Traditional Packaging Sheds Plastic: "Hayari Sausage" Announces New Packaging Using Plant-Based Fibrous Casing.

Hayari Sausage (located in Uenohara, Yamanashi; Representative: Takeshi Murakami), a company pursuing "modern sausage" without relying on chemical additives, will release its sausages in entirely new packaging, replacing plastic with traditional plant-based "fibrous casing." Retail sales are scheduled to begin on May 29, 2026.

This is more than just an ecological consideration. It is a necessary update to redefine the "philosophy of subtraction" that maximizes the potential of meat, and the "wisdom for connecting life" that sausages originally possessed, for the modern era.

■ Background: Global Instability and a Return to 100% Plant-Based Traditional Materials

In modern sausage distribution, vacuum plastic packs—a petroleum product—have become the norm. While breaking free from plastic dependency has been a long-term goal, the recent instability in the global landscape, including the situation in the Middle East, has created a sense of urgency that "we must act now."

We have stopped the "leave it to others" stance of just waiting for chemical companies to develop a convenient packaging alternative to petroleum-based vacuum packs.

The world is moving forward without delay. Societal change should be the accumulation of actions that individuals can take today. Though it may be presumptuous, we will do our best in our own space. We hope this packaging catches your eye as a new option for solving major societal issues. Driven by this determination, we have returned to "fibrous casing," a traditional packaging material that returns to nature.

As the name implies, the essence of this material is "the power of plants." The base is a special paper made from Manila hemp (abaca), known as the strongest plant fiber. Natural cellulose extracted from conifer wood pulp is thoroughly infused into this paper, and vegetable glycerin provides flexibility. Containing no petroleum-derived components (plastic) and made only from the gifts of the earth (hemp and wood), this casing offers outstanding strength and breathability, and has been loved by European artisans for years. By wrapping life in materials born from the earth, Hayari Sausage is taking a new step toward sustainable manufacturing that is not influenced by global oil conditions.

■ Three Features of the New Packaging and Future Development

1. A Nostalgic Yet New, Beautiful Candy-Like Appearance
Sausages encased in natural casings (sheep or pork) are gently wrapped in cylindrical fibrous casings, with both ends tied firmly with traditional hog rings and string. The appearance, reminiscent of craft gifts or candies, possesses a warmth and tactile sense of craftsmanship not found in mass-produced plastic packaging.

2. Overcoming "No Vacuum" with Knowledge: Ensuring Scientific Safety and Taste
Traditional fibrous casing cannot create a "perfect vacuum" like modern plastic. However, we are confident in overcoming this weakness through artisan knowledge and a scientific approach. In close cooperation with reliable microbiology laboratories, we have concluded that "in a frozen state, there is no significant difference in bacterial proliferation between vacuum and non-vacuum packs." The real indicator of taste in frozen packing is "whether or not the meat's lipids are oxidized." We conduct rigorous testing on the transition of this "oxidation (peroxide value: POV)." We will start with a short expiration date for guaranteed safety and continue to challenge ourselves to logically extend it as we accumulate data.

3. Gradual Proposals to Society Starting with Retail
As a new initiative, we will start providing this packaging and unbleached paper cups for Hayari Sausage retail sales first. While ensuring safety, we plan to gradually switch our online sales to this style as well.