Seasonal food and drink are a must in Japan, which means cold beverages gain a lot of attention during summer. On July 14th, Carl’s Jr. Japan, with three outlets in Tokyo and two in Kanagawa, launched a limited time offer for a “Walnut Chocolate Banana Shake” made with fresh bananas, chocolate and California walnuts. With 5g of California walnuts per serving, this creamy shake provides a new and exciting flavor combination, enhanced by the rich flavor and texture of walnuts. Since more than half of their customers are male, Carl’s Jr. Japan positioned this item to target female customers, with the goal of increasing their female fans through social media. Carl’s Jr. Japan did this in collaboration with the CWC, complete with the California Walnuts logo on all of their posters and in-store materials.
To date, this promotion has resulted in record high sales in Carl’s Jr. Japan’s milkshake category, which has encouraged them to extend this item through October, an additional 6 weeks beyond the original selling period. The promotion has successfully attracted female customers, resulting in an increase of this demographic on their social media channels. The product developer for Carl’s Jr. Japan is excited about developing another item using California walnuts.
