ZeroKara's Flash Freezer Enables Social Welfare Corporation to Balance Disability Employment and Cost Reduction via Cook-Freeze Method
ZeroKara has provided flash freezers to Ken-o Fukushikai, enabling a central kitchen that supports over 120 facilities. The 'cook-freeze' method balances cost reduction with sustainable employment for people with disabilities while maintaining freshly-cooked quality.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 10:32
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 14:23 (3h 51m after Collected)
ZeroKara Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa), a manufacturer of flash freezers, conducted an interview with Social Welfare Corporation Ken-o Fukushikai (Headquarters: Kanagawa), which has implemented their freezing equipment. Ken-o Fukushikai opened its own central kitchen, 'Ken-o Dining Center,' in May 2022. By adopting the cook-freeze method, they are working on (1) consolidating and reducing meal expenses for over 120 facilities within the corporation, (2) establishing a working environment where users of Employment Continuation Support Type A can handle all processes from cooking to freezing, and (3) realizing frozen lunch boxes that maintain their original quality after thawing, unlike typical frozen foods.
■ About Social Welfare Corporation Ken-o Fukushikai
Ken-o Fukushikai started in 1975 as a 'Child Life Counseling Room' and is entering its 50th year. It has grown into a corporation operating diverse businesses in 13 cities within Kanagawa Prefecture, covering childcare, disability services, elderly care, and medical services. With over 120 business sites and more than 2,000 employees, it is one of the largest in the prefecture. As of 2024, the corporation boasts many qualified professionals, including 188 social workers and 325 care workers.
■ Overview of Ken-o Dining Center Central Kitchen
- Opened on May 1, 2022
- Operated by 12 staff members and 12 service users
- Training and guidance implemented to enable all tasks
- Currently delivering meals to 22 facilities
- Aiming to delivering bento boxes to 42 group home facilities starting this year (currently 2 facilities)
The center actively employs users of Employment Continuation Support Type A, providing guidance and training so they can perform cooking, weighing, packing, and freezing tasks at the same level as non-disabled workers.
■ Interview Highlights
Q1. How did the introduction of our flash freezer come about?
Our corporation operates over 120 facilities. Previously, meal services were ordered separately at each facility, making cost management and reduction a challenge. By operating our own central kitchen and consolidating orders, we aimed to reduce expenses. Simultaneously, to expand employment for people with disabilities, we adopted the cook-freeze method, which allows for a work style not rushed by time (stock production system).
Q2. How has it changed since introducing the freezer?
Before the factory was built, we couldn't manage cost prices effectively. Now, through bulk purchasing, we can clearly track cost prices and sales for each facility, reducing waste.
Q3. How do you evaluate the frozen and thawed food compared to general frozen products?
With general freezers, rice in bento boxes becomes dry after thawing. However, with this freezer, we can replicate the exact quality of the original bento. In the future, we want to manufacture and sell frozen specialized meals for dysphagia (soft food, mousse food), as there is a high need for these.
Q4. Are there any issues in having Type A users handle all tasks?
We started with simple tasks like labeling and bagging and gradually taught them all tasks through careful explanation. The freezer has allowed us to standardize cooking and produce according to a plan. Since we are not chased by delivery deadlines, I feel the cook-freeze method is very suitable for disability employment.
Q5. Any measures against rising food costs?
Since we can freeze ingredients, we lower costs by purchasing ingredients close to their expiration date at a lower price and freezing them.
Q6. What are your future plans?
While we mainly serve our own facilities, we aim to expand our frozen bentos and specialized meals for external sales. Since our products are differentiated by our superior freezing capacity, our current challenge is to let more customers know about us through tasting events.
■ About Social Welfare Corporation Ken-o Fukushikai
Ken-o Fukushikai started in 1975 as a 'Child Life Counseling Room' and is entering its 50th year. It has grown into a corporation operating diverse businesses in 13 cities within Kanagawa Prefecture, covering childcare, disability services, elderly care, and medical services. With over 120 business sites and more than 2,000 employees, it is one of the largest in the prefecture. As of 2024, the corporation boasts many qualified professionals, including 188 social workers and 325 care workers.
■ Overview of Ken-o Dining Center Central Kitchen
- Opened on May 1, 2022
- Operated by 12 staff members and 12 service users
- Training and guidance implemented to enable all tasks
- Currently delivering meals to 22 facilities
- Aiming to delivering bento boxes to 42 group home facilities starting this year (currently 2 facilities)
The center actively employs users of Employment Continuation Support Type A, providing guidance and training so they can perform cooking, weighing, packing, and freezing tasks at the same level as non-disabled workers.
■ Interview Highlights
Q1. How did the introduction of our flash freezer come about?
Our corporation operates over 120 facilities. Previously, meal services were ordered separately at each facility, making cost management and reduction a challenge. By operating our own central kitchen and consolidating orders, we aimed to reduce expenses. Simultaneously, to expand employment for people with disabilities, we adopted the cook-freeze method, which allows for a work style not rushed by time (stock production system).
Q2. How has it changed since introducing the freezer?
Before the factory was built, we couldn't manage cost prices effectively. Now, through bulk purchasing, we can clearly track cost prices and sales for each facility, reducing waste.
Q3. How do you evaluate the frozen and thawed food compared to general frozen products?
With general freezers, rice in bento boxes becomes dry after thawing. However, with this freezer, we can replicate the exact quality of the original bento. In the future, we want to manufacture and sell frozen specialized meals for dysphagia (soft food, mousse food), as there is a high need for these.
Q4. Are there any issues in having Type A users handle all tasks?
We started with simple tasks like labeling and bagging and gradually taught them all tasks through careful explanation. The freezer has allowed us to standardize cooking and produce according to a plan. Since we are not chased by delivery deadlines, I feel the cook-freeze method is very suitable for disability employment.
Q5. Any measures against rising food costs?
Since we can freeze ingredients, we lower costs by purchasing ingredients close to their expiration date at a lower price and freezing them.
Q6. What are your future plans?
While we mainly serve our own facilities, we aim to expand our frozen bentos and specialized meals for external sales. Since our products are differentiated by our superior freezing capacity, our current challenge is to let more customers know about us through tasting events.