Zen Nisshoku and Mirai Marche Jointly Launch 'Monthly Seasonal Fish Fair' to Support Regional Fisheries and Franchisees

Zen Nippon Shokuhin Co., Ltd. (Adachi-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter 'Zen Nisshoku Chain') and Mirai Marche Co., Ltd. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter 'Mirai Marche') have jointly launched the 'Monthly Seasonal Fish Fair' for Zen Nisshoku Chain franchisees starting in February 2026. The program delivers fresh seasonal fish and dedicated promotional materials to franchisees as a monthly 'Fair Kit.'

This initiative, representing a new distribution model combining a voluntary chain headquarters and a direct-from-farm platform, broadens the choices for franchisees' fresh fish sections while generating new shipping opportunities for regional fisheries. Amidst normalizing fluctuations in catch volumes and the contraction of regional fisheries, this distribution design allows for monthly adjustments of sourcing locations. It flexibly adapts to changing fishing environments while contributing to the inheritance and expansion of Japan's fish-eating culture.

Since its launch in February 2026, the fair has been held monthly featuring different origins, and it is scheduled to expand to more participating stores on Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13.

Background — Fluctuating Catches and Contracting Channels for Regional Fisheries

In recent years, the fishing environment has been constantly fluctuating, with sudden drops in catches of previously stable fish species and unexpected abundance in non-traditional areas. Simultaneously, regional fisheries face narrowing shipping channel options due to the contraction of central wholesale market distribution. Coupled with structural challenges such as a lack of successors and declining demand for seafood, the entire industry is in a phase of contraction.

Meanwhile, on the consumption front, independent small and medium-sized local supermarkets continue to play a vital role in supporting household dining tables. In particular, voluntary chain franchisees—independently capitalized retailers that conduct joint purchasing and promotions with their headquarters while managing their businesses based on local needs—have attentively catered to regional food cultures and customer demands.

The fresh fish section is one area where these stores can best differentiate themselves. However, sustaining a series of operations—direct negotiation with producers, small-batch procurement adjustments, production of promotional materials for each fair, and in-store execution—poses structural limitations for understaffed operations. Both Zen Nisshoku Chain and Mirai Marche have received feedback stating, 'We want to compete with fresh fish, but it is difficult to balance this with realistic operational workloads.'

This initiative removes these structural constraints by combining Zen Nisshoku Chain's franchisee network with the producer network built by Mirai Marche. It expands the potential of franchisees' fresh fish sections and creates a system that generates new shipping opportunities for local producers.

What is the 'Monthly Seasonal Fish Fair'? — Fresh Fish and Promotions in One Package

The 'Monthly Seasonal Fish Fair' is a service where Mirai Marche selects seasonal catch origins nationwide each month and delivers a 4 to 5 kg fresh fish set—primarily species suitable for sashimi processing—along with the month's promotional materials to franchisees.

The Fair Kit includes:

- Fresh Fish Set (approx. 4-5kg): Seasonal fresh fish carefully packed by local professionals. Mainly composed of reasonably priced species suitable for sashimi processing.
- Promotional Materials Suite: Items that highlight the product's appeal, including fish POPs, origin POPs, and pack stickers tailored to the month's species and origin.

The price is approximately 8,000 yen per store, and the standard frequency is once a month.

Mirai Marche's Selection of Origin and Fish Species as the Greatest Strength

The core feature of this fair is that Mirai Marche centrally handles the selection of origins, fish species, and sizes. This is not merely operational simplification but the core value of the fair.

Mirai Marche, which interacts daily with producers nationwide through its producer-to-supermarket platform, configures combinations that look best on the sales floor for that month, taking into account current catch conditions, fish quality, and market feedback. This allows franchisees to display unique seasonal fish each month without bearing any procurement decision-making burden regarding producer negotiations or species selection.

The practical strength of this fair lies in receiving procurement and promotional support—which would require immense effort and expertise if assembled individually by franchisees—at a scale of 8,000 yen per store once a month.

Structural Novelty of the Partnership — VC Headquarters × Direct-from-Farm Platform

This initiative represents an unprecedented distribution mechanism combining franchisee support by a voluntary chain headquarters with a direct-from-farm platform.

In a regular chain's network of directly managed stores, floor configurations can be standardized through central headquarters decisions. In contrast, a voluntary chain is a collective of independently capitalized franchisees.