Meiji and Fujikyu Mark 100 Years with a Special Milk Chocolate Design

Meiji has announced a commemorative collaboration with Fujikyu to mark a rare moment in Japanese industry. Both companies reach their hundred year anniversaries this month, and to celebrate the occasion Meiji Milk Chocolate will be released with a special sleeve that reflects the shared history of the two brands. The design is exclusive to the anniversary and will appear on select products as part of a wider campaign.

The sleeve blends familiar elements from Meiji’s long running chocolate packaging with symbols tied to Fujikyu’s identity. It features references to the early Fuji Mountain Electric Railway, the well known Fujiyama coaster at Fujikyu Highland, and a stylized Mt Fuji that anchors the visual theme. The back of the sleeve carries a message of gratitude for the first century and a hopeful note for the next one, reinforcing the idea of two companies that have grown alongside each other since 1926.

Meiji Milk Chocolate itself has a long place in Japan’s food culture. When it debuted in 1926 it offered a domestically produced chocolate bar with stable quality and a flavor profile suited to Japanese tastes. It arrived at a time when chocolate was still considered a Western novelty, and Meiji’s decision to produce it at scale helped establish chocolate as an everyday treat in Japan. Over the decades the bar became a familiar sight in school kiosks, station shops, and supermarkets across the country. Its brown and gold packaging has changed very little, becoming one of the most recognizable designs in Japanese confectionery.

Fujikyu’s anniversary adds another layer of meaning to the collaboration. The company began as a regional railway operator serving communities around Mt Fuji and gradually expanded into tourism, hospitality, and entertainment. Its attractions, including Fujikyu Highland, have become part of the cultural landscape for families and travelers. The shared founding year of 1926 gives the collaboration a sense of symmetry, linking a daily treat with a company known for travel and leisure.

Meiji’s milestone also stands out within Japan’s chocolate industry. No other major domestic chocolate maker has reached a hundred years with a single continuously sold chocolate bar. This makes the anniversary a first in Japanese confectionery and highlights how Meiji’s early investment in chocolate shaped the market that followed. The year 1926 was also significant globally, with international brands such as Godiva founded during the same period. The coincidence underscores how the modern chocolate industry took shape around that time, both in Japan and abroad.

The press release notes that additional projects using the anniversary sleeve are planned and will be announced later. For now the collaboration serves as a collectible moment for fans of both brands and a reminder of how deeply Meiji and Fujikyu have influenced everyday life in Japan across a full century.

Source: PR TIMES