The ready-to-eat meals market continues to expand against the backdrop of an increasing number of dual-income households and an aging population. At the same time, this trend also means companies that provide ready-to-eat meals must undertake a greater level of responsibility and more important roles, such as delivering health through food and managing the environmental impacts of business expansion.


Having raised providing "safety" and "products and services of value" as part of the Group philosophy, the Group is working to disclose calories and develop health-oriented products. Through these efforts, we aim to help solve the social issue of extending healthy life expectancies. In addition, we share with all our employees the belief of Prioritizing Thorough Hygiene Management Above All Else as the major premise behind our business activities.


In October 2020, we certified and registered every Warabeya Nichiyo Foods Co., Ltd. (formerly Warabeya Nichiyo Co., Ltd.) business site under Eco Action 21 with the aim of playing a part in a sustainable society, and of further strengthening our contributions to the solutions for environmental issues. Yet we still face a variety of environmental challenges. For example, many of our bento meal box containers are currently made of plastic, which is why we are switching to paper containers when feasible. As a business that handles food, we are also focused on reducing food waste, specifically by decreasing ingredient waste through reviews of each process from order receipt to delivery, and by developing products with long-lasting freshness as a means of curtailing loss resulting from disposal at retail outlets.


In regard to governance, we will return to the basics once again and work to build an organization that possesses a highly transparent, effective internal control function.

In terms of sustainability initiatives, we recognize that as a company we must play a role in the sustained growth of society. For this reason, we established the Sustainability Committee in December 2021 and identified five material issues in April 2023 as follows:
 

  • Contribute to a circular society (promote decarbonization, reduce environmental impact, and aim to realize a circular society)
  • Provide the joy of food (contribute to the safe, diverse diets of our customers)
  • Realize a sustainable supply chain (reliably procure and supply food in response to climate change and transforming social conditions)
  • Ensure work is rewarding, and respect human rights and diversity (establish systems that enable everyone to flourish)
  • Establish a robust business foundation (strengthen the ability to act flexibly and swiftly in line with changes in the business environment)


As a member of society, the Group will continue to engage in various activities to resolve these issues.
 

 

Hideo Tsuji, President