KOBE Hikey Energy Launched to Reduce Food Waste and Promotes Recycle Mechanism in Kobe

Kobe City Environmental Co-prosperity Business Cooperative (Kyoeikai), led by Takashi Masuoka, and Kobec Co., Ltd., led by Hiromitsu Yamamoto, launched the organization KOBE Hikey Energy on June 5, 2026 (Environment Day). The organization aims to establish food waste utilization systems, reduce food loss, and improve food recycling rates in Kobe. While food recycling rates in restaurants and retailers remain at 34% and 63% respectively, leaving massive volumes of food waste to be incinerated, Kyoeikai and Kobec aim to propose diverse recycling options, including converting food waste to energy (such as biogas generation), feed, and fertilizer. Kyoeikai contributes waste collection transport, while Kobec operates a large food-waste-to-biogas power plant. They plan to work with various entities to build a supply chain-wide resource circulation mechanism.