'Mitsubishi Shokuhin Next 100 Years Fund' Aims for a Sustainable Society: Supporting the Construction and Strengthening of the Life-Sustaining Food Supply Chain

The Public Resource Foundation (located in Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Tsuyoshi Kuzumi) established the 'Mitsubishi Shokuhin Next 100 Years Fund' on September 30, 2025, through a donation from Mitsubishi Shokuhin Co., Ltd. (located in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo). On December 22, 2025, the fund began inviting applications from non-profit organizations aiming to build or strengthen food supply chains, with a total grant pool of approximately 50 million yen. Out of 29 applications nationwide, five organizations were selected as grant recipients. Special Site: https://www.public.or.jp/project/f0180 As the number of people requiring food assistance increases—including low-income households, families facing sudden difficulties due to disasters or epidemics, and low-income single elderly individuals—this fund aims to support the development of organizational structures and new systems for local food banks. The goal is to sustain a diverse food supply and contribute to community revitalization. Through these infrastructure improvements, the fund aims to help build and strengthen a 'life-sustaining food supply chain,' creating a mechanism to reliably deliver more food to those in need who struggle with daily sustenance. ■ Selection Overview and Results A document review was conducted for the 29 applications, followed by online interviews for qualifying groups. After a rigorous selection process, five organizations were chosen. Selection Committee (titles omitted, in alphabetical order except for the chair): - Gen Watanabe (Director, The Center for Aid and Foundation) *Chair - Hisayo Ezaki (Member of 'Next 100 Years Project' Committee, Mitsubishi Shokuhin Co., Ltd.) - Rie Mishima (Chairperson, NPO Musubie) - Hiroaki Yoneyama (Representative Director, Japan Association of Food Banks) Grant Recipients and Amounts: The maximum grant per organization is 10 million yen, with a duration ranging from 1 to 3 years as chosen by the organization. (Total grant amount for this round: 49,992,000 yen) - Certified NPO Second Harvest Japan (10 million yen for 1 year) - NPO Food Bank Kagoshima (9.992 million yen for 1 year) - NPO Food Bank Kitakyushu Life Again (10 million yen for 2 years) - General Incorporated Association Tohoku Food Bank Coordination Center (10 million yen for 2 years) - NPO Kirin Kodomo Ouendan (10 million yen for 3 years) Public Resource Foundation: Started in 2000 as a non-profit think tank. It focuses on NPO management, CSR evaluation, and donation promotion. Since becoming a public foundation in 2013, it has received over 5.4 billion yen in donations and provided approximately 3.3 billion yen in grants (as of March 2025). Mitsubishi Shokuhin Co., Ltd.: Primarily engaged in the wholesale of processed foods, frozen/chilled foods, alcoholic beverages, and confectionery, alongside logistics and other services.