Product Development
Pino
Our quest toward balanced deliciousness that offers enjoyment of both ice cream and chocolate
A new ice cream treat enjoyed by both children and adults
Pino was released on the market in 1976. At that time, cup-type and bar-type ice cream items were the mainstream, but even so, several members of our product development team visited the United States, where ice cream technology was advanced, with the aim of discovering ideas for a new style of ice cream. There they found a small-sized ice cream item which inspired them to develop a bite-sized ice cream product for the Japanese market just right for consumers of all ages to enjoy. The team designed a truncated cone shape for a bite-sized ice cream treat that could easily be put into the mouth. The team also proposed another innovation - the use of a pick that allowed everyone to consume the product while keeping fingers clean from melting ice cream or chocolate.
Pino at the time of release
In 1992, an assorted version of Pino was also introduced to the market. Each piece is individually wrapped, so Pino could be enjoyed anytime, anywhere by just one person or even the whole family.
A delicious blend of chocolate and rich ice cream in one bite
The aim of Pino was to offer the consumer a thoroughly enjoyable, bite-sized taste of chocolate and ice cream. Normally, the taste of a small bit of ice cream covered in chocolate tends to be overwhelmed by the chocolate, so to avoid this, the ice cream was made to have very low air content, much lower than that of other premium ice creams. By doing so, the amount of ice cream touching the tongue was increased providing a rich flavor at the same intensity as that of the chocolate.
Technology allowing the ice cream and chocolate to slowly melt together the moment they are put into the mouth
Ordinary chocolate has a brittle, hard texture. When eaten with ice cream, the chocolate will remain in the mouth even after the ice cream melts. The texture of chocolate coating is crunchy at first, but the chocolate melts quickly in the mouth and the chocolate flavor often disappears rather quickly as well. Therefore, we developed a combination of several ingredients so that the chocolate will start to melt at body temperature and will continue to melt slowly in the mouth.
The secret of Pino's chocolate is that it softens the moment it is put into the mouth. The rich flavor of cacao lasts as the chocolate and the ice cream slowly melt together.
The secret of the unique shape and the golden ratio of
ice cream : chocolate
The Pino Shape was inspired by the shape of an open mouth. Not only is Pino easy to eat, but its shape also hides the secret of its delicious flavor. When compared to a sphere, it has been shown that a truncated cone – the Pino Shape – has more surface area that comes into contact with the chocolate when Pino is put into the mouth. Therefore, everyone can fully enjoy the blended flavor of the chocolate and ice cream.
In addition, Pino is appealing because it has the perfect balance of smooth, rich vanilla ice cream and melting chocolate in the mouth. The ratio of ice cream to chocolate is 8:2. After many years of research, the product development team arrived at this golden ratio we enjoy today.
From the time of its introduction in 1976 to the present, the taste and composition of Pino has gradually evolved to match the changing market so that this much loved product can continue to offer a great taste experience through the years. Please enjoy this delicious bite-sized treat!