Supporting Pet Inbound Tourism through Food: 'CoCo Gourmet' Adopted as '5-Star In-Flight Meal for Dogs' on Private Jet Tours from Hong Kong to Japan

Biophilia Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kota Iwahashi), the company behind handmade pet food brands 'CoCo Gourmet' and 'Miao Gourmet', will begin providing 'CoCo Gourmet' as an in-flight meal for dogs on a private jet tour to Japan operated by 'Pet Holidays', a Hong Kong-based travel agency specializing in pet-friendly overseas travel.

Amidst the growing demand for inbound tourism to Japan, 'CoCo Gourmet' was selected to meet the high standards expected by dog-owning tourists from Hong Kong, valued for combining Japanese safety with exceptional taste. The company aims to offer high-quality, uniquely Japanese experiences to dog lovers visiting Japan, creating new value in pet tourism even in the skies, while continuing to focus further on global expansion.

Biophilia's manufacturing philosophy is built on the belief that bringing 'the joy of eating and healthy days' to all pets leads to the happiness of the entire family. They aim to deliver this 'cycle of joy' to every household worldwide. To this end, they strive to remain a 'food partner for you and your family', expanding daily food choices and growing together with beloved pets.

Solving the Challenges of Pet-Friendly Inbound Tourism and 'Air Travel'

In recent years, the lifestyle of treating dogs as family members and enjoying overseas travel together has spread globally. Among Asian dog owners who seek high quality in their travels, the demand for trips to Japan is rapidly increasing due to its safety and high level of hospitality.

The private jet tour from Hong Kong to Japan provided by Pet Holidays is a luxury journey costing about 3 million yen per round-trip flight. The owners boarding the flight spend roughly a year preparing for their trip to Japan with their dogs, holding extremely high awareness and standards regarding their pets' health and diet.

On the other hand, the aircraft cabin, with its pressure changes and unfamiliar environment, can easily induce stress in dogs, often leading to changes in food preferences or decreased appetite. Therefore, the fresh food 'CoCo Gourmet', which uses fresh domestic ingredients and achieves both outstanding palatability and hydration, was deemed capable of relieving the dogs' stress in-flight and contributing to a healthy flight, leading to its adoption as an in-flight meal. The company is proud that the quality CoCo Gourmet has pursued is highly evaluated even on a global standard by authentic owners who are particular about their dogs' diets.

'Japanese Food Quality' that Accompanies Luxury Travel

CoCo Gourmet began sales in Hong Kong and Taiwan in 2024. Based on Japan's high food safety standards and cooking methods rooted in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage 'Washoku' (Japanese cuisine), their domestic handmade meals focus on drawing out the natural flavors of the ingredients, and are highly praised by overseas dog owners for 'Japan's high quality and sense of security'.

On this tour, while owners enjoy carefully selected meals in-flight, their dogs will be served CoCo Gourmet as 'a five-star Japanese meal for dogs'. Going beyond simply providing pet food, the company aims to support dogs and their families visiting Japan through food, so they can feel the heart of Japanese hospitality right from the cabin where the journey begins.

Biophilia believes that delivering 'the joy of eating and healthy days' to all pets leads to the happiness of the entire family, and aims to deliver this 'cycle of joy'. Through such initiatives, they will meet new inbound demands as a 'food partner for you and your family' that expands daily food choices and grows together, while continuing to focus even more on global expansion.

Comment from Pet Holidays Representative

[Regan Wan, Project Manager]

For dog lovers in Hong Kong, traveling to Japan is as popular as 'going back home'. Customers have extremely high standards, seeking special experiences they cannot taste in Hong Kong, such as pet-friendly hotels with unique SNS-worthy features and OMAKASE cuisine, while enjoying smooth quarantine processes without the worry of rabies. Since we charge a high fee, we want to provide a '5-star experience' to both customers and dogs from start to finish, and in-flight meals are no exception.

When putting dogs on airplanes, the biggest concern for owners is their dog's stress. To keep dogs in a state without anxiety during the flight, 'safe and delicious food' is an essential condition. We have tried fresh foods from various countries in the past, but there were many times they wouldn't eat much. Among them, the biggest reason we introduced 'CoCo Gourmet' is our strong trust in 'Made in Japan'.