Introducing the story behind the origin of Meiji Oishii Gyunyu

Focusing on what people like and
dislike about milk

Meiji’s laboratory analyzed milk from all over Japan and from various suppliers for flavor and production methods. Despite discovering differences in flavor, we were unable to link these differences to taste. Our inspiration was to eliminate the causes of why some people dislike milk, and it turned out that the smell and sticky aftertaste of milk were the main reasons.

Oxygen has always been
the enemy of flavor.

Despite identifying the reasons for disliking milk, we were unable to readily find a solution, and several years went by. Then one day, a solution presented itself when we ordered milk from a certain producer that was reputed to be delicious. The milk tasted good at first, but after several days in the refrigerator, it lost its flavor and had a slightly oxidized smell.

Conjecturing that perhaps the oxygen dissolved in the milk was spoiling its flavor, a new research angle emerged: perhaps oxidation by the oxygen in milk during heat pasteurization was causing a loss of flavor.

Establishment of natural taste
production method

Our research results revealed that milk components oxidize during heat pasteurization, thus affecting flavor, and that reducing the dissolved oxygen content prior to heat pasteurization significantly improves milk flavor.
Based on this finding, technological development was continued, and in 1998, Meiji succeeded in establishing a technology to improve the flavor of milk by reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen in the milk prior to heat pasteurization, thereby preventing oxidation of the milk components. We called this process the natural taste production method because it produces a natural taste similar to freshly collected raw milk.

A simple name that conveys
the quality of the ingredients

In naming the product, our concept was “the delicious taste of freshly collected raw milk.” To promote customer recognition of the product and communicate the difference from other milk products, we focused on conveying the characteristics of the product in a single word. Hundreds of ideas were elicited during the planning phase, and we eventually settled on Meiji Oishii Gyunyu because it most straightforwardly conveys our confidence in the taste, it is easy to understand for everyone, young and old, regardless of gender, and it makes people want to taste the product at least once.

Packaging that highlights
a sense of freshness and quality

Most milk package designs in the past either used the company’s logo or had pastoral designs to evoke the image of a dairy farm, but lacked the appeal of deliciousness that is the essence of a food product.
In developing the new packaging design, we aimed for a look that was as natural and simple as possible to convey the concept of the deliciousness of freshly collected raw milk.

• A novel design within typical milk related expressions
• Simple presence
• Neat design, with the product name standing out as a feature
• Evoking the image of milk being poured into a cup upon picking up the product

No. 1 in milk sales

It’s been 13 years since development started.
In 2002, Meiji Oishii Gyunyu was launched nationwide.
The added value of deliciousness is well recognized by customers, propelling Meiji
Oishii Gyunyu to become the No. 1 brand in Japan soon after its launch.
Meiji will continue to deliver safe and secure products as a brand that remains
loved by everyone.