Warabeya Nichiyo Foods Co., Ltd., serves as a member of Nihon Delica Foods Association (NDF), an organization composed of multiple companies that have business dealings with SEVEN-ELEVEN JAPAN CO., LTD. Together, members engage in ingredient procurement, product development, production and quality control, and environmental action. In addition to developing attractive products, we also take part in a variety of environmentally-friendly initiatives.
In terms of reducing food waste and loss, we participate in the NDF Food Loss Working Group.
Analyzing the content of food waste at plants has revealed that a high percentage of excess work in process* is discarded because plants produce more than the amount ordered. One of the reasons for this overproduction is that companies have started to manufacture products based on order forecasting. We requested SEVEN-ELEVEN JAPAN CO., LTD., to change its ordering system in aims of improving the accuracy of order forecasting, resulting in gradually producing results. The modifications we have made to our production structure in order to accommodate the changes in their ordering system have also led to higher productivity.
As part of this project, we will continue to take various steps to reduce food waste and loss.
*Work in process: A product that is in the process of being manufactured.
We recognize that reducing industrial waste (plastic waste) is an important global challenge, as well as an item that is directly linked to management in terms of soaring disposal costs, for example.
Since 2019, when Warabeya Nichiyo Foods Co., Ltd., first launched our Eco Action 21 initiatives, we have made progress in reducing industrial waste by reexamining the size of and application methods for the plastic sheets used in our plants, as well as by revisiting our approach to the separating and cleaning steps when disposing of plastic waste. We will continue to gather a broad range of information, and to implement efforts in aims of further reducing plastic waste.
In regard to reducing animal and plant residues, we are reviewing our ordering and production processes to prevent excess waste at our plants. Thanks in part to these efforts, we have successfully reduced the amount of plant and animal residue every year.
Changes in Waste Amounts