Japan's Organic Market Continues to Expand Amidst Inflation. Education Project Launched to Polish Knowledge and Values of All Employees, Transforming the Industry from Within

Bio c' Bon Japan Co., Ltd. (Location: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Moriyuki Yagi; hereinafter "Bio c' Bon") will commence a one-year internal education project for all employees, including full-time staff, part-time staff, and temporary staff, starting from May 2026.

This project will be implemented in collaboration with the German corporation "Organic Business Institute (IOB)" and life coach Yoshio Hatano, offering a long-term human resource development program linked to daily operations. Through the growth of each employee, the company aims to make organic products a more familiar choice.

Project Purpose

Under the mission of "Organic in Everyday Life," Bio c' Bon has been striving to create stores that support people's lives through food. In this journey, we believe that the value of organic is not only in the products themselves but also supported by the relationships woven by the "people" who create, deliver, and receive them.

The accumulation of words and actions of each employee who interacts with customers shapes the atmosphere of the store and the quality of service, leading to trust in the company and, ultimately, trust in the organic market.

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary this year since our founding in 2016, we will further strengthen our efforts to expand and grow Japan's organic market. As part of this, the internal education program aims to foster individual growth and challenges, generating new insights and changes that contribute to providing value to customers and improving the customer experience.

Training Program Overview

① 365-day Email Lessons for All Employees

Employees can acquire basic knowledge of organic products through a 10-minute daily lesson that can be easily undertaken even when busy with work or private life.

② Training for All Full-time Employees

This work program involves in-depth dialogue with colleagues about work and life values, articulating individual values and the meaning of work, and creating a team credo. After one year of input and output, presentations and awards will be held on the final day.

<Schedule>

・365-day email lessons start from May 1, 2026 (Friday)

・Kick-off of the annual program by instructors and all full-time employees on May 27, 2026 (Wednesday) (scheduled to be held in Tokyo)

・From June 2026 onwards, training will be conducted 2-3 times a month, primarily online lessons.

・Organic certification exams will be held twice a year.

・In May 2027, a presentation of the one-year program and awards for successful certification candidates will be held.

Message from the Representative

Moriyuki Yagi, Representative Director and President, Bio c' Bon Japan Co., Ltd.

Our company has been supported by people who love organic products and believe in their potential, gathering strength from each individual. In recent years, we have focused on strengthening products and sales, as well as reforming expenses and organizational structure. However, we also reflected that we had not provided sufficient educational opportunities for each employee who has contributed to our company.

Significant challenges and barriers still exist for the expansion of the organic market in Japan and the acceleration of our company's growth. To overcome these, I felt the necessity to create growth opportunities for each employee, and I was fortunate to meet Natsuko Lemke, an organic expert.

Her vision of a society where "organic is commonplace" and her philosophy of "nurturing individuals through German-born organic education to change society as a whole" resonated with my idea of embodying our mission, "Organic in Everyday Life," by becoming a strong group of individuals who achieve self-growth and self-realization and continue to challenge themselves. This led to the birth of this education project.

Coincidentally, our company will celebrate its 10th anniversary in December 2026. Through this initiative, we will strive to deliver an "organic everyday life" to even more consumers and customers in Japan than ever before.

Future Outlook

This project will be implemented in stages over one year, starting with the group training in May 2026.

Bio c' Bon will continue to work towards the expansion and growth of the organic market in Japan and the realization of a sustainable society, not only through products and services but also through human resource development and organizational building, under the philosophy of "Organic in Everyday Life."

Introduction of Training Instructor

Natsuko Lemke / Organic Expert, Representative of Organic Business Institute (IOB), German Corporation

Graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Economics. After engaging in developing country support as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer and JICA expert, she pursued organic research at a German graduate school and research institute. She operates IOB, Japan's largest organic school, with over 1,600 enrolled members. Based on scientific evidence, she disseminates the "power of organic to change society." Japan Brand