岩田産業グループホールディングス conducted its fourth annual internship for 15 international students from Eastern Europe. They gained work experience at a Japanese company and engaged in intercultural exchange through food, concluding the program with presentations of their achievements.
The internship was held from 2 to 18 September 2026, with 15 international students from Eastern Europe enrolled at Nippon Keizai University participating. The group comprised 11 students from Ukraine, 2 from Bulgaria, 1 from Slovakia and 1 from Poland. Together with employees of 岩田産業, they engaged in exchange and work experience through food. The students gained practical experience by planning booths introducing Ukrainian and Eastern European cuisine to visitors, preparing food and considering customer service methods.
A major objective of the internship was participation in the 2026 Autumn/Winter Food Fair, held at Marine Messe Fukuoka on 16 September. The students and employees worked together to gain experience in running the event. Their relationship began through support for students who had evacuated from Ukraine, and deepened until Sonya joined 岩田産業 in 2024.
The company's first Ukrainian product, Kyushu Beetroot Borscht, was also unveiled, with Sonya leading its development. Using beetroot grown in Kyushu as its base, the students and employees prepared and served the product together. This was positioned as a symbolic achievement of the four-year initiative's transformation from support to co-creation.
At the presentation of the students' achievements, positive comments from the students and the employees' gratitude and tears were shared, deepening mutual understanding between the students and employees. The company indicated that it would continue strengthening its partnership with Nippon Keizai University and provide ongoing opportunities to work with people from different cultures and with different values.