Performance Nutrition Officially Launched. Comprehensive Support for Vissel Kobe's Overseas Expedition Food Environment at Asia's Top International Tournament

AFC Champions League Elite 2026 Scene

Mlemon LLC (Mlemon LLC, Headquarters: Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Representative Member: Mariko Mito) supports the performance of top athletes competing worldwide through individually optimized nutrition strategies. As of June 2026, we have officially launched "TEAM MITOMARI Performance Nutrition" targeting domestic and international sports organizations and professional sports teams.

TEAM MITOMARI Performance Nutrition is a field-oriented support system designed to ensure athletes are in peak condition to deliver their best performance, even in situations with significant changes in competitive environments, such as overseas expeditions and international tournaments.

As a pioneering initiative, we provided comprehensive support from a Performance Nutrition perspective for the Vissel Kobe top team's overseas expedition during the "AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 Finals (ACLE)," Asia's premier club football tournament, held in Saudi Arabia from April 25 to May 4, 2026.

During the tournament, we supported the overall conditioning of the overseas expedition by providing a total of 1,540 meals for approximately 70 athletes and staff, encompassing not only meal planning and preparation but also supplementary snacks, hydration, post-match recovery, kitchen environment management, and coordination with hotels.

In overseas expeditions, the "environment" itself impacts conditioning

Scene in Saudi Arabia

The "AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 Finals (ACLE)," a continental championship for club teams determining Asia's top club, was held in Saudi Arabia from April 25 to May 4, 2026.

Vissel Kobe, participating in this tournament as the 2024 J1 League champions, advanced to the semifinals as Japan's representative club.

During overseas expeditions, various environmental factors different from Japan, such as food ingredients, cooking environments, culture, daily rhythms, and climate, significantly affect athletes' conditioning.

In Saudi Arabia, the host country, the climate was hot and dry, with daytime temperatures rising to around 30-40°C even in April and May, necessitating careful attention to body temperature management and hydration. Adaptation to environments different from Japan, such as air pollution and dust, was also required.

TEAM MITOMARI considers these environmental changes as part of Performance Nutrition and has established a support system tailored to the local environment to enable athletes to perform at the same level as they do in Japan.

Developing a food strategy to maximize performance even in harsh environments

Regardless of the severity of the environment, food support adapted to the local conditions is essential for athletes to perform at the same level or higher than they do in Japan. Therefore, we became involved from the preparation stage before departing Japan, arriving in Saudi Arabia on April 11, 2026, prior to the athletes' arrival. Upon arrival, we commenced support including food preparation and implemented the following measures to establish a food provision system suitable for the local environment:

Menu design tailored to athletes' conditions, considering the hot and dry local climate

Establishment of a Japanese food-based meal provision system that does not rely on chemical seasonings

Individualized meal plans for athletes experiencing poor condition or injuries

Considering these differences in climate, food, and daily rhythms, we created an environment where athletes could maintain stable performance both mentally and physically by designing adaptation to the overseas environment itself, rather than simply "reproducing the nutrition strategy used in Japan."

Support as Vissel Kobe's Top Team Food Trainer

Mlemon LLC has been active as the Vissel Kobe top team's food trainer since 2025.

Under normal circumstances, we are responsible for everything from pre- and post-match snacks, nutrition management during travel, meal planning according to daily condition, to food preparation during expeditions.

During domestic and international expeditions, we manage the entire food environment that allows athletes to concentrate on their sport, including preparing the kitchen environment, coordinating with hotels, collaborating with local chefs, checking ingredients, and providing post-match recovery meals.

In June 2026, Vissel Kobe won the J1 League championship for the 2026 season.

"To create a state where they can perform as usual, anywhere." - Representative Mito

Food Trainer / Mlemon Representative Mariko Mito

In the vastly different climate, culture, and food environment of Saudi Arabia compared to Japan, our top priority was "to create a state where athletes can perform as usual."

The goal of providing meals during overseas expeditions is not to simply replicate the meals provided in Japan. It is to create an environment where athletes can eat with peace of mind and concentrate on their sport within limited circumstances. To achieve this, it is necessary to understand the local culture and environment and to build an optimal food environment in collaboration with the hotel staff at the destination.

During expeditions, there are various differences in ingredients, cooking environments, culture, and customs. However, we believe that supporting athletes by overcoming these differences is our role and strength.

Our mission is not just to provide food itself, but to create "an environment where they can compete as usual, no matter where they are."

Through this experience, we have reaffirmed the importance and potential of establishing a food environment.

We will continue to challenge ourselves to create food environments that enable athletes to achieve their best performance, both domestically and internationally.

About TEAM MITOMARI Performance Nutrition

TEAM MITOMARI Performance Nutrition, officially launched in June 2026, is a Performance Nutrition team dedicated to realizing a state where athletes can "compete as usual" in environments with significant changes, such as overseas expeditions, international tournaments, and overseas training camps.

We create systems that enable high performance both domestically and internationally by designing the entire food environment that supports the competitive scene, including not only meal provision but also supplementary snacks, hydration, kitchen environments, hotel coordination, and coordination with local staff, as well as ingredient selection.

Future Outlook

Based on the knowledge gained from this initiative, Mlemon LLC will continue to promote the implementation of Performance Nutrition systems for domestic and international sports organizations and professional sports teams from fiscal year 2026 onwards.

We are currently developing a conditioning support system with an eye on overseas expeditions and international tournaments, and deploying a field-oriented nutrition support model in collaboration with scientific staff.

About Mlemon LLC

Mlemon LLC is a high-performance environment design company that designs and implements Performance Nutrition (nutrition strategies for improving athletic performance) for top athletes and sports organizations both domestically and internationally.

We create on-site environments that integrate nutrition design with food preparation, taking into account sport-specific characteristics, expedition environments, training loads, and changes in physical condition.

Representative Profile Mariko Mito

Food Trainer Performance Nutrition Director

Conducts food training (nutrition support) aimed at improving athletic performance and conditioning for athletes and sports organizations active both domestically and internationally.

In addition to individual support for Olympic athletes, national team members, and players in overseas leagues and the J.League, also provides food preparation during team travel and overseas expeditions.

In recent years, has been working on building a Performance Nutrition system for "competing globally with food" in competitive environments.

Official Website https://mitomari.com/jp/

Official Instagram Account https://www.instagram.com/mitomari_food/

Media Appearances and Inquiries

LINE Account

https://lin.ee/QBpdejc ID @907omett

Company Profile

Company Name

Mlemon LLC

Location

Kokura, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture

Establishment

September 5, 2024

Capital

1,000,000 yen

Representative

Representative Member: Mariko Mito

Business Activities

1. Instruction, lectures, subscription operations, and training of instructors related to sports training and health management

2. Planning, provision, instruction, and procurement and sales of goods related to sports

3. Operation of sports clubs, event management, support for study abroad expeditions, school business, and online salon operation

4. Development and management of athletes, sports figures, and literary/cultural figures

5. Planning, production, casting, management, promotion, and operation of appearances in media and events

6. Planning, editing, production, management, and sales of books and other publications

7. Operation, management, and business of various sports facilities and related facilities

8. Procurement, wholesale, and EC site operation of food and related products

9. Restaurant management

10. All business incidental to the preceding items