Japanese businesses, particularly in the food service sector, are continuously expanding support services for families with children. Starbucks Japan has opened a new store in Saitama Prefecture with wider aisles specifically designed to accommodate baby strollers. Soup specialty stores and other food service companies are also launching products targeting customers with children, demonstrating their commitment to supporting families. These new private sector initiatives are expected to become important forces in supporting countermeasures against declining birth rates.
This autumn, Starbucks opened a new store in a shopping center in Koshigaya City, Saitama Prefecture. The store ensures spacious areas to accommodate both strollers and wheelchairs. Tomomasa Shibano, the company’s strategy headquarters director, mentioned being deeply impressed by frequent scenes of mothers with children reluctantly leaving traditional stores due to space constraints. The company plans to open similar family-friendly stores in other commercial facilities.
The soup specialty chain “Soup Stock Tokyo” has been offering free baby food at all locations since last year. Over the past year, this service has received more than 40,000 orders, significantly increasing customers visiting with children. House Foods Group has installed unmanned vending machines at daycare centers in Chiba Prefecture and other locations, offering ready-to-eat meal packages suitable for parents and children to share. This service aims to help parents avoid the hassle of shopping with children during pickup and drop-off times.
Key Points:
- Japanese food service companies actively developing family-friendly services and facilities.
- Starbucks introduces new store design accommodating baby strollers.
- Soup Stock Tokyo’s free baby food service receives positive response.
- House Foods installing unmanned vending machines at daycare centers.
- Food service industry innovation helps address practical needs of families with children.
