Industry First: 100% Recycled PET Resin Adopted for Miso Containers to Promote Plastic Reduction
Hikari Miso Co., Ltd. will adopt 100% recycled PET resin for the cups and lids of its export-bound organic miso products. This industry-first initiative is expected to reduce new plastic usage by 18 tons annually.
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- 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 16:47
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 22:46 (485h 58m after Collected)
Hikari Miso Co., Ltd.*1 (Shimosuwa-machi, Suwa-gun, Nagano Prefecture; President: Yoshihiro Hayashi; hereinafter "the Company") will adopt 100% recycled PET resin for the cups and lids of its organic miso products for overseas export, 'Organic Miso White 500g' and 'Organic Miso Red 500g'. The target products include those destined for the United States and Europe, with shipments to the U.S. scheduled to start sequentially from April, and to Europe from May. This change is expected to reduce the amount of newly used plastic by approximately 18 tons annually (based on the Company's estimates from previous year's shipment records). While the use of containers made with 100% recycled PET resin is expanding in the beverage industry, this marks the first such adoption for miso containers (according to Company research).
Additionally, alongside this container switch, a new "100% Recycled PET" mark has been designed for the top seal to clearly communicate this eco-friendly initiative to consumers.
*1 The correct character for "so" in the company name has a mouth radical (口) combined with 曽.
◆ Background to the Adoption of 100% Recycled PET Resin
The Company has been proactively engaged in initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, such as introducing eco-friendly packaging and reducing CO2 emissions in its manufacturing processes. The adoption of 100% recycled PET resin is a crucial step that further accelerates these efforts. Recycled PET is a material that can significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to petroleum-derived resins and contributes to the realization of a circular economy. Furthermore, demand for packaging with a low environmental footprint is increasingly growing in Western markets, making it essential for the Company to provide sustainable products from a global perspective. Through this container switch, we will continue to communicate our environmental philosophy to a wider audience while enhancing our brand value.
◆ Hikari Miso's Key Environmental Management Items
Under our brand message, 'Nature's blessing, bon appétit', the Company considers reducing the environmental impact of its corporate activities a top priority. Therefore, we have clearly established key management items for environmental conservation and are promoting company-wide efforts to achieve the target values for each item.
Key Environmental Management Items:
1) Proper management and conservation of water resources
2) Promotion of CO2 reduction and energy savings
3) Reduction of food loss
4) Promotion of plastic reduction and recycling
◆ Promotion of Plastic Reduction and Recycling
We have set a numerical target to reduce plastic usage by a cumulative 130 tons by FY2030 compared to FY2022 levels, and are working towards realizing a sustainable society. In addition to adopting 100% recycled PET resin for raw miso containers this time, we are also working on...
Additionally, alongside this container switch, a new "100% Recycled PET" mark has been designed for the top seal to clearly communicate this eco-friendly initiative to consumers.
*1 The correct character for "so" in the company name has a mouth radical (口) combined with 曽.
◆ Background to the Adoption of 100% Recycled PET Resin
The Company has been proactively engaged in initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, such as introducing eco-friendly packaging and reducing CO2 emissions in its manufacturing processes. The adoption of 100% recycled PET resin is a crucial step that further accelerates these efforts. Recycled PET is a material that can significantly reduce CO2 emissions compared to petroleum-derived resins and contributes to the realization of a circular economy. Furthermore, demand for packaging with a low environmental footprint is increasingly growing in Western markets, making it essential for the Company to provide sustainable products from a global perspective. Through this container switch, we will continue to communicate our environmental philosophy to a wider audience while enhancing our brand value.
◆ Hikari Miso's Key Environmental Management Items
Under our brand message, 'Nature's blessing, bon appétit', the Company considers reducing the environmental impact of its corporate activities a top priority. Therefore, we have clearly established key management items for environmental conservation and are promoting company-wide efforts to achieve the target values for each item.
Key Environmental Management Items:
1) Proper management and conservation of water resources
2) Promotion of CO2 reduction and energy savings
3) Reduction of food loss
4) Promotion of plastic reduction and recycling
◆ Promotion of Plastic Reduction and Recycling
We have set a numerical target to reduce plastic usage by a cumulative 130 tons by FY2030 compared to FY2022 levels, and are working towards realizing a sustainable society. In addition to adopting 100% recycled PET resin for raw miso containers this time, we are also working on...