International Taste Institute

Superior Taste Award enables snack brand collaboration for Taiwanese rice producer

Major Japanese snack company Oyatsu Taiwan Ltd. acquired Taiwanese company Kaohsiung Meinong’s rice for their new snack product & benefitted from the rice’s Superior Taste Award designation.

Kaohsiung Meinong, a small and lesser-known brand, secured this collaboration thanks to its taste endorsement.

As a result, Kaohsiung Meinong has boosted its visibility and, by championing the rice’s award on their packaging, Oyatsu improved customer decision-making time and increased rotation.

Situation: Seeking out a tasty rice provider for new snack product

As a producer of a variety of different snacks, Japanese snack company Oyatsu Taiwan Ltd. was seeking out the best provider for the main raw ingredient of their new product, rice. The key driver for the selection of
their partner was quality taste as the rice would have an important impact on the final taste and potential success of the launched snack.

Taiwanese rice company Kaohsiung Meinong was eager to secure a brand collaboration in order to increase sales and improve their visibility in different markets. Following participation in International Taste Institute’s sensory evaluations, their rice was endorsed by the jury of top chefs with the Superior Taste Award.

Solution: A mutually beneficial brand partnership

A small company in Taiwan with little brand recognition, the rice company was looking for external validation and an endorsement of quality taste which they could use to drive business negotiations. They registered for the blind taste evaluations and received the highest ranking of 3 stars.

Oyatsu identified Kaohsiung Meinong as a potential partner for their new snack as their rice was of superior quality, and it was imperative that consumers identify their snack as being of high quality. The Superior Taste Award was a way to guarantee that perception.

Acknowledging the value of such a partnership, the rice was purchased at a high price, approximately three times that of an often utilised alternative rice-powder option.

 

According to their Marketing Manager, the end-consumer’s decision making time for snacks is short and impulsive: using an awarded product (and including the award on the packaging) can grab their attention at a quick glance.

 

Outcomes: Increased brand visibility and market penetration for both parties 

Thanks to the co-branded packaging, including the Superior Taste Award:

• Snack company Oyatsu has been able to sell successfully in some of the biggest retail chains, including Costco.
• Snack company Oyatsu has successfully exported to Korea and China.
• Rice company Kaohsiung Meinong secured a high-value sale and longstanding partnership which continues to drive revenue long-term.
• Rice company Kaohsiung Meinong has increased its visibility locally and internationally.

Known by most actors in the F&B industry worldwide, the Superior Taste Award is an objective benchmark of superior taste, offering you strong support for business negotiations.

Learn how to get your product evaluated at our next blind tastings and potentially be endorsed by our international jury of top chefs and renowned sommeliers: taste-institute.com/en/access/get-started