Cafes and thermos flask maker Zojirushi Corp. have been cooperating to spread drink services for personal flask users at cafes in Japan. At Mikiya Coffee ALBi, a cafe near the JR Osaka station, the prices of drinks are set 50 yen lower for filling personal flasks than for regularly served drinks.
Takuya Kamazawa, 36-year-old manager of the outlet, said the discount helps produce repeat customers. Zojirushi came up with the idea of providing locations for refills to shore up sales of thermos flasks, believing that it would help draw those people who did not want to carry around empty flasks after finish drinking. The service has spread to some 220 venues in Japan, including places which exclusively serve Japanese tea since it was started in 2006. According to a survey by an Osaka-based association of thermos flask manufacturers, domestic shipments of stainless-steel flasks in 2011 totaled about 12 million, nearly twice as many as in 2005.
Published on Friday, 03 February 2012
