【Interview】Spreading Smiles with Allergy-Friendly Solutions! Challenges and New Possibilities in School Lunch.

We interviewed Ms. Kimura from ARAKAWA-CITY DAI7 HAKETA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. We delve into the background behind the decision to introduce the allergy-free product "Umami Pudding Mix" and discuss its impact. From the National Registered Dietitian, Ms. Kimura shares insights on the challenges faced in school lunch, the solutions they've implemented, and how the children have reacted.

Q: How did you come to know about us and our products?

A. The April 7, 2024, broadcast of Nippon TV’s "Shuichi" was how I came to know about UMAMI UNITED JAPAN. Your products were introduced as a new alternative to eggs, and I was immediately intrigued. As I’m always searching for menus that allow children with allergies to safely eat the same meals as everyone else, I thought, "I have to try this!" and contacted your company right away.

Q: What challenges did you face with the school lunch before introducing the product?

A. In the past, there were fewer children with allergies, so we managed by using ingredients like rice flour to create alternatives. However, as the number of children with allergies has increased and the range of allergies has become more diverse, accommodating each one individually has become increasingly difficult. This situation made us realize the need to make the entire school lunch as allergen-free as possible. However, the reality is that it's extremely challenging to completely avoid all allergens given our limited budget, time, and resources.

On top of that, creating separate menus is not only difficult but can also negatively impact the children's experience. For instance, when a child has to eat an allergen-free meal while their friends are eating something different, it can make them feel isolated during mealtime. They might feel left out or sad because they can't enjoy the same food as everyone else. We wanted to address these feelings and minimize their impact as much as possible.

Q: What did you do to solve them?

A. We try to create menus that minimize the use of allergenic ingredients, but desserts have been especially challenging. The allergen-free desserts we made in the past often didn’t taste as good or lacked variety, so the children didn’t enjoy them as much. Since desserts are a big treat for kids, we wanted to make them tastier and more diverse. We experimented with different recipes, like rice flour-based baked goods, to improve both flavor and variety.

Q: What results or effects have you observed from using our products?

A. Using this product has been a huge relief because it removes the need to worry about individual accommodations for egg allergies, allowing everyone to eat the same meal. This has significantly reduced the mental load for both the children and us as cooks. On top of that, the taste is great, which is the most rewarding part since the kids really enjoy it.

The product is also incredibly easy to use, so it’s hard to mess up no matter who’s preparing it. In a setting where large quantities of lunch need to be made quickly, ease of preparation is key. The fact that it sets quickly also helps save time, greatly improving overall efficiency.

Q: What was the reaction of the children who ate the product?

A. On the days we served the pudding, the children were excited from the morning, constantly checking the menu and eagerly anticipating the pudding. It was heartwarming to see their excitement. Pudding typically requires eggs and takes a long time to set, so we had rarely been able to include it in the school lunches before. During summer, we usually serve easy-to-make jelly. However, the cocoa pudding was incredibly popular, even among children who are usually picky and tend to leave food uneaten. It was clear that everyone was really looking forward to it.

Q: What do you think are the strengths of our products?

A. One of the main strengths of the "Umami Pudding Mix" is how user-friendly it is. It guarantees consistent results with no failures, which is crucial in a school lunch setting where we need to prepare large quantities quickly. The ease of preparation is really important! Plus, this mix allowed us to make cocoa pudding with perfect consistency and no issues with separation or color, which can be a challenge when mixing cocoa. It made the process much smoother. For our next project, I’m excited to try using "UMAMI EGG" for baking. We recently did a test run, and the results were very promising! I’m looking forward to the new variety it will add to our menu.

Q: What would you like to see in our company and our products in the future?

A. Personally, it would be incredibly helpful if the product could be made with water instead of milk. This change would allow us to cater to an even wider range of allergies, making meal preparation for school lunches much easier.