*Information related to faculty members/students and graduate schools at Gifu University here are all that of the time of interviewing.

Gifu University Bread Lovers' Club

The group was launched after a call for volunteers in 2019 and comprises 40 members, ranging from beginners to experienced bakers. Activities are held once a month. Members prepare one to two types of bread, such as melon pan, croissants, and bagels, according to the wishes of the members. The group opened a booth at the Bread Mini Market for the first time in the fall of 2022 and sold products in collaboration with Guruman Vital. Information is available on social media, including Instagram (@gu_pan_lab) and Twitter (@gu_pan_lab).

Challenges of authentic bread baking with a craftsperson through trial and error.

Guruman Vital
Guruman Vital's head shop is
located in Tarui Town in the
Fuwa District, Gifu Prefecture,
and they operate four bakeries
in Gifu and Aichi. They sell
wholesale products to major
high-end supermarkets, as well
as products online. They bake
bread based on the idea that
connecting people through food
contributes to the development
of food culture and society.

At the Bread Symposium, an event hosted by the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences in AY2019, the Gifu University Bread Laboratory President met with Mr. SUZUKI Masahiro, the President of Guruman Vital. They discussed the future potential to collaborate. Thanks to that connection, President Suzuki arranged a study session last summer, where we learned bread-baking techniques. He taught us how to create high-water content breads and how to knead the dough. We were surprised by the high technical skills required, as well as the profound complexities of the art of bread making.

Subsequently, we decided to serve melon pan in collaboration with Guruman Vital at the Bread Mini Market held at the Bread Symposium. Everyone at the Bread Laboratory discussed ideas, resulting in 10 different proposals. Assuming housewives as the purchaser demographic, we decided on five types of melon pan, including Mixed Grain and Small-Fry Cheese Melon Pans. We were permitted to create the bread at the Guruman Vital workshop. We found it difficult to produce the melon pan using fresh melon fruit juice. The dough drooped and was difficult to mold. A member of the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences speculated that an enzyme in the melon caused these challenges; therefore, by changing our cooking design, we successfully produced a delicious melon pan. We learned through direct experience that research could be used in familiar circumstances.

Connecting with people through sales.

Bread Mini Market
The Bread Mini Market co-hosted with the Bread
Symposium, which was first held in AY2022
following the demand from people to more closely
engage with bread research. A total of 10 shops
participated, including bakeries and coffee shops,
in addition to the Gifu University Bread Laboratory.

One aspect that we found challenging when preparing our booth was bread pricing, which President Suzuki asked us to "freely consider". We had assumed people would purchase our product due to our student status and not be deterred by the price. However, after discussing with acquaintances and others, we considered the market price and risk of unsold items. Therefore, we sold our products at 200 yen, which was lower than what we had originally thought.

We worked hard to attract customers to our booth because we are not as well recognized as other booths at the Bread Mini Market. We placed leaflets in places inside and outside the university campus, such as cafes, childcare centers, and the Sunday Building Market, which is a monthly event at the Yanagase Shopping Street, Gifu City. On the day of the event, we sold all 150 products within two hours. We were astonished and felt a great sense of accomplishment when numerous people told us that our bread was delicious.

I realized the importance of action through our collaborations and the opening of our booth. Until now, I had not felt comfortable participating in something, even if it seemed fun. Thanks to the words of encouragement from others, I have realized that taking the first step can lead to excellent accomplishments. Additionally, we experienced positive encounters with the people who visited our booth, and they asked us to open booths at other events. I had previously never interacted with the people of the town, so I felt very refreshed. In the future, I would like to take on new challenges, such as creating original types of bread, while still valuing courage and taking action.