Prioritizing Today’s Needs Over Past Hits

We did have the feeling, “If things continue as they are, it might not be good.” In the stainless steel bottle market, where there are many rivals, we launched products packed with novelty to encourage customers to choose them. And yet, sales were sluggish because something was definitely missing. The key to this something was the customers’ need for something that was different from the products that were once a big hit.
Our previous products also always aimed to be something that was easy for customers to use, and incorporated Zojirushi’s unique advanced technology and consideration for safety. However, the world’s needs are changing faster than we think. Zojirushi products must be chosen by many people and be a part of their daily lives. We believed that we had to make sure that our next product would be something that was “easy to use” and that everyone “wanted to use.”

The Answer Lies Within the Customers

We conducted various styles of surveys, including large-scale questionnaires and face-to-face interviews, in order to ascertain customers’ feelings. In face-to-face interviews, more than 100 customers were asked to pick up the one they “wanted” from a lineup of stainless steel bottles and tell us “why they chose it.” The three phrases that always came back were “looks easy to use,” “looks easy to wash,” and “simple.” It also became clear that existing Zojirushi products did not really have all of these qualities.
What parts were difficult to use, difficult to wash, and not simple? We asked the questions again while focusing on the gasket to get more specific answers. This resulted in us hearing numerous complaints that we had not heard when we asked about the bottle in its entirety. “If we can solve this, we can create what everyone wants!” I felt like I had no choice but to do this.

Combining Different Materials of the “Lid” or ”Stopper” and “Gasket” into One Piece

“I want a bottle that is easy to use, easy to wash, and simple.” When we frankly conveyed the users’ opinions, the development staff were immediately convinced. Now, how can we respond to these voices? The answer was “One-Piece Lid” and “One-Piece Stopper,” which need no disassembly: they give form to the best solution the team could come up with.
Of course, it was not easy. The most difficult part was to integrate the resin part that serves as the lid or stopper and the rubber part that serves as the gasket without any gap between them. When we made inquiries with specialized companies that handle each of these materials, they answered, “It is impossible because the materials are different.” However, we could not leave the matter as just “impossible.” After countless cases of trial and error, we finally managed to integrate the lid or stopper and gasket. We have perfected a stainless steel bottle that “can be washed without disassembling it,” rather than having to “disassemble it and then wash it.”

We Can Take This Leap Because it is Safe

The product structure was so simple that some of the monitor test participants asked, “Is it really leak-proof?” Of course, it does not leak. Because that is the quality of Zojirushi. We finely verified the shape and hardness of rubber parts, etc., and repeated tests under severe conditions that made it seem impossible to create a product that can be used with a sense of security for a long time. The elephant mark placed in the middle of the main body is proof of such quality.
While it was a new technology, it was expected to end as a one-shot idea if the product had been only “One-Piece Lid” or “One-Piece Stopper.” We believe that many people readily accepted this product because it is based on quality that has been cultivated through years of diligence, and because it is equipped with an innovative structure that really meets the needs of customers.

Great Response, With More Products of the Series Coming in Droves

As development progressed, everyone was convinced, thinking “this product will sell.” We were over the moon to see that the actual response exceeded our expectations. Although the first product to incorporate One-Piece Lid was a twist-open type stainless steel vacuum mug, it was later followed by a one-touch flip-open type. We also added more products equipped with One-Piece Lid or One-Piece Stopper, such as handle type and flip-open type stainless carry tumblers.
The handle type and flip-open type are tumblers rather than bottles. “What is a ‘drink container that is pleasant to use’?” We ended up with this shape after asking ourselves this question. Although we faced a series of technical challenges even more difficult to solve, such as having a lid with a handle and integrating the cap and gasket, our efforts were rewarded when we completed a new type of “Carry Tumbler” that can be carried without leaking.

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  (Above) “Stainless Carry Tumbler” launched in September 2021

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  (Above) Convenient for short trips

A Happy Solution to Someone’s Frustration

This is a bit of a leap in analogy, but my answer to the question “What would you like to create?” is “something like a washing machine.” The invention of the washing machine enabled the world to divert the effort and time that people had previously spent on daily laundry to many other things. Reducing frustrations that were taken for granted and increasing the amount of time spent feeling good. My wish is to be able to create such a product.
The stainless steel vacuum mugs and Carry Tumblers we have talked about here were also born out of the frustration of having to clean them. There would be nothing better than reducing everyone’s frustration and increasing the number of situations in which people want to use My Bottle and reduce the amount of plastic bottles and other container waste. I would like to continue to focus on the needs of our customers so that we can turn someone’s frustration into something good.