Umaibō (うまい棒) or "delicious stick" is a small cylindrical puffed corn snack from Japan. It is produced by Riska and sold by Yaokin. There are many flavors of Umaibō available, including savory flavors, such as salad, mentaiko, takoyaki and cheese; and sweet flavors, such as cocoa, caramel, and chocolate. New and unusual flavors are routinely introduced and rotated out as limited time items to keep up interest and create trends. The mascot is a round-headed earless cat, similar to the appearance of Doraemon. This character is considered to be an alien, born on September 13, 1978, on a certain star in a distant universe. With an undecided name, the mascot is sometimes nicknamed Umaemon, a pun to Doraemon, along with other nicknames such as Doyaemon, and Umai BOY.[1][2]
 Umaibō in a variety of flavors | |
| Type | Snack |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Created by | Riska |
Umaibō is known for its extremely cheap suggested retail price of 10 yen (about 9 US cents in 2022), and this is part of the product's appeal. After staying stably at that price point since the product's launch in 1979, it was announced in January 2022 that the price would increase to 12 yen, the first increase in over forty years.[3] In September of 2024 it was announced that prices would be increased further from 12 to 15 yen.[4]
History
editUmaibō is a redesigned version of an earlier corn puff snack "Umaimai Bar". The product launched in July 1979 at its famous 10 yen per piece price point, originally aiming at children and young people on a strict budget, and generally being sold in candy stores. It grew in popularity beyond just candy stores, and was soon sold everywhere, including ubiquitous Japanese convenience stores (konbini) and supermarkets. Bag and bulk versions were soon made for sale as well. The revolving flavors gimmick was an early addition, with over 60 different flavors released over the life of the product. The most popular three flavors have remained corn potage, cheese, and mentai.[5]
In 2007, most umaibō were subtly changed to be smaller and lighter, with 1 gram shaved off the product. In the face of supply chain issues exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and continued inflation (10 JPY in 1979 is worth around 15 JPY in 2022, a substantial relative decline in value), Yaokin raised the price to 12 yen in January 2022.[6]
In 2024, Yaokin announced that beginning in October of that year, the manufacturer's suggested retail price of umaibō would be increased from 12 to 15 yen, marking the second price increase since 2022.[4] The company cited the increasing costs of ingredients and transportation as the major reasons behind this change.
Due to its popularity, Yaokin also sells non-snack spin-offs based on the product, often branded with the cute alien mascot. These include lip balms and bath salts, stationery, and a themed pachislot game. In 2017, Yaokin announced that Umaemon would be given a little sister, Umami-chan, who was briefly promoted during 2017.
In Popular Culture
editUmaibō are used as a plot device in the anime and manga series Dagashi Kashi, and are featured in merchandise and promotional material for the franchise.[7]
Flavors
editPresently circulating
edit- Mentai
- Corn Potage
- Nattō
- Cheese
- Teriyaki Burger
- Salami
- Vegetable Salad
- Chicken Curry
- Tonkatsu Sauce
- Shrimp and Mayonnaise
- Takoyaki
- Chocolate
- Nori
- Beef Tongue
- Sugar Rusk
- Rice Dumplings Zongzi
- Yakitori
Only in specific areas
editDiscontinued
editReferences
edit- ^ "やおきん（3）". www.opi-net.com. Archived from the original on 2007-04-29.
- ^ "駄菓子探偵 | 駄菓子タウン".
- ^ Staff Writer (2022-01-26). "Crunchtime: Japan 'miracle' snack in first price hike since 1979". Nikkei Asia. Reuters. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
- ^ a b "「うまい棒」再び値上げ 1本12円→15円 原料費などが高騰". Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ 『うまい棒』5年ぶり新味発売 相次ぐ駄菓子終売も、40年CMなしで年間７億本売り上げる理由とは
- ^ @Umaemon_40th (January 27, 2022). "いつもうまい棒を応援してくださっている皆様へ" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Katsunori, Takahashi (10 December 2015). "Umaibo Appears in First "Dagashi Kashi" PV; Broadcast Premieres Jan. 7". Tokyo Otaku Mode News. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2024.