Industry news– archive –
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A Salad Vending Machine Where AI Sets the Price Appears at JR Kyobashi Station—KOMPEITO's "Office de Yasai" Implements Waste Reduction Inside the Station
KOMPEITO installed the salad vending machine "SALAD STAND," which changes prices with AI, at JR Kyobashi Station on May 13. It calculates the optimal price from foot traffic and expiration dates, implementing food-loss reduction inside the station. -
Kawachi issun broad bean certified as the 26th item of the “Naniwa Heirloom Vegetables”—the lineage of native varieties Osaka has kept protecting
Osaka Prefecture certified Kawachi issun broad bean as a “Naniwa Heirloom Vegetable,” bringing the number of certified items to 26. It is a large-grained native variety grown in southern Osaka since the Meiji era, meeting three requirements including a cultivation history of over about 100 years and a clear lineage. -
An IT Company Provides Off-Spec Vegetable Delivery Free to All Employees—One of the First 333 Companies Certified by MAFF as "Outstanding Food Education Practice Corporations"
System developer Nihon Knowledge Space was newly certified as a MAFF "Outstanding Food Education Practice Corporation 2026" for initiatives such as providing the off-spec vegetable delivery service "LossHeru" to all employees at company expense. It joined the list as one of the 333 companies in the first year. -
Tokushima's "Fully Ripe Sudachi" Becomes an Upcycled Beverage—The Rescue of Yellow-Ripened Discarded Citrus Becomes the Prefecture's 8th Case
Two upcycled beverages using fully ripe sudachi grown in Tokushima Prefecture were commercialized by Fuji and Mitsubishi Foods. As a rescue of citrus that wasn't shipped while green and was discarded after ripening yellow, it becomes the prefecture's 8th upcycling case. -
Calbee Keeps "Frugra" Stocked in the Office—Addressing Vegetable and Fruit Shortages at Outstanding Food Education Practice Corporation 2026
Calbee was selected as a MAFF "Outstanding Food Education Practice Corporation 2026." We introduce its health-management efforts facing employees' vegetable and fruit shortages, such as permanently offering "Frugra" at its head-office office. -
Cookies from the "Leaves" of Nijisseiki Pears—Tottori University Students Take 2 Years to Commercialize Them as a Measure Against Abandoned Farmland
"Yuri," a student group at Tottori University, spent two years commercializing cookies made from pear leaves. Focusing on abandoned pear orchards that no longer bear fruit, they make use of pesticide-free leaves—we introduce this initiative from Tottori, the home of pears. -
Non-standard vegetable snack “Blue blossom” exhibits at a welfare event—an angle of “not making welfare something special”
"Blue blossom," a snack brand upcycling off-spec vegetables grown in Hokkaido, exhibited at the welfare event WellFes 2026. We introduce its management philosophy of "not making welfare something special" and its efforts to reduce food loss. -
Seven Adopts Off-Spec Toyama-Grown Komatsuna—Reducing Food Loss with Onigiri Using Overgrown Vegetables
Seven-Eleven adopted Toyama-grown komatsuna, which tends to be discarded for overgrowing, in its "Red Salmon Barley-Rice Onigiri." We explain this food-loss-reduction effort, sold at about 340 Hokuriku stores from June 2, in partnership with JA Zen-Noh Toyama. -
KOMPEITO Turns Off-Spec Miura-Grown Watermelon into Konjac Jelly—A New Health-Cafeteria Menu Delivered to 25,000 Offices Nationwide
KOMPEITO teamed with JA Zen-Noh Kanagawa to process Miura-grown watermelon that can't reach the market due to blemishes or shape into konjac jelly. It began an effort to deliver it to over 25,000 offices nationwide via the placed-type health cafeteria "Office de Yasai." -
Kagome Completes "Orange Juice Without Oranges" After 40 Prototypes—New Brand KAGOME Beyond Goes on Sale Nationwide
Kagome released nationwide a 100% juice that reproduces the taste of orange without using orange juice, as the first product of its new brand "KAGOME Beyond." We explain the details of the alternative beverage completed over about 2 years and 40 prototypes, and the background of the global orange supply crisis. -
The Day Discarded Whey Met the Peach | The Challenge of Yamanashi's KEIPE and Kiyosato Milk
Yamanashi's KEIPE and the Kiyosato Milk Plant will release a new gelato "Noryo Jealousy," combining whey produced in cheese-making with off-spec fruit, on April 28, 2026. We summarize the background of the release and where to buy it. -
VegProject brings 12 companies together at “VEG FOOD EXPO 2026”—April 15–17 at Tokyo Big Sight, with a new vegan selection area and over 50,000 visitors expected
The NPO VegProject Japan will hold VEG FOOD EXPO at Tokyo Big Sight from April 15–17, 2026. Twelve vegan-certified companies will gather, a special area will be newly set up, and over 50,000 visitors are expected. -
22 Companies Including Kagome Launch the "Vegetable-Shortage Solution Idea Contest 2026 for Those in Their 20s"—The Reality of 218g for Men and 210g for Women in Their 20s, Recruiting University-Born Solutions with 500,000 Yen in Total Prizes
22 companies led by Kagome launched an idea contest 2026 for students on March 2. Against intake of 218g for men and 210g for women in their 20s, it invites measures to close the gap to the 350g target. Realistic solutions such as keeping dried vegetables stocked in the office are also welcome. -
Delta International Releases "Marumaru Mikan," Off-Spec Mandarins Bottled Whole, on April 4—Upcycling Kyushu-Grown Satsuma Mandarins with a Hand-Peeling Method
Delta International will release "Marumaru Mikan," an upcycled product using off-spec Kyushu-grown satsuma mandarins, on April 4, 2026. We explain the 350g / 980-yen product, its hand-peeling processing method, and the background. -
The World's First F1 Farmed Fish "Yume-Aji" Takes On the Wild "Seki-Aji"—A Tokyo University of Marine Science-Born Startup Ships 8,000 Fish to Toyosu and Michelin Restaurants, a New Model for Sustainable Fisheries
Sakana Dream Inc. (Tateyama, Chiba), a startup born from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, began full shipments of the world's first F1-hybrid farmed fish "Yume-Aji" in March–April 2026. Yume-Aji, created by crossing kaiwari—called a "phantom fish"—with gold horse mackerel grown in Minamiboso, Chiba, is hailed as "white-flesh toro"... -
"Organic Food Purchases Are Decided by Trust, Not Taste"—A Japan-UK Joint Study Proves It with a 2,800-Person Survey; Institutional Trust in Organic JAS Certification Is the Key to Spreading Organic Farming in Japan
A Japan-UK 2,800-person survey by Brunel University × Kobe University proved that "organic food purchases are decided by institutional trust rather than taste." It showed that in Japan, trust in government-led Organic JAS certification directly drives purchases, and that improving the transparency of the certification system is the key to spreading organic farming. -
Turning 2 Million Tons of Rice Husks a Year into Food—The Japan-Born Project "Kami" Changes the Conventional Wisdom of Food Loss × Agricultural By-Products
The Japan-born project "Kami," which converts 2 million tons of rice husks discarded as agricultural by-products into a food resource, pre-opened on April 15. A new trend in reducing food loss and circular agriculture. -
Preventing Crops' "Field Food Loss" with AI—Mirai Saien's TENRYO Achieves a 90% Reduction in Work and a 15% Yield Increase at JA Toyohashi
In 2026, the AI pest-and-disease prediction app "TENRYO," developed by the University of Tsukuba-born agritech startup Mirai Saien Inc. (Nagoya; Representative: Tomofumi Hatakeyama), is accelerating its penetration into agricultural sites. Against the "field food..." in which about 25% of crops worldwide are lost before harvest each year... -
"OYASAI FARM," an Urban AI Hydroponic Unit, Goes on Live Display at Tokyo Innovation Base in Yurakucho—Achieving a 52% Cut in Initial Investment and a 290% Increase in Production
On April 1, 2026, the urban AI hydroponic unit "OYASAI FARM" by OYASAI Inc. (Fukuoka; Representative: Hayata Kunimura) began live display at Tokyo Innovation Base (TiB) in Yurakucho, Tokyo. The display period runs until May 31, 2026. The company is an agricultural startup founded in April 2025, with... -
With National Support, Facilities Recovering Reclaimed Phosphorus from Sewage Sludge Expand—A Turning Point for Agriculture Moving Toward Domestically Produced Fertilizer
In April 2026, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism revealed a policy of strengthening national support measures toward expanding facilities that recover "reclaimed phosphorus" from sewage sludge. To rebuild the stable-supply system for fertilizer raw materials, shaken by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it treats the existing infrastructure of sewage treatment plants as "domestically produced phosphorus..." -
Turning 110,000 Tons of Off-Spec Asahikawa Potatoes into Ice Cream—A Regional Revitalization Project Connecting the Dairy Crisis and Discarded Vegetables
On April 1, 2026, Iroenpitsu Inc., based in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, announced a plan to open an "ice cream shop that draws people from around the world" in front of Asahikawa Station. At first glance it looks like a story of a unique restaurant opening, but behind it lies a serious problem—about 111,000 tons a year in the Kamikawa district... -
Same-Day Discarded Supermarket Food to Single-Parent Households—The "Stenas" Demonstration Achieves an Average 42% Match Rate
On April 7, 2026, the Sustainable Food Chain Council and Nessu Inc. announced the results of a demonstration of the food-matching platform "Stenas," conducted as an FY2025 model project of the Ministry of the Environment. Fresh food that food supermarkets could no longer sell that day... -
Vietnam's Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery Exports Reach 16.69 Billion Dollars in Q1 2026—Sharp Price Drops in Coffee and Rice, but Fisheries Up 13% Provide Support
According to the Q1 (January–March) 2026 export statistics for agriculture, forestry, and fishery products announced by Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, total exports reached 16.69 billion US dollars (up 5.9% year-on-year). It was achieved amid the headwind of a sharp drop in international prices for staple crops such as coffee and rice, and the resilience of the fisheries sector in particular... -
High Prices and the "Logistics 2024 Problem" Increase Food Loss—A Kuradashi Survey Reveals the Real Situation at 78 Companies
On April 8, 2026, Kuradashi Inc., which operates a food-loss-reduction service, published the results of its latest attitude survey covering 78 food-related businesses. According to the survey, about 78.2% of businesses are already working on reducing food loss, while "demand changes due to high prices" and "logistics constraints..." -
MAFF to Run a Support Mission for Food Companies Entering Vietnam in July—Capacity of 20, Free to Participate, Briefing Applications Within April
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will run a public-private business mission in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi) on July 13–17, 2026. For food and agriculture-related companies, capacity is 20 with free participation. A briefing will be held on April 20. -
The Agriculture & Livestock Industries Corporation's "Vegetable Information, April 2026 Issue" Features ZEROCO's Freshness-Preservation Technology—The Potential of Ice-Temperature Storage for Agriculture and Distribution
The April 2026 issue of the monthly "Vegetable Information," published by the Agriculture & Livestock Industries Corporation (ALIC), carried a feature article on the vegetable freshness-preservation technology developed by ZEROCO Inc. The corporation is a public institution that surveys and publishes vegetable supply-demand and price trends, and being featured in its specialist journal shows industry attention on ZEROCO's technology... -
What Changed with "Too Good To Go" Landing in Japan—A Turning Point the Food-Loss-Reduction App Presses on the Food Industry
On January 28, 2026, the Denmark-born food-loss-reduction app "Too Good To Go" entered the Japanese market. Registered users topped 250,000 within a week of launch, and it captured the No.1 overall ranking on the App Store. This speed shows that Japanese consumers... -
The global cost of food waste surges to USD 540 billion—3 measures agriculture and the food chain should tackle right now
In 2026, the world's food-waste cost is projected to reach 540 billion dollars. This is up from 526 billion dollars the previous year, and if this continues, cumulative losses for 2025–2030 will reach 3.4 trillion dollars. This figure, reported by New Food Magazine based on expert analysis, relates to the UN SDGs' Goal 12... -
MAFF Announces the April 2026 Vegetable Price Outlook—Cabbage and Lettuce Down Year-on-Year, Potatoes and Onions Remain High
On March 31, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries published the April growth conditions and price outlook for vegetables destined for the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market. With rainfall and rising temperatures since late February, the growth of many leafy vegetables has recovered, and cabbage and lettuce are expected to see supply slightly above average and prices fall year-on-year. On the other hand, last summer's... -
Ministry of the Environment Announces FY2023 Food Loss at 4.64 Million Tons—An 80,000-Ton Reduction Year-on-Year, but Still Halfway to the 2030 Target
The Ministry of the Environment announced that food loss generated within Japan in FY2023 (fiscal 2023) was about 4.64 million tons. This is an 80,000-ton reduction from the previous fiscal year (FY2022) figure of about 4.72 million tons, and a steady improving trend continues. However, reaching the government's FY2030 target still requires a large... -
Too Good To Go, the Domestic Supermarket Industry's First Adoption—Starting at 2 Super Value Stores in Tokyo, Reducing Prepared-Food Loss at Up to 50% Off
The Denmark-born food-loss-reduction app "Too Good To Go" was adopted on March 26, 2026, at stores of Super Value (operated by OIC Group), the first domestic supermarket chain to do so. The service starts first at two stores in Tokyo, Super Value Suginami Takaido and Todoroki... -
JA Kumamoto Keizairen Regenerates Blemished Vegetables into Washi Lights—"Tomoru Oyasai" Starts Crowdfunding on Makuake Today
On March 30, 2026, JA Kumamoto Keizairen (Kumamoto Prefecture Economic Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives) started crowdfunding on Makuake for "Tomoru Oyasai," which regenerates blemished vegetables (tomato, eggplant) that can't be shipped or eaten into poster lights with washi shades. The JA Keizairen originally... -
Onions at the Keihin Market Turn Toward a Price Decline as Saga-Grown Supply Increases—After a 2025 Poor Harvest Surged to 159% of Average, Reading the Downward Trend from April Onward
According to the vegetable outlook in the Japan Agricultural News (dated March 29, 2026), the onion market at the Keihin Market is expected to turn to a downward trend. High prices have continued for a long time, but as shipment volumes of Saga Prefecture-grown onions increase, supply and demand ease, shifting toward a phase where the price level settles. Food processi... -
Consumer Affairs Agency Begins Operating a Food Bank Certification System from April 1—Reducing Loss by Raising the Reliability of Food Donations in Partnership with MAFF
From April 1, 2026, the Consumer Affairs Agency, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, begins operating a food bank certification system. By certifying food bank organizations that manage food appropriately and meet the compliance items of the "Food Donation Guidelines," it promotes donations from food manufacturers and retailers, reducing food loss... -
Vegetable Shortage Among Those in Their 20s Is 100g Below Target — The Answer Shown by the Solution Idea Contest 2026 and Dried Vegetables
The vegetable-intake target set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is 350g per day. But the average intake among those in their 20s remains at about 256g, a reality about 100g short of the target. From March 2, 2026, recruitment began for the 2nd "Vegetable-Shortage Solution Idea Contest 2026 for Those in Their 20s," launching a new effort to increase vegetable intake among the young... -
The Consumer Affairs Agency approves the second food loss reduction policy in a Cabinet decision—raising the 2030 target from 50% to 60%, for an additional 200,000-ton reduction
Cabbage Stays High at 149 yen/kg in Late March—Amid Continued Price Instability of Spring Vegetables, Why the "Stability" of Dried Vegetables Draws Attention -
In late March 2026, cabbage stayed high at 149 yen/kg at the Nagoya market. Against the backdrop of price instability of spring vegetables amid continued poor weather, the strengths of dried vegetables—stable supply, long-term storage, and avoiding price-fluctuation risk—are drawing renewed attention.
In June 2025, the Ministry of the Environment published FY2023 (fiscal 2023) food loss generation. The total was about 4.64 million tons, down 80,000 tons from the previous fiscal year (4.72 million tons), setting a new record low since estimation began. Business-related was about 2.31 million tons and household-related about 2.33 million tons, with business-related falling below household-related for the first time. Reduc... -
Upvege, Which Powders Off-Spec Vegetables, Points to a New Trend in Upcycling
In October 2025, Green Ace Co., Ltd. officially launched the upcycled food brand "upvege." Using its proprietary powdering technology, it transforms "unused vegetables"—those that didn't reach the market because their shape or size didn't meet standards—into high-value-added products with their color, aroma, and nutrition intact... -
Outstanding Health & Productivity Management Organizations 2026 Expand to 26,850 Organizations | Why Food Became the Most Important Theme
On March 9, 2026, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced the certified organizations for "Outstanding Health & Productivity Management Organizations 2026." A total of 26,850 organizations were certified—3,765 in the large-enterprise category and 23,085 in the small- and medium-enterprise category. This was an increase of 3,654 in total from the previous year (3,400 large, 19,796 SME), and since the system began... -
Food loss at 4.64 million tons, a record low | Business-related loss falls below household-related for the first time
AEON-Born Sustainable Chocolate | Achieving Cacao-Free with Sunflower Seeds -
Cacao, the raw material for chocolate, faces supply anxiety due to climate change. Amid this, AEON has been selling the chocolate alternative "Choco ka?" using sunflower seeds since 2025, drawing attention as a sustainable-food rollout at a major distributor. AEON's cacao-free ch...
March 25, 2026 -
The off-spec vegetable delivery service "LossHeru" partnered with Japan Post to begin selling at post offices nationwide. The familiar post office is becoming a new point of contact for reducing food loss. Japan Post Becomes a Channel for Off-Spec Vegetables. On January 19, 2026, the off-spec vegetable delivery service operated by Ekunes Inc...
The FY2023 (fiscal 2023) food loss estimate published by the Ministry of the Environment was 4.64 million tons, a new record low since statistics began. But what deserves attention beyond the figure is the change in the breakdown. Business-related (companies, restaurants, etc.) food loss was 2.31 million tons, falling below household-related (2.33 million tons) for the first time... -
Food loss at 4.64 million tons, a record low | Business-related loss falls below household-related for the first time
FamilyMart × Food-Loss App Cuts Waste 5% | Convenience Stores Move -
Outstanding Health & Productivity Management Organizations Top 10,000 Companies | Why Food Became the Most Important Theme
The number of companies certified as "Outstanding Health & Productivity Management Organizations" for fiscal 2026 topped 10,000 for the first time. Amid the continued expansion of certifications combining the large-enterprise and SME categories, what draws attention is "food measures." As a pillar alongside exercise habits and mental care, vegetable intake and nutritional improvement have the broadest reach to employees... -
On January 28, 2026, FamilyMart announced a partnership with "Too Good To Go," an app with a cumulative food-loss-reduction record of over 500 million meals worldwide. It began pilot operation at 6 Tokyo stores in the Ikebukuro, Komazawa University, and Aoyama areas, succeeding in reducing waste by about 5%...
Upcycled Foods Expand | The New Value of Off-Spec Vegetables -
In the food industry, the "upcycling" movement is accelerating. Efforts to use off-spec vegetables and manufacturing by-products not as "waste" but as "valuable ingredients" are drawing attention as part of sustainability management. A movement facing the 4.64-million-ton food-loss challenge. Environ...
We Were Featured on MAFF's "Nippon Food Shift" Suste-Nabe Page -
Vegetable Shortage Among Japanese People Widens | The Reality of Not Reaching the 350g Target
The vegetable-intake target set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is 350g per day. But according to the latest National Health and Nutrition Survey, the average intake among Japanese people remains at about 280g, continuing to hover at about 80% of the target. How to fill this "70g wall" has become a new theme for the food industry. Across all age groups... -
The Freeze-Dried Vegetable Market Grows 8.7% Annually | The Background of Its Expansion
The global freeze-dried vegetable market is rapidly growing. The 2026 market size will reach about 9 billion dollars, and the vegetable segment in particular shows high growth at a CAGR of 8.7%. The attention on dried vegetables, which achieve both health-consciousness and convenience, supports this growth. Why freeze-dried vegetables are growing...
