Calbee Keeps "Frugra" Stocked in the Office—Addressing Vegetable and Fruit Shortages at Outstanding Food Education Practice Corporation 2026
Calbee, Inc. was selected for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Outstanding Food-Education Practice Organization 2026" as of April 1, 2026. Behind it lies the working generation'sinsufficient intake of vegetables and fruitsand dependence on eating out and ready meals. From January 2026, the company has stepped into improving employees' eating habits, including starting permanent provision of "Frugra(R)" at its head-office building.
What is "Outstanding Food-Education Practice Organization 2026"?
The Outstanding Food-Education Practice Organization is a scheme in which the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries evaluates and certifies companies working on improving employees' eating habits. Amid falling vegetable and fruit intake and more people relying on food cooked outside, the aim is to encourage companies to support food education from the workplace. Calbee was chosen as an outstanding organization in this 2026 edition.
Calbee's main efforts
| Efforts | Details |
|---|---|
| Permanent provision of Frugra at the head-office building | Started January 2026 |
| Food-education classes at elementary schools | Employees participate at elementary schools nationwide |
| Factory-cafeteria menus | Nutritionally balanced, with nutritional information also displayed |
| Activities for factory workers | Efforts to raise health awareness |
| Start of health management | Promoted in earnest since 2016 |
The meaning of placing "fruit- and vegetable-derived food" in the office
Calbee says it has advanced health management "from the belief that the health of employees and their families is essential to a company's growth," aiming to be a "healthy company where people can work brightly and vibrantly." Keeping Frugra permanently stocked at the head-office building is a measure that brings that stance down to the everyday level of the workplace. Even on a busy weekday, having fruit- and grain-derived options within reach makes it easier to make up for a shortfall in intake.
Agriture's perspective -- office vegetable and fruit shortage is our business domain
We run "Office Yaoya," which delivers vegetables to offices, so vegetable and fruit shortage among working people is a theme right at the center of our business. Calbee's effort this time shows that the idea of keeping healthy food options permanently stocked in the office is spreading to major companies too.
Products that keep well and let you easily supplement vegetables, like the Kyoto-grown dried-vegetable D2C "OYAOYA," are also a good match for workplace intake-shortfall countermeasures. They can be placed at room temperature and worked in even in busy moments. Workplace health management is becoming a new outlet for such foods.
Summary
Calbee's selection as an Outstanding Food-Education Practice Organization 2026 and its permanent Frugra offering symbolize the trend of companies facing the working generation's vegetable and fruit shortage from the workplace. The move to institutionalize food education as a "company effort" looks set to spread to other companies going forward.
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