Seven-Eleven Japan, Hakodate City, and WMI Co-host 'Sea and Kelp Forest Project': Children Experience Fresh Kelp Harvesting, Cutting, and Drying in Minamikayabe, Hakodate

Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tomohiro Akutsu; hereinafter "the Company") is advancing the 'Sea and Kelp Forest Project' in collaboration with Hakodate City and WMI Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kitahiroshima City, Hokkaido; President and CEO: Keiko Ito; hereinafter "WMI"), as the 7th initiative of the 'Hokkaido Smiles Relay Project'. As part of this project, an event was held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, in the Minamikayabe area of Hakodate City, where local children experienced observing, cutting, and drying fresh kelp.

This project is a collaborative effort among government, environmental enterprises, and the Company to address the declining kelp fisheries in Hakodate—a region known for its high domestic kelp production—due to marine environmental changes.

On the day, children observed how kelp they seeded in November 2025 had grown from about 5 centimeters to 8–10 meters in length. They also participated in processing steps such as cutting, washing, and drying kelp, providing valuable opportunities to deepen their understanding of local industries.

Moving forward, the Company will continue its collaborative efforts with Hakodate City and WMI to address regional challenges by supporting future generations through educational initiatives and commercializing products developed from this project.

※ Press release for the new product 'Chilled Sapporo Soy Sauce Ramen with Fragrant Broth – Made with Genuine Hakodate Kelp' (released on June 16)

URL: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000945.000155396.html

Background of WMI's Collaboration on the 'Sea and Kelp Forest Project'

In recent years, a phenomenon known as 'isoyake' (rocky reef bleaching) has emerged in seabed areas, posing a serious environmental issue. 'Isoyake' refers to the collapse of marine ecosystem balance, resulting in the reduction or disappearance of kelp, wakame, and many other seaweed species. In their place, a hard-shelled, pale pink algae called 'sangomo' spreads across the surface of seabed rocks, resembling a barren landscape.

To address this issue—often referred to as 'marine desertification'—Seven-Eleven Japan, Hakodate City, and WMI have launched a collaborative initiative called the 'Sea and Kelp Forest Project', aiming to restore kelp beds and revitalize the local community.

As part of this initiative, and to solve the local challenge of declining kelp production while raising public awareness, the partners are continuously supporting kelp bed restoration through the development and sale of products using Hakodate's specialty 'Genuine Hakodate Kelp'.

7th Initiative of the 'Hokkaido Smiles Relay Project' Kelp Harvesting Experience Event Overview

◆ Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026, 9:10 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. (completed)

◆ Venue: Ofuna Branch, Minamikayabe Fisheries Cooperative (Address: 347-3 Ofuna-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 041-1622)

◆ Participants:

Takao Elementary School (Hakodate City), Hakodate City, WMI Co., Ltd., Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd.

◆ Activities:

(1) Observation of fresh kelp harvest and kelp cutting experience

(2) Kelp washing and drying (hoshi) process

(3) Explanation of kelp production by local fishermen

(4) Presentation by Seven-Eleven Japan on new kelp-based products

※ A classroom session for 6th graders at Takao Elementary School is scheduled for Friday, July 10

[Comments from Children and Participants]

・ I was surprised how big the kelp grew—much larger than I imagined! It was so much fun! (5th grader)

・ I’m really excited to think about what kind of products our kelp will become (6th grader)

・ This was a very valuable experience for the children. I hope this kind of activity fosters their interest in local industries (Teacher)

・ There are things only conveyed when local children actually see and experience it firsthand. This was a truly great opportunity (Fisheries representative)

Comment from Project Representative

In this initiative, children who seeded kelp in November 2025 experienced observing, cutting, and drying fresh kelp. The kelp sourced in collaboration with WMI as 'Genuine Hakodate Kelp' is now being carefully used in new products such as the 'Chilled Sapporo Soy Sauce Ramen with Fragrant Broth – Made with Genuine Hakodate Kelp', which began sequential sales from Tuesday, June 16. Going forward, we also plan to develop new products inspired by kelp-based menu ideas created by the children. We aim for this project’s ongoing activities to contribute to regional revitalization and the development of future generations.