Frozen bread now delivered across Japan through subscription

A subscription service by Yuabread Inc that preserves the taste and flavor of freshly baked bread across Japan via a food-freezing technique has been drawing consumers' attention.

The Gunma Prefecture-based company's service connects Japanese bread lovers to small countryside bakeries that struggle in attracting customers.

According to Naoya Tsutsumi, a Yuabread official in charge of the subscription, the bread pouches and the timing of freezing them are crucial in preserving the freshness, making them tastier than conventional products as they retain moisture and the wheat's savor.

The number of individual subscribers that can receive six to 10 types of frozen bread in a box every month from artisan bakeries has surpassed 2,000 while the number of companies subscribing to the program has reached 160.

The number of service subscribers has increased during the government's stay-at-home request that was in place between April and May.

Meanwhile, the number of member bakeries stood at 15, stretching across Japan, as of early July.

Member bakeries rotate monthly to providing bread.

With the coronavirus pandemic causing local bakeries to suffer declines in sales to hotels and schools, the bread subscription service can support small local bakeries to help them subsist.