As values and lifestyles evolve with the times, the Meiji Group is expanding its digital communication efforts to deliver targeted products and services that genuinely address customers' needs, solve their challenges, and improve their wellness.
One example of these efforts is Meiji's childcare-record app, "Baby Journal," which helps parents navigate the often-overwhelming world of childcare. With advice coming from all directions, many parents today feel unsure—"What sources can I trust?" or "Who can I turn to for help?" Backed by over 100 years of expertise supporting infant growth, the Meiji Group created Baby Journal to be a source of reliable, meaningful information for families during the early stages of parenting.
We spoke with Takuya Masuda, who leads marketing for Meiji Hohoemi infant formula, and Satoru Watanabe, who oversees Meiji's app content development, about their vision and aspirations for this project.
Creating new connections with expectant and new parents
Meiji's history of supporting infant nutrition began in 1923 with the launch of its first infant formula. Its flagship product, Meiji Hohoemi, has since become Japan's most trusted brand, refined through decades of research on breastfeeding. In 1976, Meiji deepened its support with the launch of its Baby Consultation Center, where licensed nutritionists and registered dietitians provide phone-based advice to parents. Since 2000, the company has further extended that support, sharing expert advice and practical parenting information through its dedicated website, Hohoemi Club.
The Meiji Group supports the belief that breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for babies. However, for a variety of reasons, breastfeeding isn't always possible. That's why Meiji employs approximately 200 nutritionists and registered dietitians who provide in-person guidance on formula preparation and nutrition consultations in hospitals, maternity clinics, and baby product stores across Japan.
These educational sessions teach expectant and new mothers—and their families—how to properly prepare infant formula when needed. They also emphasize the importance of proper nutrition and reinforce breastfeeding as the foundation of infant care. For Meiji, these sessions are a valuable opportunity to engage face-to-face with families, offer recommendations grounded in expertise, and build lasting trust.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Meiji had to adjust its methods of reaching families. Masuda explains:
"With in-person formula preparation guidance at hospitals no longer possible, we lost a key opportunity to connect directly with expectant and new mothers. That led us to explore new ways to reach them and create alternative channels for communication."
At the same time, the Meiji Group was actively exploring how digital technology could help strengthen customer relationships. Watanabe reflects on this period:
"In the past, communication from manufacturers was mostly one-way and limited to direct mail or traditional media. But with the growth of social media, two-way interaction became more accessible. The timing was right for us to rethink how we engage with customers. We launched a cross-departmental project with the Meiji Hohoemi team to develop a childcare-record app designed to support expectant and new mothers, as well as their families."
Personal access to a Meiji nutritionist—anytime, anywhere
The childcare-record app allows parents to track breastfeeding, diaper changes, sleep, and other aspects of their baby's daily routine—helping them manage their child's health with confidence. While handwritten notebooks were once the go-to method, more parents are now turning to digital tools. Meiji began full-scale development of Baby Journal in 2022 to meet this growing need.
"We knew Baby Journal was joining a crowded field," says Masuda. "So we leaned into Meiji's unique strength, our extensive expertise gained from over 100 years of supporting infant care. Our top priority was to provide practical, reassuring support that helps ease the anxiety often felt by parents and families."
A standout feature of the app is its one-tap call function, which connects users directly to the Baby Consultation Center, where licensed nutritionists are on standby, ready to assist. This feature offers immediate answers and human support during moments of uncertainty for parents. Masuda notes, "From the very beginning, we knew this was a feature we absolutely had to include."
Baby Journal is a simple app anyone can easily learn to use
"Since this was our first experience developing an app, we really didn't know where to begin," Masuda recalls. "So we held many discussions with Watanabe, the development vendor (an affiliate company, now Wellnize Inc.), and the legal team. The support of our nutritionists was essential. And because we wanted the app to truly reflect the needs of parents, we also reached out to employees at Meiji who were raising children. It felt like the whole company—and even the wider Meiji Group—came together to combine knowledge and ideas."
Speed was an important part of the development strategy. Rather than aiming for a flawless product at launch, the team began with just the core features—planning to refine and expand the app based on user feedback to best meet families' real-life needs.
Continual improvement based on real user input
Baby Journal officially launched in 2023.
"Users have responded positively to the app's simple design and ad-free experience," says Masuda. "And we've listened to their input. One of the most common requests early on was for a 'family sharing' feature that would allow multiple caregivers to update the same baby's records. We acted quickly to implement that function based on user feedback. We also include a wide range of parenting guidance, especially support for breastfeeding, advice for when breast milk is insufficient, and tips for introducing solid foods."
The app continues to evolve in direct response to user feedback. Recent updates include a feeding timer to track how long a baby nurses, as well as app performance improvements like faster response times. With the return of in-person consultations post-pandemic, Meiji's nutritionists have been introducing the app directly to expectant and new parents, which helps with adoption and engagement.
"Our nutritionists are on the front lines, so they understand our customers' needs better than anyone," says Masuda. "We rely on them heavily to gather feedback and help us prioritize updates."
Packed with practical features—easily log baby care records like feedings and sleep, track age-appropriate weaning, and access articles with useful parenting tips
Baby Journal also features a wide range of articles addressing common parenting concerns such as breastfeeding, formula feeding, starting solids, and age-appropriate weaning recipes. All content reflects Meiji's decades of experience in infant nutrition and answers the many questions parents often have about feeding their baby.
"With the addition of new features and improvements to usability, downloads and engagement with Baby Journal have steadily increased. We're confident the app is evolving into a trusted tool parents can use with peace of mind," says Watanabe.
Watanabe is continually working to expand the app's value to parents by introducing a broader range of services. In collaboration with Wellnize, he's building a system centered around the Meiji Member ID—a single login that connects users to Meiji's full suite of online services and apps. As of October 2025, the membership base surpassed 180,000 users.
"Through the Meiji Member ID system, our goal is to offer Baby Journal users not only the features within the app, but also personalized content tailored to their interests and seamless access to Meiji's broader lifestyle services," says Watanabe.
What is the Meiji Member ID Service?
The Meiji Member ID is the official membership program of Meiji Co., Ltd. By registering, users can access Meiji's official apps, unlock members-only services with a single login, and participate in exclusive special offers.
Contributing to people's health through digital innovation
Reflecting on the journey so far, Masuda says:
"With Baby Journal, we've made it our mission to stay closely connected to users. The app will continue to evolve based on user feedback. Development is never truly finished. The app will keep expanding and improving, because parenting is ever-changing, and we want to grow with it."
"Meiji remains dedicated to providing accurate information and supporting expectant and new parents with the care and reliability they deserve."
Looking ahead, Watanabe reaffirms his commitment to support customers through the Meiji Member ID platform.
"While many food manufacturers focus on e-commerce, our strength lies in offering a wide range of products for all ages—from infants to the elderly. Building on that foundation, we aim to continually enhance our system to deliver tailored health and nutrition insights, even after families move on from Baby Journal. We hope this approach not only supports families in their daily lives but also deepens their connection with the Meiji brand," he says.
Helping people lead healthier lives—at every stage—will always be our goal. And we'll keep innovating our digital services to rise to that challenge.
