Hikari Miso Co., Ltd.*1 (Shimosuwa-machi, Suwa-gun, Nagano Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Yoshihiro Hayashi; hereinafter "the Company") will adopt 100% recycled PET resin for the cups and lids of two organic miso products intended for overseas export: 'Organic Miso White 500g' and 'Organic Miso Red 500g.' The products are destined for the US and European markets, with shipments scheduled to begin sequentially from April for the US and from May for Europe. This initiative is expected to reduce the amount of newly used plastic by approximately 18 tons per year (based on the Company's estimates from the previous fiscal year's shipment records). While the use of containers made from 100% recycled PET resin is expanding in the beverage industry, this is the first time (according to our research) that it has been adopted for miso containers.

Additionally, accompanying this container transition, a new '100% Recycled PET' mark has been designed for the top seal, providing consumers with a clear indication of the product's environmental considerations.

*1 The correct character for '噌' in the company name is written with the '口' radical followed by '曽'.

[Image: Top seal of 'Organic Miso White 500g' for the US market] [Image: Top seal of 'Organic Miso Red 500g' for the European market]

◆ Background of the Adoption of 100% Recycled PET Resin

The Company has consistently pursued initiatives to reduce environmental impact, such as introducing eco-friendly packaging and reducing CO2 emissions in manufacturing processes. The adoption of 100% recycled PET resin is a significant step toward accelerating 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 resource-recycling society. Furthermore, there is a growing demand in Western markets for packaging with a lower environmental footprint, making it essential for the Company to provide sustainable products from a global perspective. Through this container transition, we aim to enhance our brand value while communicating our environmental philosophy to more customers.

◆ Hikari Miso's Priority Environmental Management Items

Under our brand message, 'We gratefully receive the blessings of nature,' the Company considers the reduction of environmental impact in our business activities to be a top priority. To this end, we have clearly defined priority management items for environmental conservation and are implementing company-wide efforts to achieve the target values for each item.

Priority Environmental Management Items: 1. Proper management and conservation of water resources 2. Promotion of CO2 reduction and energy conservation 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 our cumulative plastic usage by 130 tons by fiscal year 2030 compared to fiscal year 2022, and we are working toward the realization of a sustainable society. In addition to adopting 100% recycled PET resin for our raw miso containers, we are implementing reduction measures from multiple angles, such as 'thinning' and 'compacting' plastic packaging materials. Through these efforts, we are promoting the provision of more sustainable products while balancing the promotion of resource circulation with the reduction of environmental impact.

<Customer Inquiries> Hikari Miso Co., Ltd. Customer Service Office TEL: 03-5940-8850

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: product_launch