22/11/2023 (Hong Kong, China/ Japan) - Kamakura Foods, a Hong Kong start-up founded by a Japan-educated former Sony chip engineer, once challenged the bento market in Japan, where boxed lunches originated. They planned to enter the market not by providing food but by introducing a tech platform for serving bentos automatically.
Bentos were a staple in Japan, particularly for businesspeople during lunch hours. Many were sold at convenience stores and bento shops, as well as restaurants to meet peak demand.
Under the brand name Wada Bento, the company had sold over 600,000 hot bentos in Hong Kong since its 2019 inception. They operated 40 machines in 30 locations and prepared Japanese-style bentos daily, tailoring some to local Hong Kong tastes.
In Japan, their first bento vending machine was placed in Osaka's central business district. The goal was to provide ready-made lunches from the local chain Obento Monogatari.
The heart of Kamakura Foods' tech solution lay in temperature control, ensuring food safety throughout the supply chain. They used GPS and IoT technology to monitor and control the process. The system also allowed remote temperature adjustments.
The company aimed to tap into Japan's large market by addressing issues like labor shortages and speed. However, it remained to be seen whether their tech-driven approach would be a hit in a nation known for its culinary expertise and bento traditions.