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Choc-loving gents want to be own Valentine
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Some men in Japan are said to be chocolate lovers on a hunt for “ore-choco,” or “chocolate for myself.” In this case, “ore” is a Japanese possessive pronoun in the first person singular, usually used by men. “Choco” is an abbreviation of chocolate. (Shutterstock/File)
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hocolate sales are getting into full swing at department stores and specialty shops as Valentine’s Day again approaches. However, there seems to be a new trend on the rise as more male customers are seen among the women who typically crowd the sales floors.
These men are said to be chocolate lovers on a hunt for “ore-choco,” or “chocolate for myself.” In this case, “ore” is a Japanese possessive pronoun in the first person singular, usually used by men. “Choco” is an abbreviation of chocolate.
One company employee from Kanagawa Prefecture buys chocolate for himself every year around this time. At first, he felt somewhat embarrassed being in the minority on the sales floor, but his worries faded away as he started to notice the many enticing products particular to the season or a certain shop.
The 33-year-old was all smiles as he said, “What I’m concerned about now is getting too fat from eating too much chocolate.”
There were a conspicuous number of men at a presentation of this year’s Valentine chocolates at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, in mid-January. One participant who calls himself “Sweets Prince Rui” and enjoys using social media to share information he gathers on various sweets said, “I’ve been seeing more male customers on sales floors this past year or two.”
In Japan, department stores fiercely compete to procure novelty chocolates each season — preferably, items from overseas making their debut on the Japanese market. “There’s no reason to miss out on these new products just because you’re a guy,” the sweets aficionado enthused.
Fun promotional events that allow people to actually taste newly arrived products are another reason more men are showing up on the sales floor.
The Takashimaya Shinjuku Store in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, opened its special sales floor for Valentine’s Day chocolates on Jan. 26. Here customers can taste delicious morsels of about 20 different brands of chocolate for a fee.
“Men can treat themselves to chocolate just as some women now do,” a chocolate sales employee said.
Ginza Mitsukoshi in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, opened its chocolate sales floor on Jan. 25 and serves hot chocolate, known to its customers for its excellent quality. At the Seibu Ikebukuro main store in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, a bar counter that serves chocolate and cheese with regular tea, Japanese tea or wine will be open through Tuesday.
(Read also: Roses? No, try roaches for an unusual Valentine's Day gift)
Bean-to-bar all the rage
A further development is the increasing popularity of products appealing to ore-choco customers. Bean-to-bar chocolates, in particular, which involve careful crafting throughout the entire process of making the end product — from selecting the cocoa beans to roasting, melting and then shaping — are gaining popularity.
Major food manufacturer Meiji Co.’s bean-to-bar product The Chocolate has been received favorably with sales of 10 million bars since fall.
“Sales have been twice as high as projected,” a public relations employee said, adding that a sizable number of consumers were men. Forty percent of the customers who go to Minimal, a bean-to-bar specialty shop based in Tokyo, are also men.
“Products made from only cocoa beans and sugar are the most popular,” said Hiromasa Zen, the shop manager. “These products are not too sweet and I think that is what attracts our male customers.”
The array of products on display in department stores — from bean-to-bar chocolates to products which allow consumers to compare the different flavors of cocoa beans from various parts of the world — indicate the strength of consumers’ preferences for a special experience.
“The flavor of cocoa beans, as with wine or coffee, is dependent on their place of production and its climate,” said an employee in charge at Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store in Chuo Ward, Tokyo. “I think men’s interest is boosted by the richness of the culture surrounding the production of chocolate.”
Toru Hikino, who runs Amato Danshi, a website dedicated to “sweet-toothed boys and men,” says such men are coming out of the woodwork.
“People no longer care about the difference between men and women, making it easier for men to proudly proclaim, ‘I have a sweet tooth.’ For such men, Valentine’s Day is more than just a day of romance, but an occasion for them to sample an array of chocolates. Confectionery makers and department stores are well aware of this, and are therefore trying to come up with ideas to also sell chocolate to men.”
This article appeared on The Japan News newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
