Corn Cultivation and Freshness Standards
📌 The visit took place at a sweet corn field in Hokkaido, where corn is grown for Knorr cup soup production.
🌽 Corn takes about three months to mature after planting in early May; this timing is crucial because early planting in cold weather prevents germination, and harvest timing is critical for peak sweetness.
💧 Freshly harvested corn is incredibly sweet, comparable to or even sweeter than melons, with virtually no bitterness when eaten raw.
⏱️ Knorr utilizes only corn harvested within 24 hours of processing to ensure maximum flavor, necessitating close proximity between the fields and the factory.

Industrial Processing and Zero Waste
🚜 Harvesting is done using a Harvester machine, capable of processing about 2 tons of corn per run, equivalent to about five truckloads.
🧼 Upon arrival at the factory, corn is immediately processed in a highly hygienic environment, involving 50-second handwashing and other rigorous sanitation procedures.
🔪 The process involves a "moving cutter" machine that separates the kernels from the cob; surviving debris (husks, cobs) is processed as feed for cattle in nearby farms, ensuring zero waste.
🥣 The kernels are then washed, turned into a paste, further smoothed, and heated to about 85°C before being dried into the final powder ingredient used in Knorr products.

Product Comparison and Insight
👅 Tasting the boiled fresh corn confirmed it was significantly sweeter and more flavorful than the raw kernels, highlighting the impact of heat on flavor enhancement.
🏭 Experiencing the production process dramatically improved the appreciation for the finished Knorr cup soup, making it taste significantly better after witnessing the effort involved.
🍚 The corn paste, before drying, was so rich it could be used for pasta sauce, and the dried powder retains a strong, authentic corn aroma and taste.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ The 24-hour freshness window for using harvested corn dictates where processing occurs (powder base is made in Hokkaido, then shipped to Kawasaki).
➡️ The industrial process emphasizes complete utilization; everything from the corn is repurposed, with husks and cobs becoming cattle feed.
➡️ The quality of raw ingredients—especially the intense sweetness of just-picked corn—is the fundamental driver of flavor in the final processed product.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Jan 09, 2026, 14:58 UTC