Delicious yet Hard-to-Deliver Value: Kasumi Crab's Challenge to Reach the World as "Kani Shabu"

Introducing "Kasumi Crab" from Kasumi Fishing Port in Mikata District, Kami Town, Hyogo Prefecture. This brand of Red Snow Crab is known for its intense sweetness and succulent flesh.

However, the very "high water content" that contributes to its deliciousness also makes it difficult to manage its freshness.

It's not easy to deliver the taste enjoyed at the source to distant locations while preserving its quality.

Furthermore, crab is not a food whose value is determined solely by its taste.

Crabs with broken legs or blemishes are often judged by their appearance and specifications, making it difficult for crabs with excellent flavor to have their true value recognized.

Wa no Shoku Co., Ltd. (Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture / President and CEO Kazutaka Tanimoto) has embarked on a challenge to deliver the value of such Kasumi Crabs far and wide, utilizing the skills of Japanese chefs and canning technology.

The flagship product symbolizing this endeavor is the premium crab shabu-shabu gift, the "Kani Shabu PREMIUM Three-Can Set," offered in a limited edition of 100 sets.

This set is exclusively available in 100 units: 70 sets for domestic sales and 30 sets for Taiwan. There will be no general sales; domestic distribution is planned through the e-commerce site for exclusive clients of Kintetsu Department Store's private sales division (Kintetsu Premium E-Store).

No Frozen Raw Materials Used

Only crabs boiled at the shore in Kasumi are used

"Kani Shabu PREMIUM" does not use frozen raw materials.

Only Kasumi Crabs boiled at the shore in Kasumi are used, and processing is carried out while preserving their freshness and aroma.

When preserving food in a can, the initial state of the ingredients greatly influences the taste. Wa no Shoku's focus was not on processing efficiency, but on how much of the Kasumi Crab's original sweetness and umami could be retained within the can.

Not Flaked

Leg meat is hand-peeled, piece by piece

"Kani Shabu PREMIUM" does not use finely flaked crab meat.

Each crab leg is hand-peeled, and only the leg meat that retains its shape and texture is selected. This is done to preserve the meat's fibers, its characteristic mouthfeel, and the sweetness that spreads upon the first bite.

Each can contains the meat from one whole crab. The leg meat is carefully arranged to ensure that the "presence of the crab" is clearly conveyed the moment the can is opened.

Cooking Crab with Crab Broth

Broth is the core of the flavor.

Kasumi Crabs, boiled at the shore, are cooked in crab broth. Furthermore, broth is meticulously extracted from roasted crab shells over time, and its umami is sealed within the can.

This process utilizes not only the crab meat but also the roasted aroma, depth, and lingering taste derived from the shells. To achieve this, extensive effort is dedicated to broth preparation.

"Enhancing crab umami with crab itself" is the philosophy behind the flavor creation of "Kani Shabu PREMIUM."

Aged for 3 Months

"Crab Shabu" is complete the moment the can is opened

For "Kani Shabu PREMIUM," canning is not the final step.

By aging the contents in the can for three months, the crab meat and broth meld together, allowing the flavors to mature over time.

The umami of the broth permeates the leg meat, and upon opening the can, it is presented as a complete "crab shabu dish" where the crab meat and crab broth are unified.

The goal was not to create a preserved food, but a special dish to be enjoyed at home.

Delivering Value, Not Just Selling Cheap Crab

Wa no Shoku's aim was not to purchase and sell Kasumi Crabs at a low price.

Instead, they sought to transform crabs whose value is often diminished due to issues with freshness, distribution, or appearance, by preparing them with the skill of a chef and making them deliverable far and wide through canning technology.

Canning is not merely a preservation technique; it is also a technology for sealing in the ingredients' umami, leveraging time, and delivering them to distant locations.

And the chef's skill lies in drawing out the crab's umami and making each can a "dish" in its own right.

"Kani Shabu PREMIUM" is a product that combines these two elements.

First Step Towards Reaching the World

The "Kani Shabu PREMIUM Three-Can Set" is available in a limited quantity of only 100 sets.

70 sets for domestic distribution and 30 sets for Taiwan. This product is not intended for mass sales but is designed to be carefully delivered to those who can appreciate the value of Kasumi Crab.

For the Taiwan market, it will be offered to individuals with a high interest in Japanese food culture. Crab landed in Kasumi will be prepared with the culinary skills of Japanese chefs and delivered across the sea using canning technology.

This represents a small challenge to deliver the value of regional ingredients to the world, and it is the first step for Wa no Shoku.

Product Overview

Product Name: Kani Shabu PREMIUM Three-Can Set

Price: 33,000 yen (tax included)

Contents: 3-can set of Kani Shabu canned product

Ingredients: Kasumi Crab (Red Snow Crab)

Features: No frozen ingredients used / Boiled at the shore / Hand-peeled leg meat used / Contains one whole crab per can / Cooked in crab broth / Aged for 3 months

Sales Quantity: Limited to 100 sets

Breakdown: 70 sets domestic / 30 sets Taiwan

Sales Format: No general sales

Domestic Sales: Planned for handling on Kintetsu Department Store's e-commerce site for private clients (Kintetsu Premium E-Store)

Storage Method: Store at room temperature

Usage: Gifts, New Year's table, special occasion dishes, Japanese food gifts for overseas

*Details on sales period and method will be announced once decided.

Representative's Comment

"Kasumi Crab is truly delicious with its strong sweetness. However, delivering that deliciousness far away faces challenges related to freshness and distribution.

What we wanted to create was not just a simple crab can. By not using frozen ingredients, hand-peeling the shore-boiled Kasumi Crab one by one, cooking it in crab broth, and aging it for three months – only then did we believe it could become a product that stands as 'crab shabu' the moment the can is opened.

Although the quantity is small, we hope this will be the first step in delivering the value of Kasumi Crab not only within Japan but also to people in Taiwan."

Together with the Kasumi Community

This product uses Kasumi Crabs handled at the Kasumi production site.

Furthermore, the crab processing company in Kasumi cooperating with us is also moving towards business succession for the next generation.

Wa no Shoku is committed to creating new value for Kasumi Crab, working alongside the local community that is connecting crab processing to the future.

Simultaneously Offered Products

In addition to "Kani Shabu PREMIUM," Wa no Shoku plans to offer other premium gift products on the Kintetsu Department Store's e-commerce site for private clients (Kintetsu Premium E-Store).

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About Wa no Shoku

Wa no Shoku is a brand that offers Japanese food gifts that can be taken home and gifted at room temperature, leveraging the skills of Japanese chefs.

They combine Japanese ingredients, culinary techniques, and canning technology to create products that deliver Japanese flavors both domestically and internationally.

Company Profile

Company Name: Wa no Shoku Co., Ltd.

Representative: Kazutaka Tanimoto, President and CEO

Location: Osaka Prefecture

Business Description: Planning and sales of premium Japanese canned foods and Japanese food gifts

Affiliated Manufacturing: Naniwa Kousakusho Co., Ltd.