KTA Launches Healthy Bento Project for Cambodian Students, Featuring Sales at Local AEON Event Space
January 19, 2026
Kikkoman Trading Asia Pte Ltd. (KTA), the Kikkoman Group’s soy sauce sales base in Southeast Asia, has been introducing Japanese food culture with a focus on honjozo traditionally brewed soy sauce to promote “healthy food lifestyles” to students at the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Cambodia since 2024. As part of this initiative, KTA partnered with the university to plan and execute the Healthy Bento (lunch box) Project, providing students with an opportunity to apply their learning while contributing to society. Specifically, in November 2025, the project was aligned with the JETRO-hosted Japan Food Fair in Cambodia and featured the sale of “student-curated and nutritionally-balanced Japanese bento” at an AEON event space.
In Cambodia, low public awareness and limited knowledge of nutrition have long been recognized as challenges. Furthermore, food manufacturing and processing industries remain underdeveloped. According to the university president, “Students who study nutrition and food processing have few opportunities to apply what they have learned, even in future employment.” This event was therefore designed to provide a platform for students to leverage their knowledge while raising consumer awareness of healthy eating habits.
The event included three, one-hour sessions featuring student presentations and bento sales within the Japan Fair. The bentos showcased creative components such as maki rolls using our protein-rich canned mackerel marketed for the Southeast Asia market, teriyaki-flavored chicken meatballs, and a balanced selection of nutrient-dense vegetables to meet the essential nutritional requirements for children in a single meal. Students also highlighted the anticipated health benefits of their bentos, including muscle development, bone and dental health, healthy circulation and cognitive development, as well as immune system support.
Student Presentations and Bento Sales
The result? All 100 bentos sold out in less than an hour. Following this success, AEON decided to continue selling the bentos for one month in its prepared foods section at all three AEON stores in Cambodia.
Bentos for Sale
Reflecting on the initiative, a project organizer commented: “This was a win-win-win collaboration for industry, academia, and government. Despite initial nerves, students delivered excellent presentations and were thrilled with the sell-out result. By leveraging Kikkoman’s unique capabilities, we initiated a project that resonated strongly with AEON and JETRO, both of which place high importance on ‘community engagement’ and ‘local contribution,’ and expressed their appreciation.”
Kikkoman will continue to promote the international exchange of food culture through initiatives like this, guided by our shokuiku (food education) philosophy of “well-being through good food.”