Basic Concept
Kanematsu has identified “Building a Sustainable Supply Chain” as one of its materialities. As a company handling a diverse range of products and services through global supply chains, we believe that ensuring quality and safety is a fundamental responsibility that underpins the trust of our customers.
Although our direct contact with consumers is limited as a trading company, we play an important role in connecting all stages of the supply chain. We therefore strive to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and maintain robust quality and safety management systems. We also work closely with industry organizations and business partners to reduce risks and continuously improve quality.
Going forward, we will continue to strengthen supply chains that support the provision of safe and reliable products and services, thereby contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.
Responsible Advertising and Marketing
Based on our Corporate Principle, Our Beliefs, and Kanematsu’s Code of Conduct, we conduct responsible advertising and marketing activities for our customers and society.
By complying with relevant laws, regulations, and advertising ethics standards and by providing accurate and reliable information regarding our products and services, we support informed decision-making by customers while contributing to the development of fair and sound markets.
Quality Management
Kanematsu is committed to ensuring the quality and safety of its products and services in accordance with the characteristics of each business and product category.
In particular, in our food-related businesses, we established the Food Safety Management Office in 2006 to strengthen compliance with food safety regulations and enhance our quality management systems.
In addition to raising employee awareness and knowledge of food safety through training programs and information sharing initiatives, specialists from the Food Safety Management Office work closely with sales personnel to visit domestic and overseas contract manufacturers and processing facilities. Through factory audits, quality inspections, and improvement support, they help maintain and enhance quality standards throughout the supply chain.
As part of our internal education efforts, we conduct an annual Food Safety Seminar for new employees, mid-career hires, and employees transferred from other business divisions to the food segment. Additional training sessions are also provided as needed in response to regulatory revisions and evolving social expectations. Furthermore, we continuously share the latest food safety information through e-mail and other communication channels to ensure that employees remain up to date.
We also collaborate with suppliers and contract manufacturers to improve product quality and safety. In the event that quality issues or regulatory violations are identified, we promptly investigate the root causes, implement corrective actions, and establish preventive measures to drive continuous improvement.
Use of Compliance Check Sheets
When introducing new products or initiating transactions involving new products, Kanematsu uses its proprietary Compliance Check Sheet to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations and to identify potential quality and safety risks.
Through these initiatives, we work to enhance quality and safety throughout the supply chain and to maintain systems that enable us to provide customers with safe and reliable products and services.
Collaboration with External Organizations
Tokyo Plant Quarantine Association (TPQA) （http://www.tokyo-syokken.gr.jp）*Japanese only
The TPQA was established to facilitate the smooth, accurate, and efficient implementation of plant quarantine operations at the Port of Tokyo. The association provides services such as integrated administration and agency functions for plant quarantine procedures.
As a board member of the Association, the Kanematsu Group helps promote the efficient implementation of plant quarantine operations for imported cargo through coordination with relevant authorities. At the same time, we utilize the latest information on plant protection and quarantine management to strengthen our own management practices.
Developing and Supplying Processed Foods with a Low Environmental Impact
Kanematsu holds a patent for a proprietary manufacturing process for sticky rice balls (Okowa onigiri) that utilizes polysaccharides derived from seaweed.
By coating the surface of steamed glutinous rice with seaweed-derived ingredients, this technology suppresses drying and grain damage during vacuum cooling while preserving the characteristic chewy texture of sticky rice. The process enables more efficient production while maintaining product quality.
This innovation has made it possible to automate processes that previously required extensive manual labor, thereby improving hygiene standards during production and contributing to a stable supply of products. In addition, improved operational efficiency helps reduce energy consumption and resource inputs, contributing to lower environmental impact and the development of a more sustainable food supply chain.
Initiatives for Access to Better Nutrition
Contributing to Solutions for the Global Protein Challenge
According to United Nations projections, the global population is expected to reach approximately 10 billion by 2050. At the same time, demand for protein is expected to outpace supply by 2030, leading to what is often referred to as a global protein challenge.
To help address this issue, the Kanematsu Group entered into a capital and business alliance agreement with DAIZ Inc., a plant-based meat startup, in December 2020. The objective of this partnership is to help ensure a stable supply of high-quality plant-based protein to the market.
Leveraging the Kanematsu Group’s extensive sales network in Japan and overseas across the soybean, oilseed, meat, and food businesses, we promote the sale of “Miracle Meat”, the plant-based meat developed and produced by DAIZ.
Through these initiatives, we aim to contribute to addressing the growing global demand for sustainable protein sources and improving access to better nutrition.