On May 13, Lupicia, a major tea sales company in the town of Niseko, opened a direct sales store, ‘EX-Factory’ on a site adjacent to the Niseko View Plaza roadside rest area. The store sells a wide variety of products manufactured by the company, including boxed lunches and sandwiches made from cultivated and wild vegetables available from the roadside rest area, as well as tea and sweets.
　
Last December, the company opened a direct sales shop next to its food factory in the Motomachi district of Niseko. In order to attract more tourists and other visitors during the summer, the company decided to open a seasonal shop next to the roadside rest area approximately 1 km to the southwest, and moved to the new location on the 13th. The store is scheduled to remain open until late October, before moving back to the factory in the winter.
　
One-coin (500 yen) bentos (boxed lunches) and sandwiches, made with seasonal cultivated and wild vegetables purchased from the roadside rest area by the chef of the company’s restaurant & deli, La Villa LUPICIA, located in the Kabayama district of the town Kutchan, will be sold at the new store. During the first week of opening, ‘Rice topped with spring vegetables,’ made with colorful vegetables such as asparagus, lily bulbs and carrots, was available.
　
The person in charge says, “We would like to convey the appeal of food through a variety of products that are rooted in the local community. Open Sunday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Irregular holidays.