OSAKA - The fluffy “Tomita no Tamago Baumkuchen,” produced at the cafe Yuuhi Terrace in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, has become a local specialty sweet made with locally sourced eggs and ingredients from across Kyushu.
The product was launched by Tomita, a fourth-generation egg farmer, who sought a way to make effective use of out-of-spec eggs that account for roughly 3 percent of the 10,000 eggs produced daily. While the initiative offered a sustainable solution, Tomita had no prior experience in confectionery production.
Support came in the form of “THEO,” an AI-equipped oven developed by the long-established confectionery maker Juchheim. The oven uses artificial intelligence to learn and replicate the precise baking techniques of skilled artisans, enabling it to produce evenly layered and visually striking baumkuchen with consistent quality.
Juchheim provides the equipment free of charge to participating businesses and also offers guidance on batter preparation and sales strategies. Under a royalty model based on each baumkuchen sold, the system has been introduced at 20 locations nationwide, with plans to expand to 70 units in the future.
The collaboration between traditional craftsmanship and artificial intelligence is opening a new chapter in Japan’s confectionery industry, allowing even those without prior experience to achieve professional-level results.
Source: Television OSAKA NEWS
