ESG/CSR, Food Recycling and Energy Conservation Initiatives

「2026年春休みまでの計15回の実施により、累計提供数は136万食に達しました。」

「Free provision of children's lunch boxes to children's cafeterias and other organizations nationwide, ongoing since 2021, has reached a cumulative 1.23 million meals, equivalent to approximately ¥300 million, deepening the company's contribution to local communities.」

「In the 13th round during this year's summer vacation period, more than 150,000 meals were provided, approximately 5 times the 32,000 meals provided during the first round in the summer of 2021. The cumulative total reached 1 million meals, equivalent to ¥300 million, and the number of participating children's cafeterias and other organizations expanded from the initial 377 to 1,988. We calculated CO₂ emissions from business activities (Scopes 1 and 2) and supply-chain CO₂ emissions (Scope 3) for fiscal 2024 and confirmed that CO₂ emissions per unit of sales decreased from the previous fiscal year.」

「During the August summer vacation period, the 10th round, 397 of our stores provided approximately 110,000 children's lunch boxes, bringing the cumulative total to approximately 760,000 meals. The number of children's cafeterias and other organizations that have participated in the initiative also increased from the initial 377 to approximately 1,300.」

「Following the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, we donated part of the proceeds from Vegetable Stewed Ramen, a limited-time menu item offered in February and March 2024, to disaster-affected areas through the Japanese Red Cross Society as disaster relief funds (¥80 per serving, ¥61 million in total). We also installed collection boxes at stores and, in cooperation with Kyoto Prefecture, provided bottled natural water to Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture.」

「Each time, we provide meals to more than 1,000 children's cafeterias and other organizations nationwide, with the total sometimes exceeding 100,000 meals per round. The cumulative total over the 8 rounds conducted to date is approximately 580,000 meals, and the scope of the initiative has steadily expanded with each round.」

「During the August summer vacation period, the seventh round, 391 of our stores provided 101,000 meals, exceeding 100,000 for the first time, to 1,342 children's cafeterias and other recipient organizations. The cumulative total over 7 rounds exceeded 500,000 meals, and the scope of the initiative has steadily expanded with each round. Subsequently, we calculated CO₂ emissions for fiscal 2022 and confirmed that emissions per unit of sales had decreased year on year, and we are steadily implementing measures to reduce CO₂ emissions.」

「The initiative has been conducted 6 times to date, bringing the cumulative number of children's lunch boxes provided to 399,000.」

「The initiative has been conducted 5 times to date, bringing the cumulative number of children's lunch boxes provided to 267,000 as of the end of December 2022. Under the heading "Preservation of the Global Environment," we undertook initiatives in line with the TCFD recommendations to collect and analyze the data needed to assess the impact of climate-related risks and opportunities on our business activities and earnings, and disclosed the results.」

「Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and rising prices, the initiative during this year's August summer vacation period expanded significantly, with 361 of our stores providing 96,000 meals to 1,153 organizations. Many messages of appreciation were received from children's cafeterias and children nationwide. The initiative has been conducted 4 times to date, and the cumulative number of children's lunch boxes provided has reached 241,000.」

「In addition, in July 2022 we newly established the Sustainability Promotion Office directly under the Corporate Strategy Headquarters as a cross-functional organization promoting sustainability, creating a framework for swift company-wide action.」

「Using our CO2 emissions in fiscal 2021 as the baseline, we will set company targets linked to the Japanese government's indicator of a 46% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by fiscal 2030 compared with fiscal 2013, and will proceed with future disclosures. By fiscal 2050, we aim to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions in line with the Japanese government's carbon-neutrality goal.」

「This time, we received requests for 63,000 meals, approximately twice the previous number, and 304 of our company-owned and franchised stores provided children's lunch boxes to children's cafeterias and other organizations nationwide over a one-month period. Stores, manufacturing operations and headquarters worked together in the initiative, which we hope will contribute to the realization of a sustainable society. At the Board of Directors meeting held on 13 December, the company adopted its Sustainability Policy and established a Sustainability Committee.」

「We decided to provide children's lunch boxes free of charge to children's cafeterias and other organizations nationwide through the Children's Cafeteria Support Center (operated by the Japan Association for Food Support Activities). Over a one-month period from August to September, 184 company-owned stores provided a total of 32,000 meals to 360 organizations, including children's cafeterias and facilities supporting single mothers and their children.」

「In light of the major changes in children's living environments caused by the spread of COVID-19, we decided to donate ¥30 from sales of each serving of Vegetable Stewed Ramen sold in March each year to children's cafeterias nationwide through the Children's Cafeteria Support Center (operated by the Japan Association for Food Support Activities). At our factories, we are pursuing active initiatives toward carbon neutrality, including reducing energy costs through environmentally conscious design, optimizing delivery distances through AI-based delivery planning, shortening total logistics operating hours through DX, and reducing food loss by improving the yield of products.」

「As one of our CSR-focused initiatives, we discontinued plastic straws and spoons for takeaway use at all stores from July 2019 to address the increasingly serious global problem of environmental pollution caused by plastic products, and switched to biodegradable resin straws and biomass-plastic spoons for takeaway use.」

「From 1 July 2019, we discontinued plastic straws and spoons for takeaway use and have been gradually switching all company-owned and franchised stores to biodegradable resin straws and biomass-plastic spoons for takeaway use.」

「As part of our environmental conservation initiatives addressing the increasingly serious global problem of environmental pollution caused by plastic products, we decided to discontinue plastic straws and spoons for takeaway use from 1 July 2019 and gradually switch all company-owned and franchised stores to biodegradable resin straws and biomass-plastic spoons for takeaway use.」

「During the consolidated fiscal year, we donated ¥30 per serving of Vegetable Stewed Ramen and, thanks to our customers, donated ¥13 million in total.」

「In the 2017 Gyoza Club membership recruitment campaign, we added a new premium membership card featuring Kumamon, a local mascot, as part of our support for the Kumamoto Earthquake. The card provides for 1% of sales to be donated to Kumamoto Prefecture as disaster relief funds.」

「We are actively addressing legal requirements under the Food Recycling Law, Energy Conservation Law, Global Warming Countermeasures Law and other legislation by preparing comprehensive reports covering ESG and CSR, considering entry into agriculture, and operating environmentally conscious stores.」