Japan's Northernmost Supermarket Changes the World's Dinner Tables. Aizawa Food Department Store's Vision: A 'New Normal for Food' Connecting to 100 Years Hence.

Our company endorses April Dream, an initiative to make April 1st a day for announcing dreams. This press release is the dream of 'Ichijirushi Aizawa Food Department Store Co., Ltd.'

Background of the Dream: What We Truly Want to Preserve is the 'Richness of Local Food'

In Japan, where population decline is accelerating, maintaining local food culture and infrastructure is becoming difficult, and even in many municipalities in Hokkaido, convenience stores and drugstores are becoming the food lifelines.

Many of the products in such stores tend to be highly processed, mass-produced, standardized items lacking regional character, due to logistics efficiency. Aizawa Food Department Store, located in Wakkanai City, Hokkaido, at Japan's northernmost tip, has served as the region's kitchen since its establishment in 1922. Our dream is to 'create a new 'normal for food' from the northern tip.' Instead of simply lining up purchased products, we leverage our century-long 'sourcing expertise' to select and connect truly good food for the body, the region, and the future. We believe that 'a regionally rich dining table is the source of a vibrant town,' and we will redefine the food norm of eating local produce locally.

Our Journey So Far: A Role as a Community Foundation Beyond Profit and Efficiency

・Maintaining 'Food Infrastructure' that Supports Local Health To support the healthy lifespans of our elderly customers, we have established a system to deliver familiar ingredients directly to their homes. Additionally, we regularly host exercise classes, cooking workshops, and study sessions on food safety, continuing to be an indispensable presence in the community.

・'Ganbaru Additive-Free Bento' Made Without Umami Seasonings Our deli prepares fresh dashi daily and handcrafts bentos, insisting on no umami seasonings from the initial seasoning stage.

・'North End Bakery' Recognized Globally The concept for 'North End Bread,' made only from Hokkaido wheat, Soya salt, and bread yeast, has received design awards such as the New York ADC Silver and London D&AD Bronze. This proved that even a small local brand can reach the world by pursuing authenticity.

North End Bread

Ganbaru Additive-Free Bento

Future Challenges: Elevating North End's Regional Resources to Global Brands

We are advancing to a new phase to enhance the region's sustainability.

・New Social Interaction and Vibrancy Born from 'Kakuuchi'

We are transforming the supermarket from just a place to shop into a venue for people to gather and converse. In the in-store Kakuuchi (standing bar) space, we offer carefully selected sake and appetizers. The sight of local fishermen, office workers, and travelers sharing stories of Wakkanai's bounty at the same table will become a new daily scene for the region.

・Co-creation through the 'Hokunohashikko Alliance'

Collaborating with local businesses, we will develop additive-free food products and establish a distribution network to deliver the region's proud resources nationwide and worldwide.

・Value Transformation of Unused Resources

By utilizing regional resources such as nano-chondroitin extracted from discarded skate and whey certified organic and grass-fed, we will develop new products that support health not only in Japan but globally, breathing new life into the northernmost resources.

・Fostering a Self-Reliant Organization

We are introducing a 'Self-Declared Salary System' where each staff member independently finds their role and contributes to both the company and the community by leveraging their strengths, promoting the formation of a self-reliant team.

Kakuuchi event in a supermarket

Collaboration with local businesses to launch brands

4th Generation, Kana Fukuma's Vision: Japan's Edge is Connected to the World

Wakkanai is a border town overlooking Sakhalin. The 'edge' is a place open to the outside world.

What originates here will surely reach the world.

The 'North End Cafe' planned to open in two years, and the export concept to New York. These are all challenges to leave behind 'truly good food infrastructure' for Wakkanai 100 years from now.

From the top of Japan, Aizawa Food Department Store will elevate and transmit the value of the region's 'normal for food.'

Ichijirushi Aizawa Food Department Store Co., Ltd.

Representative Director: Toshihiko Fukuma Location: 3-5-8 Chuo, Wakkanai City, Hokkaido Founded: 1922 (Taisho 11) Official Online Shop: http://aizawa.official.ec North End Bakery: http://kitanohashi.com