If you are a lover of Japan, you will probably know Hokkaido province – the province located in the north and the second largest in this country. Not only is it famous for its beautiful snowy landscape that attracts a lot of tourists every winter, but there is also something else that makes this prefecture special: the famous Hokkaido milk.
Ask any Japanese about Hokkaido milk and you will hear rave about its excellent quality and delicious taste. The milk has a smooth, creamy texture with a rich vanilla flavor. It can be used to make ingredients for some special dishes such as Cremia ice cream, and butter.
In this article, you will know more about the most well-known milk brand in Japan and how to buy it. Let’s jump right in!
I. What is Hokkaido milk?
Hokkaido milk has a rich taste, and creamy texture, and melts right in the mouth. Milk packaged in different packages exhibits different percentages of fat. The standard and most common type is 3.6% (whole milk). You can also find a few other varieties such as low fat (0.5-1.5%), fat-free (0.5%), and even high fat (0.5-1.5%), milk 4.5 percent.
People use Hokkaido milk to make a variety of products such as chocolates, snacks, ice cream, tofu, bread, and even cosmetic products! And yet, there is a very special product that you can only find in Japan, which is Hokkaido Milk Beer (commonly known as Bilk). This beer is aimed at female customers because it contains 30% milk and is sweeter than usual.
II. Why is Hokkaido milk special?
Hokkaido is the main source of milk for Japan, accounting for more than 50% of the total milk production in this country. Of which, more than half is sold directly as milk, the rest is processed into other foods such as ice cream and cheese.
The reason Hokkaido is able to produce high-quality milk is because of the ideal farming conditions. It has a cool climate, lots of green grasslands and fresh air. It’s a great habitat that keeps the cows stress-free and produces better milk.
In particular, milk processing is always focused. You won’t find another supplement incorporated into the milk. Everything is kept pure.
III. Hokkaido Milk Products
1. Betsukai Milk
Betsukai is a town located in eastern Hokkaido, between the Nemuro and Shiretoko peninsulas. With a large area and cool climate, it has more than 100,000 dairy cows and produces the largest milk production in Japan.
Betsukai Milk is a brand specializing in the production of milk, cheese and other dairy products. You can be assured of the quality and taste of Betsukai Milk because it is pasteurized at 90°C for 30 seconds. The taste of this milk is close to that of raw, unprocessed milk.
2. Yotsuba Milk
Yotsuba milk is produced by Yotsuba Dairy Products Co., Ltd., a company established in 1967 in Tokachi. The people of Hokkaido are very familiar with this company as it contributes up to 25% of the nation’s milk production.
When it comes to Yotsuba, we cannot ignore Special Yotsuba Milk. With delicious taste and excellent quality that fully meets the criteria of the National Council for Fair Trade in Drinking Milk, Yotsuba Specialty milk is always the first choice of Japanese families. It has a lid for easy opening and closing. The lid design also helps prevent milk from spilling out when pouring.
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3. Megmilk Snow Brand Milk
Megmilk Snow Brand is a dairy brand founded in 1925 in Hokkaido. If you travel to Japan, you can easily find the brand’s stores selling milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt nationwide. Megmilk is produced at the Sapporo Factory and sold only in Hokkaido. You can easily recognize this milk with its distinctive blue packaging and not be confused with other brands.
4. Secoma Hokkaido Milk
Secoma Hokkaido Milk is produced by Secoma Corporation. It is the company with the largest number of convenience stores in Hokkaido. In addition to fresh milk, these stores also sell a variety of dairy products. Secoma Hokkaido Milk is characterized by its original and rich taste, which is something you will never forget once you drink it.
5. Hakodate Milk
Hakodate Dairy Corporation Co., Ltd was established in Hakodate in 1973. If you have the opportunity to visit the southern region of Hokkaido, this is a gift that you should not miss when buying souvenirs for family and friends. In addition to the blue box, Hakodate milk also has another orange package.
Hakodate dairy products are made from the milk of healthy dairy cows. Their food is non-GMO and pesticide-free grain. So you can be completely assured of the taste and safety.
>>Read more: Instructions for making Japanese Kinpira Gobo.
IV. Order Hokkaido milk easily with Janbox
There must be reasons why Hokkaido milk and its products are well-known not only in Japan but worldwide. Many people love and use it. Unfortunately, it is not easy to seek Hokkaido milk products outside Japan. You will have to go to Asia supermarkets and take hours searching.
Going along with the development of technology, now you can order Hokkaido milk easily from Japan, even when you live in another country, or even on another continent.
The point is that not all online domestic Japanese stores support international shipping. If any, the fee is so expensive that you have to think twice before purchasing.
It’s time when Janbox can help you. We provide proxy buying services from Japan. It means that we’ll place the orders on your behalf and send the items to your house.
You don’t worry about the shipment or other complicated procedures like customs. All you need to do is choose the items, Janbox will take care of the rest.
For a detailed guideline on how to order on Janbox, please take a look at this article. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us via [email protected]. We’ll always be willing to help you with the most comprehensive answers.
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Conclusion
We’ll keep updating the latest information about Hokkaido milk in particular and Japan in general. We hope that this article may help you understand more about one of the most famous milk types in Japan. If you have a demand for buying Hokkaido milk, don’t forget that Janbox’s here to support you. Wish you have an enjoyable shopping experience on Janbox!
Website: https://janbox.com.
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