Trident Design School × Matsukazeya Co., Ltd. Industry-Academia Collaboration Project: Valentine's Product Packaging Design Presentation on June 25

Trident Design School (Nakamura-ku, Nagoya), operated by Kawaijuku Gakuen Educational Corporation, is collaborating with Matsukazeya Co., Ltd. (Naka-ku, Nagoya, hereinafter 'Matsukazeya') on an industry-academia project. Students will design the packaging for 'FOUCHER OLYMPUS,' a Valentine's Day chocolate under Matsukazeya's premium confectionery brand 'FOUCHER,' scheduled for release in January 2027. On June 25, 2026, students will present their packaging designs at the school, with outstanding works to be commercialized.

Students have previously designed and successfully launched packaging themed around the 'Universe of Olympus.'

Experiencing the Business World Through Practical Education

Design education requires not only enhanced expression and production skills but also business acumen to understand and solve challenges such as customer outreach and cost optimization. Opportunities for students to engage in actual product development are limited, and companies face challenges in incorporating the values and sensibilities of younger generations that may be overlooked by internal developers.

To address this, the Visual Design Course at Trident Design School has partnered with Matsukazeya since 2015, providing students with a practical learning environment where they engage in market analysis, concept development, and design proposals. The project focuses on designing packaging for the 'FOUCHER' brand's Valentine's chocolates.

As part of their third-year curriculum, 21 students will apply their accumulated knowledge, skills, and designer mindset to present individually to Matsukazeya's team, including the Product Development Director and Planning & Marketing Directors. Winning designs will be sold nationwide in January 2027 as 'FOUCHER' Valentine's chocolates. Notably, a design selected in the 2019 project was commercially sold during nationwide Valentine's events in 2020. However, in some years, no designs meet the commercialization standard, making the presentation a serious, real-world business evaluation.

The presentation will be open to members of the press. We welcome media coverage of this exciting opportunity for aspiring designers and creators to turn their academic projects into real market products.

Presentation Event Overview (Media Invitation)

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026, 13:45–16:55

Venue: Trident Design School

Location: 4-1-11 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture

Program: Project Overview / Student Presentations / Company Feedback / Q&A

Media Registration: Those wishing to cover the June 25 presentation should contact us by email or phone by the day before.

Contact: Kimura, Sasaki

[TEL] 052-582-1770 [E-mail] [email protected]

[Office Hours] 9:00–18:00 (excluding weekends, holidays, and closure days)

※ Please refrain from publishing designs presented at the event until the product launch.

Trident Design School, Kawaijuku Gakuen Educational Corporation

https://design.trident.ac.jp/

Based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, the school aims to cultivate future managers and leaders who can drive industries forward throughout their careers. Students can choose their preferred course after enrollment from 'Visual Design,' 'CG Design,' 'Architecture & Interior Design,' and 'Manga & Illustration,' acquiring the 'sensitivity,' 'technical skills,' and 'business acumen' essential for the design industry over three years of study.