Calpis, Nissin Food Products, Calbee Market Products to Offset Summer Sales Slump.

The summer heat tends to curb consumers' appetites, which dampens sales potential for many food companies in Japan, especially snack and instant noodle makers. Efforts have thus been directed toward developing products the stir up the appetite.

Calpis launched Hinata, a concentrate in the company's flagship series made with the Hinata Mikan, an early summer orange grown in Miyazaki. This refreshing beverage, which is diluted in a ratio of five …