The lack of significant reaction from customers is proof that the initiative is being accepted naturally.
As a "pioneer," we are leading the way in sustainability within the food industry.

Creating and passing on a future for children

Could you tell us about Ishii Foods' vision and mission?

Mr. Nakayama

Our company has set forth a new vision for 2030: "To become a company that connects agriculture and the dinner table, and supports child-rearing." Ishii Foods' mission is to create a sustainable "local and seasonal" model. We are grateful that the Earth's resources are a precious asset, and we value passing them on to future generations. Therefore, in addition to sourcing raw materials, we are actively engaged in activities to protect the future of children and the Earth's resources, in cooperation with local people.
Our department believes that communicating these initiatives effectively is a crucial role. In particular, one of our missions is to clearly communicate our efforts toward environmental protection and building a sustainable society to the children we cherish.

Business model "Region and Season" (https://www.ishiifood.co.jp/csr/region-season/)

We began working on this after the basic agreement was reached in 2019.

What led to the introduction of LIMEX?

Mr. Nakayama

The initiative began with a basic agreement signed in 2019 for the development of new applications. LIMEX was first used in management policy documents and business cards, and then in 2020 it was used in trays for New Year's dishes. In 2023, the sealant film was used in the "Regional and Seasonal" series of hamburgers.

Making the initiatives visible leads to a sense of security.

What were some of the points you considered or concerns you had when implementing LIMEX?

Mr. Nakayama

Initially, discussions focused on questions such as, "Is this material truly environmentally friendly?" and "How does it combine with limestone-derived materials and how does it interact with food?" However, thanks to the provision of various numerical data, including LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)*, we were able to understand specifically how it contributes to the environment. We felt that making the reduction of environmental impact visible is very beneficial, as it not only gives peace of mind to us, who are introducing the material, but also to consumers who will be using our products. Furthermore, we successfully cleared hygiene certifications and have been able to use it without any problems in combination with food.

Do you place importance on initiatives based on data and actually disclosing that data to the public?

Mr. Nakayama

That's right. First of all, I feel that it's very difficult to communicate our efforts. Even if we explain in words that "we use environmentally friendly materials," it's hard to convey that it's truly environmentally friendly. For that reason, we believe that making our environmental considerations visible through numbers is an important element that supports our value of "safety and security."

*Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A method for scientifically and quantitatively evaluating the environmental impact of a product or service throughout its entire lifecycle or at specific stages of that lifecycle.

Leading the industry as a "pioneer"

What was the deciding factor in adopting this system?

Mr. Nakayama

The biggest deciding factor was the opportunity to become a pioneer. I am particularly committed to spreading environmentally friendly products to the world, so I believe it's important to be a pioneer in using them first.
In terms of film usage, building a track record in the food industry allows us to consider expanding into other industries, which is one of the reasons we are pushing forward with this initiative. On the other hand, rather than monopolizing the technology as a pioneer in the food industry, we value the perspective of "how can this technology spread throughout the entire food industry?" Our company was founded in 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, and the spirit of "creating a better society" is deeply rooted in our corporate culture. We are very conscious of this and work accordingly.

A challenge to use new materials, not biomass.

With so many environmentally friendly materials available, could you tell us why you chose LIMEX?

Mr. Nakayama

As for other environmentally friendly materials, we also use biomass, for example, and we believe it is an excellent material. However, there were constraints such as supply, cost, and rights issues. In this context, we appreciate LIMEX for its high cutability, which takes advantage of the material's properties, and for its significant reduction in environmental impact compared to general biomass.
In addition, as I mentioned earlier, we also want to spread LIMEX to the world as a pioneer. Our desire to spread environmentally friendly products to the world aligns with your company's, so we would like to work together on this.

Supporting development through information sharing

Could you please share any impressions you have of the members of our company with whom we collaborated on this development project?

Mr. Nakayama

I have the impression that many of your company's development staff are highly professional. This time, in addition to discussing the development of this product, you also shared a wide range of industry information, which gave me an opportunity to deepen my own understanding of the industry.

The lack of feedback from customers is proof that the initiative is being accepted.

After the product was implemented, did you receive any feedback from customers or other stakeholders?

Mr. Nakayama

To be honest, I was worried about receiving complaints. However, since implementation, we haven't received any such feedback, and it seems to be working without any problems.
Just like our meatballs, these are products that have been loved for many years, and we believe it's extremely important that products that people pick up as a matter of course, without them even realizing it, contribute to protecting the environment and creating a better future for children.
While we are certainly pleased to receive positive feedback from our customers, we also believe it's important to contribute to creating a better planet by consistently putting in the effort. In that sense, the lack of a major reaction is actually proof that our efforts are being naturally accepted.

I want to create a product that can be used universally and spread it throughout the world.

We are currently engaged in long-term joint development; could you tell us about your future plans?

Mr. Nakayama

First, we are working on improving the film to fit our current manufacturing line. If this is achieved, it will be usable in all of our factories, opening the way to mass production. Beyond that, we can see it being used in our long-selling meatball product. Also, since the conditions differ for each machine, we would like to work together to create a product that can be used universally. If that happens, the possibility of spreading it to other companies will increase, and ultimately, we believe we can spread it to the whole world.