Free school lunch is a hot topic in Japan right now, with cities like Tokyo moving to make free lunch in elementary and middle school a reality. Now, in true Japanese-style celebration of the Christmas season, FamilyMart says it’s giving away over 10,000 of its famous Famichiki to schools in one city.
The event honors the founding of the city of Sayama in Saitama Prefecture, which was founded 70 years ago. The city, about 67 kilometers northwest of Tokyo, has a population of around 147,000.
As a “Christmas present” celebrating the city’s founding, the popular combini chain says it’ll give away 10,500 Famichiki boneless fried chicken fillets as part of school lunches for elementary and middle school students in Sayama. It will distribute the Famichiki to all public middle schools on December 19th and to Sayama’s elementary schools on the 20th.
Famichiki is one of Japan’s most well-known convenience store fast foods. The chain has sold 220 million units since launching the product in 2006. FamilyMart is also well known for its apparel line, particularly its comfortable socks that have proven a hit with both native Japanese and foreign residents.
This is the first time FamilyMart has provided food as part of school lunches. The company says it plans to repeat the giveaway in other school systems across Japan.
Free school lunch is on everyone’s minds in Japan
School lunches are a hot topic in Japan right now. Both the central and local governments are looking at sponsoring free school lunches as one way to reduce the financial burden of parenting in Japan and help lift the country’s declining birth rates.
The Tokyo Metropolitan area announced it would institute free lunches for all elementary and middle school students beginning in January 2025. Similar proposals backed by Japan’s major political parties would make free school lunches a reality nationwide.
Besides joining in on the free school lunch craze, the giveaway is also fitting for the season. In Japan, fried chicken has become a traditional Christmastime meal, spurred mainly through heavy promotion by Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Most people in Japanese social media seem to be praising FamilyMart for the smart PR move, which does a good deed for kids but is also a clever way for the chain to promote its business. (FamilyMart is currently Japan’s second largest combini chain behind 7-11.)
The news also provides economic relief to parents and schools at a time when rising prices are impacting even school lunches. Last year, 150 schools in Japan had to scramble when a provider of school lunches in Hiroshima, Hoyu, abruptly filed for bankruptcy.
A few voices expressed concern, however, that fried chicken may not be the most nutritious lunch for growing bodies.
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Sources
ファミリーマート初！看板商品「ファミチキ」が埼玉県狭山市の小中学校の給食に！～ファミリーマート発祥の地、狭山市市制施行70周年記念～. FamilyMart via PRTimes
『ファミチキ』が学校給食に？ ファミマが初の試み、クリスマス前の小中学校に約10,500個を無償提供. Oricon News
どうして学校給食など停止？ホーユー破産手続き申請検討 那珂市などで影響も 社長“食材費などが高騰で…”. NHK Shutoken
