relations Magazine (Konan Women's University)

Konan Women's University presented its initiative of proposing and disseminating milk-based dishes devised by students. This initiative, in collaboration with the Hyogo Prefectural Government's Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Livestock Division in fiscal year 2025, involved broadcasting student-devised milk recipes on Sun TV's Hyogo Prefecture public relations program "Hyogo Hassin!" and featuring them in the Hyogo Prefecture public relations magazine. The presentation highlighted menus centered around milk, such as clam chowder, potato potage, and smoothies, with easy and quick preparation methods, making them accessible even for novice cooks. Feedback from the production staff included "I want to try making it at home" and "It's good that a lot of milk is used." Information was continuously disseminated not only through TV broadcasts but also via public relations magazines, social media, and the university's official Cookpad and Instagram accounts, reporting on efforts to convey new ways of using milk to consumers. It was presented as a case expected to contribute to consumption expansion by encouraging milk use at home.

Click here for details on Konan Women's University's initiative.

● Milk for Smiles in Mazda Stadium 2025 (Hiroshima Prefectural Dairy Farmers' Cooperative, Hiroshima Milk Promotion Association)

The Hiroshima Prefectural Dairy Farmers' Cooperative and the Hiroshima Milk Promotion Association presented their "Milk for Smiles Project in Hiroshima," an awareness-raising activity rooted in the region that has been ongoing for three years. They introduced the history of spreading smiles through milk, emphasizing "what can be done specifically in Hiroshima" in collaboration with dairy farmers in the prefecture. In particular, they reported on initiatives that called for milk consumption in places where many children gather, starting with a stage event at Mazda Stadium held in conjunction with the suspension of school milk during summer vacation. The presentation highlighted how awareness-raising activities utilizing characters, dances, and milk songs have become established year by year, evolving into region-specific activities with the introduction of new characters. They also shared how the stadium initiative has led to activities spreading to schools, community facilities, and elderly care facilities, naturally expanding the circle of support for milk. Furthermore, they introduced Hiroshima-specific efforts such as staff wearing milk T-shirts and information dissemination utilizing milk collection trucks and FM radio. They expressed their intention to continue spreading smiles through "Milk x Region" with future plans for collaboration with women's baseball teams.

Click here for details on the "Milk for Smiles Project in Mazda Stadium" initiative.

● "Local Milk Trading Cards" (Local Milk Trading Card Project)

The Local Milk Trading Card Project presented a new initiative to utilize milk cartons as a "playable medium." Focusing on the fact that milk is consumed daily in many households and is a highly frequently encountered item in refrigerators, they introduced a project that combines the advertising space on milk cartons with the elements of trading cards. This project is designed as an open system that allows dairy manufacturers nationwide to participate, not limited to specific companies, with over 20 companies currently participating. They shared that by incorporating rules for playing like cards, in addition to collecting them, they are creating an experience that can be enjoyed by families and friends. Furthermore, it was reported that posts on social media such as "Found it!" spread naturally, leading to inquiries to retailers and manufacturers, demonstrating effectiveness in creating touchpoints with consumers. The project is also expanding as a co-creation initiative, fostering exchange among participating manufacturers, and was presented as an initiative to increase interest in local milk.

Click here for details on the "Local Milk Trading Cards" initiative.

■ The Milk for Smiles Project Continues to Expand

Finally, the moderator expressed gratitude for the excellent case presentations and concluded the "2025 Fiscal Year Milk for Smiles Project Excellent Case Report Meeting" with expectations for the further development and expansion of the "Milk for Smiles Project."

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■ Reference: 2025 Fiscal Year "Milk for Smiles Project" Excellent Case List