Photo source: The Star Online

The National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (Zen-Noh) - the trusted and reliable go-between linking producers and consumers in Japan - launched two of its products, Nikkori Pear and Ibaraki Japanese Sweet Potatoes recently at Mid Valley’s AEON BIG Store, currently the only major hypermarket store to sell these two purely Japanese-grown agricultural produce.

With the growing popularity of healthy and clean eating in Malaysia, Zen-Noh – in collaboration with Eurofarm, Malaysia’s leading fruits and vegetables importer and exporter - were excited to expose the Malaysian market to the high-quality, carefully-tended and innovative agricultural produce that Japan has to offer.

Nikkori Pear, a new late maturing, russet-skin type cultivar of Japanese pear produced from the Tochigi prefecture is a new type of pear developed from cross seedlings between full-figured Niitaka and flavorful Hosui in 1984. Nikkori Pear can only be harvested in mid-October and stored for a long period of time until February, thus the specialty and superiority of this unique fruit. Japan also prides on their Sweet Potatoes, a purely Japanese-grown produce from the prefecture of Ibaraki - the second-biggest producer of sweet potatoes in Japan in terms of both production area and amount. The most widely grown variety of sweet potatoes in this prefecture is 'Beniazuma and Beniharuka', known for its characteristically soft and flaky texture. 

Photo source: The Star Online

Mr Takeshi Takahashi, Supervisory Board Chairman of JA Zen-Noh Tochigi, said that the Nikkori Pear and Ibaraki Japanese Sweet Potatoes personally grown in Japan taste sweeter and fresher as it’s tended to with care and consideration by Japanese farmers.

As consumers continue to seek the best and healthiest options in each of the food groups, Zen-Noh has further demonstrated its commitment to meeting its customers’ and also to its suppliers’ needs, supplying the true richness of life, that is, safety and security, to consumers through food which has grown increasingly important on Zen-Noh’s role. Because it accounts for a major share of food production and supply in Japan, the ZEN-NOH Group will continue to devote itself to fulfilling this purpose.

AEON BIG, being one of the most successful hypermarket chains in Malaysia, is proud to be a part of this collaboration in importing the best authentic Japanese products for the benefit of their loyal customers.