Fried chicken has become a popular dish in Japan, and KFC Japan is offering a new product called 'Finger Naps' with its fried chicken meals to help Japanese consumers with one of the biggest fried chicken-related problems. KFC Japan's Finger Naps are thin plastic coverings that fit over consumers' thumbs and forefingers, allowing them to grab on to a drumstick or wing without getting any grease on their hands.
Perhaps moreso than in North America, Japanese culture emphasizes cleanliness -- especially while eating. Fried chicken is far from a cleanly meal, which forced KFC Japan to figure out a way to appeal to Japanese consumers. The Finger Naps, which are currently on a trial, will available at 222 locations across Japan (nearly all the restaurants in the country) starting on December 15th.
What's Driving This Trend
- Clean Eating Accessories
- Opportunities for brands to create innovative products that appeal to those who strive for cleanliness while eating.
- Convenient Meal Packaging
- Opportunities for packaging companies to create more convenient and practical packaging solutions for fast food meals.
- Single-use Plastics Alternatives
- Opportunities for environmentally conscious companies to create sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic items like Finger Naps.
Who This Affects Most
- Fast Food
- The fast food industry can innovate with products that cater to different cultural norms around cleanliness while eating.
- Packaging
- The packaging industry can innovate with more practical and eco-friendly packaging solutions for fast food meals like fried chicken.
- Sustainability
- The sustainability industry can capitalize on the trend towards eco-consciousness and create more sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics like Finger Naps.
