Pistachio sweets specialty store "MAX PISTACHIO" opened its first permanent store on December 13, 2024, inside Park Marche on the 1st floor of Yurakucho Marui.
We visited the newly opened store right away and will be introducing some of the notable products that can only be found here, as well as new chocolate sweets inspired by the "Dubai Chocolate" that was a big hit on social media this year, along with a taste review.
"MAX PISTACHIO", operated by AMT PROJECT Co., Ltd., is a brand that claims to be "a pistachio sweets specialty store made by pistachio lovers, for pistachio lovers" . It is produced by Hikino Toru , editor-in-chief and sweets writer of the sweets information site "AMADAN". Hikino, who was originally a big pistachio lover, used his experience of researching sweets through interviews for many years to launch the brand in 2020 after 10 years of planning.
Until now, the product has been sold mainly through an online shop and at events held around the country, and the existence of these extremely rich pistachio sweets that can't be found anywhere else has gradually become known among pistachio lovers.
MAX PISTACHIO store
Now, the long-awaited first permanent store of MAX PISTACHIO has opened. The store will be located in Park Marche at Yurakucho Marui , where a number of unique sweets shops, such as "Patisserie MAGNOLIA" and "pleine by KITASANDO COFFEE," are lined up, with the keyword "things you can only buy here" as their shop's theme.
Ayaka Sekinami, Public Relations Officer at MAX PISTACHIO
According to Ayaka Sekinami, who is in charge of public relations for the brand, the idea of opening the store was originally proposed by Marui, but the location of Yurakucho, an attractive area that combines culture and entertainment and attracts people from Japan and abroad, also matched the brand's desire to "have many people try delicious pistachio sweets," which she says was also a deciding factor in opening a store there.
MAX PISTACHIO store
The brand is particularly particular about the quality and quantity of its pistachios. The pistachios used in its products are exclusively from Sicily, Italy, the highest quality pistachios with a vivid green color also known as "emeralds."
"Because they take a long time to ripen, Sicilian pistachios are only harvested once every two years, making them extremely rare and expensive as a raw material, accounting for less than 1% of the world's total production. But in return, they are said to be of the best quality in the world, with outstanding aroma, flavor, richness, and vivid color . Many pistachio sweets on the market keep costs down by using flavorings or other almonds and nuts to create a fragrant flavor, but MAX PISTACHIO is committed to using only Sicilian pistachios. In product development, we place emphasis on the richness of the pistachio, and how much we can bring out the rich flavor of the pistachio." (Sekinami)
At the time of opening, there are a total of five items on sale. All of them are pistachio sweets that are perfect as gifts for special occasions or as a luxurious everyday snack.
"Pistachio Sweet Terrine" (5,380 yen/piece, tax included *refrigerated product)
Their signature product , "Pistachio Sweets Terrine" (5,380 yen tax included/bottle, refrigerated) was developed in collaboration with Eguchi Kazuaki, chef patissier of "Patisserie & Cafe Delimo", which has eight stores nationwide. It uses a generous amount of pistachios and is free of artificial flavorings or colorings. It is said to be a sweet treat that melts easily in the mouth, combining it with white chocolate and fresh cream, allowing you to directly enjoy the rich, fragrant taste of the pistachios. It comes with three toppings: "Strawberry Peach", "Chocolate Spread", and "Pistachio Sprinkles". It is a dish that allows you to enjoy your own unique marriage of flavors.
"Pistachio Pudding" (800 yen each, tax included *refrigerated product) This popular item has even won first place in the pudding category on Cake.jp, Japan's largest cake and sweets specialty mail order site.
"Pistachio Ice Cream" (950 yen/each, tax included *frozen product) Both the pudding and ice cream can be topped with "Pistachio Furikake" to add extra pistachio flavor.
Of particular note is the "Pistachio Croccantini" (1,990 yen including tax/8 pieces, 2,790 yen including tax/12 pieces) , which was newly developed to commemorate the opening of the brand's first store. The other four items can be purchased online, but this is the only one that is only available in stores .
The "Pistachio Croccantini" that I actually purchased (1,990 yen including tax/8 pieces)
According to Sekinami, when opening a permanent store, he wanted to add baked goods that last longer and are easy to carry to the lineup in addition to the terrines, puddings, and ice creams that the brand had been selling up until then. The challenge was that baked goods that used pistachios tended to have a hard time bringing out the flavor of the pistachios.
After much trial and error, they decided to try a local confectionery called Croccantini, which is loved in Sicily, the home of pistachios. Croccantini is not well known in Japan, but it is made with only pistachios and sugar. It is an extremely simple confectionery that does not use flour or butter, so it is said that you can enjoy the taste of pistachios to the fullest.
"Pistachio Croccantini" Crunchy pistachios coated in sugar.
The size of the "Pistachio Croccantini"
When I tried it, the texture was similar to that of a Florentine. Although each piece was small, I was surprised at how satisfying each bite was! Even just biting into the edge, the rich aroma of pistachio spread throughout my mouth, and I was able to fully enjoy the deep richness and flavor. There is no better way to enjoy the true flavor of pistachios than this. It would also make a great snack to go with alcohol.
The remaining item is "D Chocolate Pistachio" (1,480 yen/piece, tax included), which was inspired by "Dubai Chocolate", which became popular this summer due to TikTok's ASMR videos. This is also a new product that was just released last month. It is currently selling explosively, and is said to be sold out every day by midday.
The "D Chocolate Pistachio" that I actually purchased (1,480 yen/each, tax included)
Dubai Chocolate was originally developed by a chocolate manufacturer in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is a sweet that contains pistachio paste and kadaif, a dried noodle made from wheat flour and corn flour, in chocolate. The crispy texture of the chocolate and the chewing sound created by the characteristic crunchy texture of the kadaif are addictive, and it has become a hot topic among foreign celebrities and the younger generation.
"D Chocolate Pistachio" has an adorable shape with a daisy motif.
Hikino, who tried the imported Dubai chocolate, felt that if they toned down the extreme sweetness typical of Middle Eastern sweets, it would be a sweet that would suit Japanese tastes better. When I actually tried "D Chocolate Pistachio," I found that the outside was indeed dark chocolate, with a subdued sweetness and a faint bitterness of cacao, giving it an adult finish.
Cross-section of "D Chocolate Pistachio"
After the chocolate crumbles lightly and crisply, the crunch of the pistachios and the kadaif create a different crunchy texture. The variety of textures is fresh, and the thickness makes it very satisfying to chew. Every bite is very pleasant, so we recommend storing it in the refrigerator to enjoy the texture to the fullest. As the paste gradually melts in your mouth, the luxurious taste of pistachios that is not inferior to the chocolate comes to the forefront. The aftertaste lingers for a long time, leaving you with a happy aftertaste.
Because they are particular about the ingredients, the prices are not cheap, but if you are a pistachio lover, you should try MAX PISTACHIO's super rich pistachio sweets at least once. It is located in front of Yurakucho Station and is easily accessible, so please do visit.
■Store Overview
| Store name | MAX PISTACHIO Yurakucho Marui store |
| Opening Day | Friday, December 13, 2024 |
| address | Yurakucho Marui 1F Park Marche (2-7-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) |
| Opening times | 11:00-20:00 (depending on the facility) |
| access | 1 minute walk from JR Keihin Tohoku Line, JR Yamanote Line, JR Line (from Yurakucho Station) 1 minute walk from Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line (from Yurakucho Station) |
| Brand site URL | https://maxpistachio.com/ |
*The contents of this article are from the time of coverage. They may differ from the latest information, so please check the official website for details.
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