BRAND<\/div>\n
Variety:<\/strong> Centered on winter melon distributed within Kyoto, we select raw material with stable size and moisture balance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
PRODUCER<\/div>\n
Producer:<\/strong> We work with partner farmers and regional partners within Kyoto. We have built a system that can send it to primary processing right after harvest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
REGION<\/div>\n
Growing region:<\/strong> Kyoto (main producing area). We use winter melon grown in fields with good sunlight and water retention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
CULTIVATION<\/div>\n
Cultivation method:<\/strong> Procured mainly from cultivation by partner farmers. By specifying harvest season, size, and individual weight, we stabilize the processing specification.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nLow-temperature drying to protect the ingredient's natural flavor<\/h2>\n
At Agriture, to protect winter melon's aroma, color, and umami, we use low-temperature hot-air drying with finely controlled temperature and airflow. Our strength lies in retaining components easily lost in high-temperature drying, through process design matched to the material's nature.<\/p>\n
Because we take in the raw material at our own processing facility in Kyoto and manage the whole flow in one place\u2014sorting, cutting, drying, and inspection\u2014we can hold quality variation between lots to a minimum. Combining procurement from partner farmers and contracted regions, we can start the drying process while the raw material is still fresh, which ties directly to finished quality.<\/p>\n
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\ud83d\udca1 TIPS | Drying-processing trivia<\/div>\n
Winter melon is roughly 95% water, a material that, even shipped raw, has a short shelf life and is hard to handle. Using low-temperature hot-air drying lets us drive off only the moisture without breaking the internal skeleton of pectin and dietary fiber, so a \"fluffy plus firm\" texture can be reproduced when rehydrated. It is also a processing method with good compatibility as a pre-step for retort and freeze-drying.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Commercial use cases<\/h2>\n
Because dried winter melon has ample aroma, texture, and umami even on its own, it can develop into multipurpose product development with a single ingredient. Here we introduce five representative scenarios.<\/p>\n
Soup and stew ingredient<\/h3>\n
It can be used as an ingredient for Chinese soup, egg-drop soup, chicken-salt soup, potage, and the like. Because winter melon's inherent silky texture emerges just by rehydrating, it can be put into commercial soups without prep. Its stable yield with room-temperature storage and the ease of predicting prep volume are also valued.<\/p>\n
Japanese prepared-dish and simmered-dish ingredient<\/h3>\n
It can be used as a Japanese prepared-dish raw material for dashi-simmered dishes, winter melon and shrimp ankake, chicken-soboro simmers, and the like. Because you can skip the peeling and seed-removal steps, prep is streamlined, and stable yield makes usage volume easy to predict.<\/p>\n
Retort and frozen food raw material<\/h3>\n
It can be used as an ingredient for retort soup, frozen prepared dishes, and packaged rice. Because it can be stored long-term at room temperature, it suits as a vegetable material for processed foods that require shelf stability, and it is also a raw material easy to feed into production lines on a planned basis.<\/p>\n
Care food and hospital meal raw material<\/h3>\n
It can be used as a base material for chopped foods, soft-cooked meals, and care foods. Because softness can be finely adjusted by the degree of moisture rehydration, it is a material well suited to menu designs mindful of ease of swallowing.<\/p>\n
Health foods and functional foods<\/h3>\n
Because it is a moisture-rich, plain vegetable, it is also a material easy to apply to diet-oriented foods and health foods. Powdered, it can be developed into soup thickening or supplement raw material, and because it has little peculiarity, its ease of combining with other materials is also an advantage.<\/p>\n
Prep material for chefs and restaurants<\/h3>\n
It is adopted even at top restaurants, hotel restaurants, and kappo as a material that can cover the difficulty of procuring winter melon year-round. Being able to predict prep yield is its greatest appeal.<\/p>\n\n
Commercial usage and case examples<\/h2>\n
For commercial use, we can handle everything from 1 kg prototypes to 10 kg or more in full production. It is adopted as an OEM ingredient by retort makers, care-food makers, and Chinese-ingredient makers, and also as a commercial prep material for restaurants.<\/p>\n
At Agriture, we provide end-to-end support on our own line in Kyoto, from raw-material selection and primary processing to cutting, powdering, blending, and small-portion packaging. Because we can adjust specifications to match an OEM client's spec sheet and design recipes for launching new brands, you can entrust everything with confidence from the prototype stage through volume production and ongoing supply.<\/p>\n
We welcome first-time inquiries and considerations of switching from existing raw materials. For sample provision, quotes, and technical questions about the production process, feel free to reach out via the inquiry form.<\/p>\n
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