Members of TFT Kyodai promote "Tensai-Chapolitan," which also supports developing countries

On June 17, Dream Foods Inc. in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, which is the owner of the Chinese-noodles restaurant-chain "Chanpontei Sohonke," introduced a Chanpon-style, Neapolitan spaghetti dish called "Tensai-Chapolitan," or outstanding Chapolitan, which was jointly developed with Kyoto University students. It is a lightly flavored dish with Chanpon noodles and plenty of vegetables. Using a system where a portion of the price will be used to support developing countries, the company is promoting it with the slogan, "Why not contribute to society easily and deliciously through a meal?"

It was planned by "TFT Kyodai," a Kyoto University students' group that supports the activities of "Table for Two (TFT)" which is tackling the issue of gluttonous eating in developed countries and starvation in developing countries. Since the group's formation in 2009, they have sold their original "Kenko Menu," or healthy dishes, to lead to improvements related to lifestyle diseases in the university's COOP restaurants every year. Twenty yen out of the price of each serving is allocated to support organizations in five African nations, including Uganda and Rwanda, to be used for local children's school meal charges.

The group negotiated with Dream Foods to expand their activities this year. Dream Foods responded, "It is our pleasure to expand the range of our menu by introducing young people's ideas," resulting in the first ever collaboration with students.

Product development was undertaken with an eye on the recent Neapolitan spaghetti boom. In addition to its standard ingredients such as bell peppers and onions, cabbage and carrots which are used in Chanpon have been added. Also, fish sausage containing DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is known to activate brain functions, was put into the dish because Kyoto University students are usually regarded as "Tensai," or outstanding. It is sold for 700 yen per plate. Tensai-Chapolitan is available at all 44 Chanpontei Sohonke stores until the end of July.

Wakana Tokui, a sophomore in the Faculty of Economics and group leader from Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, said, "It is full of vegetables, healthy, and tasty. We hope people easily engage in international cooperation in order to increase donations." Dream Foods stated, "Through the connection with students, we would like to promote this unprecedented new product and plan in the future."