Risk of Operational Interruptions Due to Serious Infectious Diseases

「However, if employees were to become infected as a group with a serious infectious disease during an outbreak of COVID-19, influenza, norovirus or other diseases, some or all operations could be suspended and production and shipments delayed, restricting business activities and potentially affecting the company’s operating results and other financial metrics.」

「Although the end of the COVID-19 pandemic remains unforeseeable, its impact on manufacturing and sales activities has been limited to some subsidiaries, and the company has judged that the impact on its operating results and other matters is limited.」

「Some stores in the group’s retail division, including “ＬＡＣＯＴＥ　Iwatsuka (ラコテ岩塚)” and certain stores of “株式会社瑞花,” a specialty retailer of premium rice crackers, were temporarily closed at the beginning of the fiscal year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have since resumed normal operations, but as consumer demand has been slow to recover, the group is working to strengthen its ability to attract customers.」

「In the retail division, including the group’s stores, “ＬＡＣＯＴＥ　Iwatsuka (ラコテ岩塚)” and the Ginza store of “株式会社瑞花,” a specialty retailer of premium rice crackers, temporary closures were unavoidable as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.」

「If employees were to become infected as a group during a severe infectious disease pandemic, some or all operations could be suspended, potentially delaying production and shipments」