GOOD NEWS Inc., a company that develops products and community initiatives centered on food to address social issues through design, has announced the nationwide release of "Itoko to Chocolate," a new craft confection from their Hokkaido-exclusive "Hokkaido Butter no Itoko" brand. The product will launch on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
*Please check product details for participating stores.
A "Chocolate Reward" for the Fluffy, Crispy, and Creamy Texture
The signature "Butter no Itoko" features fluffy butter-scented gauffrette wafers sandwiching milk-rich skim milk jam, creating a delightful "fluffy, crispy, and creamy" texture. Now, this beloved treat receives a "chocolate reward."
Made with Hokkaido ingredients and produced entirely in Hokkaido, "Hokkaido Butter no Itoko" has been dressed up in chocolate. The result is "Itoko to Chocolate," a luxurious confection with a rich, bitter cacao aroma.
What is "Hokkaido Butter no Itoko"?
The white "Hokkaido Butter no Itoko," born in Hokkaido, is made with Hokkaido ingredients and produced in the company's Hokkaido factory.
This premium Hokkaido-exclusive version of "Butter no Itoko" utilizes skim milk, a byproduct from butter production at Biei Grazing Dairy Farm. It also features white eggs from chickens raised at Takeuchi Poultry Farm, where birds are fed a diet consisting solely of rice and four types of Hokkaido-sourced ingredients.
The new "Itoko to Chocolate" is based on "Hokkaido Butter no Itoko," with half of each piece hand-coated in chocolate, creating a handcrafted treat filled with warmth.
While "Hokkaido Butter no Itoko" is normally sold exclusively at directly-operated stores in Hokkaido, "Itoko to Chocolate" will be available at participating stores nationwide.
Customers can enjoy two flavors and textures in one piece—the classic "Hokkaido Butter no Itoko" section and the chocolate-coated section—making it doubly delicious.
Experience this new, limited-time fusion of "Hokkaido Butter no Itoko" and chocolate.
Perfect for Valentine's Gifts: Sold Individually
Wanting customers to savor these treats as special gifts or personal rewards, the company has prepared individually wrapped packages that can be selected one by one at stores.
Single-piece boxes and gift boxes containing four pieces of each flavor are available for various special occasions.
Product Details: Itoko to Chocolate
Product Name: Itoko to Chocolate
Flavors: Premium Milk, Chocolate, Salted Caramel, White Chocolate
Pricing:
- Itoko to Chocolate Single Piece (1 piece): ¥432 (tax included)
- Itoko to Chocolate Gift Box: ¥1,620 (tax included)
Sales Period: Available from Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at Butter no Itoko stores nationwide
*Excluding select stores (Daimaru Tokyo Store)
Store Locations:
Please check the Butter no Itoko brand website for participating stores.
Five Sustainable Valentine's Gifts Available at GOOD NEWS
Valentine's Day is a day to express feelings in tangible form to those you care about.
Why not choose gifts that consider not only the recipient but also the makers and the story behind each product?
GOOD NEWS, which addresses social issues through food, has created environmentally and socially conscious confections by utilizing previously unused food materials. Here are five carefully selected chocolate confections perfect for the Valentine's season.
Butter no Itoko Chocolate
A signature chocolate flavor of Butter no Itoko.
Using selected cacao in the gauffrette wafer, butter cream, and skim milk jam, this confection delivers a rich aroma and deep, bitter chocolate flavor.
Each box contains three pieces, making it perfect for small gifts.
Butter no Itoko Chocolate (1 box, 3 pieces): ¥1,080 (tax included)
Itoko no Rusk Chocolate
Chocolate rusk made from the edges of gauffrette wafers trimmed during Butter no Itoko chocolate production, baked to golden perfection.
With a gentle butter aroma and bitter cacao flavor, this slightly sophisticated taste has proven extremely popular.
Since December 2025, the product has been redesigned with charming illustrations and tetra-shaped individual packaging, making it even more convenient for gift-giving.
Itoko no Rusk Tetra Chocolate: ¥999 (tax included)
Torokeru Baked Cake Chocolate
Inspired by "What if Butter no Itoko became a cake?", this baked cake generously incorporates Butter no Itoko gauffrette wafers into the batter.
The cake batter includes West African cacao with its rich, deep flavor and sweet vanilla-like aroma, while chocolate skim milk jam is abundantly sealed inside.
Enjoy the overflowing chocolate with each bite of this new creation born from Butter no Itoko.
Torokeru Baked Cake Chocolate (3 pieces): ¥972 (tax included)
BROWN CHEESE BROTHER
A confection featuring brown cheese, made delicious by condensing whey (lactoserum), the byproduct produced in large quantities during cheese-making from milk.
Butter-scented galette Bretonne combined with cacao sandwiches sweet-and-sour brown cheese caramel.
This rich cookie sandwich delivers an intense combination of chocolate and brown cheese flavors.
BROWN CHEESE BROTHER Chocolate: ¥972 (tax included)
HOKKAIDO BROWN CHEESE
Born in Hokkaido in August 2025, "HOKKAIDO BROWN CHEESE" is a brand centered on brown cheese made by condensing whey.
SNOWDOME features a new texture with three melting sensations: "crispy, fizzy, and melting" meringue, brown cheese, and rich chocolate.
SNOWDOME Chocolate (4 pieces): ¥1,296 (tax included)
*Currently available exclusively at Daimaru Sapporo Store.
The Secret of Butter no Itoko
Fluffy, Crispy, and Creamy Texture: Milk-rich jam made from skim milk sandwiched between butter-scented gauffrette (waffle) wafers
Sustainable Confection: Supports dairy farmers through skim milk utilization
Social Contribution: GOOD NEWS's factory in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, also serves as an employment support facility. The confections are produced through extensive handwork by people with time or work constraints and members of the local community.
"Butter no Itoko," a specialty confection born in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, captivates with its delicate balance of fluffy, butter-rich soft wafers, crispy-textured innovative cream, and rich, creamy jam. Behind its creation lies a concern of dairy farmers.
Only 4% of milk becomes butter. The remaining 90% or more becomes "skim milk," which is often sold at low prices or not effectively utilized.
"We want to maximize the blessings our cows provide."
From this sentiment, "Butter no Itoko" was created—a confection with skim milk as the star ingredient. By purchasing products that are "Delicious!" and "Cute!", customers contribute to the story of supporting small-scale dairy farmers and creating inclusive employment. This creates a virtuous cycle of smiles among producers, local residents, and consumers—a "three-way benefit" confection.
About GOOD NEWS Inc.
GOOD NEWS Inc. develops products, community spaces, and systems centered on food to address social (regional) issues through design. Under the vision of "A Large Table," the company creates spaces where people of all backgrounds can connect through food, aiming to build communities where everyone involved—producers, buyers, and workers—can find happiness.
The company also discovers new value in unused food materials and develops and sells delicious confections and accessible food products.
Company Information:
Company Name: GOOD NEWS Inc.
Location: 2905-25 Takaku, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi Prefecture
