TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A new trademark for a cash cow of Taiwan Railways – bento boxes – has been unveiled to boost the image of the passenger favorite.

The octagonal logo features white characters referencing Taiwan Railways Bento in both Chinese and English against a blue backdrop. Adopting a minimalist approach, the design echoes the blue-and-white logo of the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) and can be integrated with other brands for future crossover collaborations.

The new trademark is being registered and will be showcased at the 2020 Taiwan Design Expo, which starts on Oct. 1 in Hsinchu. It is part of a marketing campaign to strengthen the brand image of the lunchboxes, a signature product of the public railway service that has a large fan base.

The TRA raked in NT$750 million (US$25.7 million) from bento box sales last year, with over 10 million units sold, reported Newtalk. A must-try for passengers, there is a wide variety of TRA bento meals, which contain rice, meat, and Taiwanese-style side dishes.

The company has ramped up its campaign to promote the bento meals by launching limited-editions made with local ingredients and supplying them to air flights. Dubbed the "food of the commoners," they can also be purchased at Family Mart convenience stores.

TRA pork bento (TRA photo)