Our company endorses April Dream, which aims to make April 1st a day to express dreams. This press release is the dream of "Furukuma."

Furukuma Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kikuyo-machi, Kumamoto Prefecture; Representative Director: Shintaro Takada) announces its dream of "creating an environment where producers can concentrate on production and fostering new regional brands that motivate people to visit Kumamoto within 10 years" through its participation in the April Dream project.

April Dream is a PR project where companies announce their dreams they wish to achieve on April 1st. Through this opportunity, our company communicates to society a future vision drawn together with local producers.

**■ Company Overview**
Company Name: Furukuma Co., Ltd.
Established: October 24, 2024
Location: Kikuyo-machi, Kumamoto Prefecture
Representative: Representative Director Shintaro Takada

**Main Business Activities (Priority Order)**
Sales agency (channel development, new client acquisition, product planning)
Hometown tax donation listing support
Mail order (EC) support
Crowdfunding support

Furukuma Co., Ltd. acts as the "sales department for local producers," providing support that connects the production site with the market.

**■ The Origin of Furukuma's Birth - It wasn't that they couldn't sell, but that they didn't know how to sell.**
Through his many years in sales, representative Takada noticed a commonality among producers.

There was a farmer who grew tangerines with an exquisite balance of sweetness and acidity. However, their only sales channel was JA shipment. Even when direct transaction requests came, they didn't know how to respond and missed opportunities.

At another tomato farm, surprisingly sweet tomatoes were left unsold and discarded. "Why are such delicious things being thrown away?" The moment he tasted them on site, that question turned into conviction.

Producers are "masters of making." However, sales and channel development are completely different specialized fields.

It wasn't that the products were bad.
It was just that a selling method didn't exist.

**■ The Moment I Decided to Go Independent**
One day, a farmer who grew delicious sweet potatoes consulted me.

His son was 고민ing whether to take over the farm that his elderly father had protected. The reason was a sense of discomfort with the JA-centric system.

"My father painstakingly grew these potatoes, but they're sold collectively as 'Kumamoto produce.' No one knows who made them. That's frustrating."

But the son himself didn't understand sales. He could make them, but he had no way to sell them.

When he heard those words, Representative Takada felt strongly:

"I am a sales person.
I cannot demonstrate my value without products to sell.
That's why I have nothing but respect for producers."

"I want to change the current situation where wonderful products are buried.
Can sales and planning power support the future of producers?"

This event became the origin of Furukuma Co., Ltd.'s founding.

**■ Social Issues to Solve: The Reality of Producers Being Robbed of Time by "Selling"**
In various parts of Japan, especially in rural areas, the following issues exist:

Producers can make but cannot sell.
Small and medium-sized businesses lack sales functions.
Local products are not branded.

Producers' greatest value lies in "production."

Furukuma aims to create an environment where producers can concentrate on their core business by handling sales, planning, and channel development, and at the same time, build brands that convey "who made them."

**■ Dream: To create "souvenirs that become a reason to visit Kumamoto" within 10 years.**
Our company's dream is clear:

**Within 10 years, to create regional products that become the very reason to visit Kumamoto.**

These are not merely products bought as souvenirs.

They are products that:
Are always picked up at airports and stations.
Line the shelves of department stores nationwide.
Have the producer's name recognized as a brand.
Are said to be the reason people came to Kumamoto.

We aim for a world where souvenirs are not the "result" of tourism,
but the "motive" for tourism.

**■ Dream Demonstration Project: "Hinokuni Natural Water ~Aso no Shizuku~"**
"Hinokuni Natural Water ~Aso no Shizuku~," Kumamoto's natural water, is the first step in giving shape to this philosophy.

Kumamoto is known as the "Land of Fire," but it actually boasts the highest number of selected famous water sources in Japan and is a globally rare region where 100% of citizens' daily water supply comes from groundwater.

However, its recognition as the "Land of Water" was not sufficient.

Furthermore, a story heard during the earthquake became the origin of the project.

It was an anecdote about a child crying, saying, "This water doesn't taste good," after drinking emergency stored water.

Even in an emergency, we want to deliver a sense of security close to everyday life.

This led to the idea of "delivering delicious natural water as emergency stored water."

This project was realized with the cooperation of Mr. Ogawa, President of Marutomi Sangyo Co., Ltd. His company's commitment to the region, having offered free access to water collected during the earthquake, greatly advanced the project.

Preliminary quality tests enabled the commercialization of natural water that can be stored for **5 years**.

**■ Symbolism Embedded in the Product**
This product is not just a beverage.

It symbolizes:
Promoting the value of Kumamoto's water resources.
Passing on lessons from disasters.
Connecting daily life and emergencies.
Memories of Kumamoto's reconstruction.

Furthermore, inspired by the Kumamoto Reconstruction Project, we planned a total of 11 types of packaging linked to character statues installed at tourist spots in the prefecture (※not an official collaboration product).

The product is designed to offer experiential value, such as taking photos with the bottle at tourist spots or collecting them.

In this project, Furukuma was responsible for:
Project planning
Brand design
Story design
Sales channel conception

**■ Future Plans**
Going forward, we will focus on the following:
Establishing brands where producers' faces are visible.
Creating tourist routes in collaboration with local communities.
Strengthening cooperation with roadside stations and local product centers.
Nationwide expansion of Kumamoto-born brands.
Future overseas expansion.

We will build a system that not only sells products but also delivers the value of the region itself.

**■ Finally**
Producers are professionals who shine brightest in the field of production.

That's why selling should be handled by specialists.

Delivering the value of producers to society through the power of sales.
And preserving the charm of the Kumamoto region for future generations.

Furukuma Co., Ltd. will walk alongside producers to shape the future of the region.

**This release is a declaration of participation in April Dream and does not promise realization.**
Furukuma Co., Ltd. is seriously aiming to realize this dream.