"Kuppy Ramune (chalky soda candy)" is famous for its rabbit and squirrel characters. This is a long-selling product that has been popular for a long time since 1963. It is no exaggeration to say that people in Nagoya have grown up eating this ramune since childhood, and it is loved by generations.

This time, we went to Kakudai Confectionery Co., Ltd., which manufactures Kuppy Ramune to talk to them!

Kakudai Confectionery is located in Nishi Ward, Nagoya City. The area around the head office is also known as "Myodo-cho," and there has long been a wholesale district that sells candy and prizes.

This time, Mr. Abe, the advisor, and Mr. Fujii of the general affairs department responded.

When I entered the reception room, I saw many products related to Kuppy Ramune. There are even picture books and skateboards with Kuppy Ramune as their theme. Just looking at them is exciting.

History of Kakudai Confectionery

Kakudai Confectionery Co., Ltd. started in 1919 when the founder opened a private store called "Zoushindo" in Nakamura Ward, Nagoya City, making half-baked sweets (Japanese sweets). In 1948, it moved to the current location as "Ohashi Shoten Co., Ltd." and was involved in the manufacture and sale of candies, shouro (truffle), and yokan (red bean paste jelly).

It was in 1950 that they started selling ramune sweets. It seems that the second generation president learned how to make it at a ramune confectionery store. At that time, ramune was sold wrapped in wrapping paper with no characters or anything on it.

At that time, the company name was changed from "Ohashi Shoten" to the current "Kakudai Seika (Confectionary). At that time, the company was not well known as a ramune confectionery, and it was shipped in bottles as a "lottery offender" placed in candy bars.

Ramune in this package is the mainstream in the Kansai region.

Mr. Abe: "It was around 1955 that ramune sweets began to be sold on their own. The style of wrapping ramune sweets in cellophane and twisting both ends into a ribbon shape was born. I think this style is still more familiar in the Kansai region."

The super long-selling product “Kuppy Ramune” is born!

It seems that the touch of the painting has changed little by little according to the times.

Mr. Abe:"We adopted the characters in 1963, when the second president of the company thought that it would be easier for customers to become familiar with the product if we had our own characters! He asked a designer to draw a rabbit and a squirrel. In fact, to this day, the two animals do not have names."

At that time, it was rare for candy packages to have characters on them. Along with its character, Kuppy Ramune has become a popular product loved by a wide range of people.

The secret of ramune that melts in your mouth

One of the main characteristics of Kuppy Ramune is its unique "melt-in-your-mouth" texture, which is not found in other types of ramune. In order to create this texture, they must be produced with a delicate consistency that is not too hard and does not lose its shape by the time it reaches the consumer.

Although the production is now automated with specialized machines, it is necessary to adjust the moisture content according to the time of year. Since there are various types of sizes, they are carefully crafted with fine-tuned senses by skilled craftsmen.