Increasing Utilization at Bento Factories and Distribution Centers and Building a Structure to Contribute to Profit

「自社工場においては、スマートストアおよびローソン・ポプラ店舗向けの中食に加え、取引先の拡大に伴うドラッグストア等への弁当・惣菜の販売が増加したことにより、売上が伸長いたしました。」

「In addition, production of fully prepared frozen meals for elderly care facilities exceeded 220,000 packs per month, and sales related to frozen foods grew substantially to 180% of the same period of the previous year.」

「Although profit was affected by higher raw material prices, labor costs and other expenses, gross profit increased as sales from our own factories to external retail operators and the frozen-food business significantly outperformed plan.」

「Sales of products manufactured at our own factories grew substantially. Following the installation of a tunnel freezer suitable for mass production of frozen prepared meals and the establishment of a framework for increasing production, sales in the frozen-food division reached 234% of the same period of the previous year. Sales of boxed meals and prepared meals to external retailers also recorded strong growth of 197% of the same period of the previous year as we focused on expanding sales channels.」

「At our own factories, which manufacture and sell boxed meals and prepared meals to group stores and external businesses, sales of boxed meals and prepared meals to drugstores and other customers increased to 277% of the same period of the previous year, while sales of fully prepared frozen meals to nursing care facilities reached 282% of the same period of the previous year, achieving the planned increase in factory utilization rates. To handle the sharp increase in production volumes and improve efficiency, we completed the installation of a tunnel freezer at the end of July 2025.」

「Regarding the supply of boxed meals and prepared meals from our own factories to external retailers, we promoted the development of sales channels, and sales for the current fiscal year increased substantially to 211.3% of the same period of the previous year. Sales of the manufacture and sale of fully prepared frozen meals, which began operating in the previous fiscal year, also grew substantially at nursing care facilities and other customers, bringing production close to the limit of the existing equipment. We therefore decided to install additional freezing equipment suitable for mass production.」

「Sales from our own factories grew substantially, as sales of boxed meals and prepared meals to external retailers increased significantly with the expansion of supply destinations, while the manufacture and sale of fully prepared frozen meals and frozen boxed meals also grew steadily.」

「Sales from our own factories also remained strong, with sales of boxed meals to external retailers increasing and sales from the frozen-food business growing.」

「Sales from our own factories increased substantially, supported not only by higher sales of boxed meals to external retailers but also by the contribution from the manufacture and sale of frozen prepared meals, which began full-scale operations in June 2023.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale division, we worked to strengthen sales of products to stores under both the Poplar and Lawson Poplar brands and expand sales of boxed meals to external businesses. Sales from the manufacture and sale of frozen prepared meals, which began full-scale operations in June 2023, are also growing steadily.」

「In addition, we commenced full-scale production in June 2023 of prepared frozen meals for nursing care facilities and other customers.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale divisions, the Company sought to strengthen sales of “Popu Bento” to stores under both the “Poplar” and “Lawson-Poplar” brands and expanded the external-sales business. It also began operating the instant-freezing equipment installed in December 2022 and started manufacturing and shipping frozen roasted sweet potatoes and producing ready-to-eat frozen prepared foods for nursing-care facilities and other customers.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale divisions, the Company sought to strengthen sales of “Popu Bento” to stores under both the “Poplar” and “Lawson-Poplar” brands and launched the external-sales business on a full-scale basis. In December 2022, it completed the installation of freezing equipment capable of instant freezing at minus 60°C and began preparing to sell ready-to-eat frozen prepared foods and frozen boxed meals to nursing-care facilities and other customers.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale division, we worked to strengthen sales of our core product, Popben, to stores under both the Poplar and Lawson Poplar brands, and also brought our external sales business into full operation.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale divisions, the Company sought to strengthen sales of its core “Popu Bento” products to stores under both the “Poplar” and “Lawson-Poplar” brands, leveraging its advantage of operating its own boxed-meal and prepared-food factory. It also focused on product development and the development of sales channels in preparation for the full-scale launch of the external-sales business, establishing a path toward starting supply in June 2022.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale division, we improved profitability by increasing utilization rates through the consolidation and rationalization of factories and distribution centers, flexibly reorganizing delivery routes to reduce logistics costs, and strengthening sales of our core product, Popben, at stores operating under both the Poplar and Lawson Poplar brands.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale divisions, we improved profitability by raising utilization rates through the consolidation and rationalization of factories and centers, reducing logistics costs through flexible reconfiguration of delivery routes, and strengthening sales of our core Popu-ben products at Poplar and Lawson-Poplar stores.」

「In the manufacturing and wholesale divisions, we improved profitability by raising utilization rates through the consolidation and rationalization of factories and centers and reducing logistics costs through flexible reconfiguration of delivery routes.」

「We also recognize that increasing the utilization rates of our boxed-meal factories, distribution centers and other facilities to create a structure capable of contributing to earnings is another management challenge, and we will address this in our next business plan.」