Royce is one of the best-selling brands from Hokkaido. You may have heard the name before, as the product is an iconic souvenir from Japan. In the airport, there is always a long queue with people holding boxes of this chocolate. Their branches are available in Asia or even in the Middle East, too.
You may now think, that if their products are available in Muslim countries, then all of the products in Japan are also Halal; However, it is actually not true. On the contrary, most of them include some liquors to top up the flavor of brandy or champagne.
In this article, we are going to show you which items should be chosen as Halal or Muslim-friendly, along with their ingredients.
You can check the names of famous souvenirs that can be Muslim-friendly in this page.
What is Nama Chocolate?
Nama Chocolate literally means raw chocolate in Japanese, which is like a Ganache. It is the name of chocolate, not a product. The chocolate contains thick cream, and the texture is very soft and mild.
Nama Chocolate usually contains liquor to have a rich flavor, which is the case for the Royce as well. There is even a luxurious version of chocolate that features famous brandy or champagne, so Nama Chocolate is made for adults, not kids.
However, as the chocolate became too popular and famous, they have made chocolates without alcohol. This is great because it can be consumed by pregnant ladies and kids, and of course Muslims.
Credit: https://www.royce.com/
Which Royce Nama Chocolate do not contain liquor?
Royce Nama Chocolates which do not contain liquor are as follows:
*Check just below the label, it says “Liquor Free” in white letter.
Ingredients of Mild milkIngredients of Ghana Bitter
They are not Halal-certified, but so far it seems that there are no restricted ingredients inside. There is a caution saying that they are using Alcoholic air to preserve the quality, so you may feel the alcohol when opening.
Where are the products sold?
Royce shops are available in shopping malls or in the souvenir shops in Hokkaido, or they are even sold at main airports in Japan.
As the products are very popular and famous, sometimes there is a reminder from the shop that there is a maximum number of packages that a tourist can buy at a time. If you would like to buy as many boxes as you wish, then we strongly recommend you buy before heading to airport, as sometimes it is all sold out and you may not be able to buy.
How can I bring them back to my country?
Nama Chocolates have to be kept chilled, ideally below 10 degrees. At the shop, they should sell ice or cooler bag for a small fee, like 100-200 yen.
Mild milk (brown package) 864 yen Ghana Bitter (black package) 864 yen
Same in the airport.
Expiry date
1 month after production, 1 week after opened. Chocolate can be preserved even longer when it is put in a freezer.
Chocolates are available at major department stores and souvenir shops in Hokkaido, as well as International Airports after security area. We hope you can enjoy one of the best souvenirs from Japan!
Information as of June 2023.
The product is not Halal certified, so that there could be a small risk of contamination.
