Umaibo, You Too? Japan’s Yaokin Co. to Increase Prices of Beloved Snack Again

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:41 JST, September 25, 2024

The price of Umaibo, stick-shaped puffed corn snacks, will be raised from ¥12 to ¥15 starting with shipments sent in October, Yaokin Co. announced on Tuesday.

As a reason for price hike, the Tokyo-based snack maker cited a continued rise in the price of corn, the main raw ingredient for Umaibo, as well as vegetable oil.

Launched in 1979, Umaibo (delicious stick) had been sold at ¥10 per stick for over 40 years. This will be the second time the price has been raised, following an increase from ¥10 to ¥12 in spring 2022.

Yaokin also said the company is facing increasing labor and delivery costs.