On Feb. 29, Fukuoka-based Fukuya announced sales of canned mentaiko from Mar. 2. The mentaiko is combined with cottonseed oil and then heated, and it has a shelf life of two years at room temperature. This canned mentaiko has been in development for around 30 years, due to difficulties in keeping the characteristic “chewy feel” of mentaiko when stored over long periods of time. The problem was only solved by the use of high-quality mentaiko and careful experimentation with oil ratios. The company aims to sell 150,000 cans (approximately ¥100 million sales) in their first year, at ¥756 per can (85g) (incl. tax). At a presentation in Fukuoka City, president of Fukuya Mastaka Kawahara confidently proclaimed, “This can now be considered a substitute for real mentaiko.”
