Original Products
Our corporate philosophy of “Advancing forward for our customers”—an ideal we have valued since our founding—is our unchanging DNA that we will pass from generation to generation, no matter how much we change as a company. ASKUL continues to expand the sales of our unique original products by listening to customers’ demands so that we can embody the DNA. We keep developing our original products with not only the convenience and prices, but also matching design to places, aiming for logistics efficiency, and environment considerations. The number of our original products has been appx.14,139 items* since we started to sell 7 items in 1995.
- As of May 20, 2023.The number shows the total sales of BtoB and BtoC.
ASKUL always start developing products by imagining our customers one by one and the occasions where products will be used. We analyze customers’ voice that we receive every day, and also conduct surveys to form hypothesizes about “products problems that customers struggle with” and “functions/design that are truly asked for.” Then we share the results to the suppliers to co-create our original products. Original products are created by repeated going through the hypotheses and verification process with manufacturers and suppliers, and we continue to make improvements thereafter.
We pay particular attention to quality control during the development process. Merchandisers and quality control departments visit production plants in advance and conduct thorough inspections of production lines and a range of other aspects, allowing us to market products with rigorously verified quality.
BtoB Original Products
ASKUL original products has started with 7 stationary items with simple design. Since
2005, we have started collaborating with Scandinavian designers and have been expanding the numbers of
designed original products, which can be used comfortably not only at workplaces but also service industries.
A lot of customers highly appreciate our original products as “Omotenashi” items for customers. Even at
business places that tend to be inorganic, customers can feel small happiness every time they use ASKUL
original products. The number of our original brand has been increasing by listening to customers’ voice from
offices to any kind of workplaces. Recently we have been focusing on developing products for customers in all
types of workplaces, such as medical and nursing care, retail, and manufacturing.
Our products lineup is mainly highly demanded products and also products added value with design, functions, quality, environment consideration and affordable prices. Those ASKUL original products have been proudly beloved not only by BtoB customers but also BtoC customers.
Original Products Lineup (BtoB)
Alkaline Batteries（D: No.1/C: No.2/AA: No.3/AAA: No.4）
We have made alkaline batteries with simple but bold Scandinavian design of numbers since a lot of customers said, “it is hard to distinguish sizes of alkaline batteries.” These batteries have always been ranked in top sellers of batteries and favored by many customers.
Deodorizer for Toilet
Our merchandisers* saw toilet deodorizers that the packages were ripped off at restaurant restrooms and decided to create toilet deodorizers that can match the good atmosphere of the restaurants even without ripping off the packages. The contents are the same guaranteed quality as previous products, but these original products can match any places with this Scandinavian design.
Coffee Creamer
Coffee creamers are frequently used for occasions such as restaurants, café and visiting guests. The customers’ voice “Once you get rid of the plastic package, you cannot tell expire date” led us to the design of 3 different lid colors that switch colors every 3 month.
Soft Mask
We received reviews from medical customers that they were suffering the pain of behind their ears because they wear masks for long time every day. The merchandiser* of the mask has committed to pursue for good materials and quality to make the original mask to solve this problem. The original mask has wide-width and flat straps and non-woven materials in order to reduce the pain of wearing masks for long time.
Brake and Parts Cleaner
The idea of “we would like to help increasing business productivity reducing costs for customers in manufacturing and logistic industries” has made the original products lineup of MRO. This original brake and parts cleaner has been popular to customers in maintenance industries for its affordable price.
BtoC Original Products
At LOHACO, which is based on the concept of “making our lives easier,” customers can
shop for beverages, foods, detergents, kitchen supplies, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and other daily
necessities to pet products, interior goods, and LOHACO original products. Recently we have been expanding the
original products based on the concept of “solutions for daily life×effortless sustainability×fitting our
lifestyles.” The current extensive lineup is able to solve small inconvenience of daily lives and prompt
ethical minded shopping.
LOHACO original products have started with freezer bags which collaborates with a Scandinavian designer in 2013. In 2015, we have launched products that fits customers’ lives: “LOHACO rice” that we polish rice on the delivery date and “LOHACO Water” which the outer carton contains 5 bottles side by side so that customers need only small spaces to storage. We have been developing our LOHACO original products with the concepts of customers’ usability, logistic efficiency, environment considerations, and fitting design to lifestyles.
Original Products Lineup (BtoC)
LOHACO Water
To reduce task of customers when receiving boxes, we have developed an original mineral water “LOHACO Water 2L”; it enables to fit in the bottom of the delivery box. Since we have released this product for the first time in May 2016, LOHACO Water brand has been expanding the lineup such as paper packed iced coffee and aluminum canned sparking water. Throughout the entire series of LOHACO Water, it has been evaluating as ethical original product with a strategy of logistic efficiency, environment considerations, and customers’ usability.
LOHACO Rice
Started with the idea of “we would like to deliver delicious and fresh rice that newly polished,” we have opened a rice mill in a logistic center where LOHACO orders shipped from. At the rice mill, we polish strictly selected brown rice on the delivery date and send them to the customers as “LOHACO rice” with a variation of polished rice and rinse-free rice.
Pet training pads
Our original pet training pads are designed to enable visible storage, and are available in sizes that can be bundled with other products. To meet the needs of customers dealing with the odor of pet training pads due to the increased time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022 we launched a premium variety featuring charcoal and citric acid double strength deodorization.
- Merchandiser: responsible position of marketing such as product developments, product lineups, marketing and pricing.