Creation of Diverse Plant-based Ingredients

Material Issue

Food Safety and Health/
Environmentally Responsible MONOZUKURI
(Product Development and Manufacturing Practices)

Governance

The Fuji Oil Group has established the Sustainability Committee*1 as an advisory body to the Board of Directors that is chaired by the President and CEO. From a multi-stakeholder perspective, the committee deliberates on and monitors Creation of Diverse Plant-based Ingredients, a priority action to address material ESG issues,*2 and makes recommendations to the Board. The Group implements related initiatives under the oversight of the Head of R&D Headquarters, the Executive Officer.

Strategy

Since its early days, the Fuji Oil Group has been considering the future issues of food resources caused by the growing global population. We have explored the possibilities of soy and developed plant-based protein ingredients that can complement animal protein sources. With the world population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, providing solutions to the problem of food scarcity by developing plant-based protein ingredients with lower impacts on the global environment has been our Group’s mission since the company was founded. Our products are created from a variety of plant-based proteins, fats and oils, as well as combinations of these ingredients, and provide greater options to help create a world where everyone can truly enjoy their meal. We believe these activities not only help solve social issues, but also lead to improved corporate value.
On the other hand, if we do not actively address these issues, we face such risks as rising raw material costs, unstable supply of existing materials, tighter regulations in various countries and regions, and an inability to meet consumer needs.
In recent years, there has been growing global interest in social issues such as global environmental problems, food resource shortages, uneven distribution of food resources, and physical and mental health disorders. Instead of merely replacing animal-based food with plant-based ones, we aim to provide delicious plant-based ingredients that resonate with consumers and consider the health of people and the planet in order to help solve these social issues. By combining our plant-based ingredients with our many processing technologies, we will provide plant-based foods that cater to diverse dietary cultures worldwide.

Risk management

The Fuji Oil Group systematically manages risks and opportunities related to Food Safety and Health and Environmentally Responsible MONOZUKURI (Product Development and Manufacturing Practices), areas of sustainability matters that address material ESG issues, in alignment with Group significant risks.

The R&D Division also engages in the following in order to quickly gain understanding of the many social issues that are changing day by day, and create opportunities to address them:

  • Exchange the latest information through a voluntary, cross-departmental discussion group
  • Raise awareness of plant-based foods through industry-government-academia collaboration

Metrics and targets

：At least 90% complete ：At least 60% complete ：Less than 60% complete

FY2024 Goals FY2024 Results Self-assessment
Develop new plant-based ingredients that cater to diversifying values Pursued the commercialization of plant-based whipped cream and MIRACORE®*1 products
Provide sustainable plant-based protein sources The quality of Prime Soy Meat*2 has been recognized, but its uptake in target markets has been slow

  • *1 MIRACORE® is a technology brand that delivers a feeling of satisfaction similar to animal-based foods using plant-based ingredients

    *2 Prime Soy Meat is a delicious soy-based meat alternative that offers both an authentic meat-like fibrous texture and a melt-in-the-mouth quality.

Analysis

To realize our vision, “Together with our stakeholders, we will co-create a sustainable future for food, based on plant-based ingredients that are both delicious and healthy,” as stated in the Fuji Oil Group Management Philosophy, we have leveraged the technologies for combining flavors and textures that we have developed over many years to develop new plant-based ingredients with better quality than ever before.

Next steps

It is important to create an enjoyable experience with food and to help keep people and the planet healthy, rather than simply offering plant-based ingredients as alternatives to animal-based products. To address this issue, we set the following goal for FY2025:

  • Develop new plant-based ingredients that cater to diversifying values

Specific initiatives

GOODNOON brand: A flagship initiative for fulfilling our vision

In 2022, we launched the GOODNOON brand*1 to fulfill the vision outlined in the Fuji Oil Group Management Philosophy.*2 GOODNOON is a plant-based food product brand that offers a broad range of options that are always delicious, rather than just being an alternative food. With a focus on making amazingly delicious products a reality, we offer consumers a lineup of plant-based foods under the GOODNOON brand that meet four conditions: (1) unique; (2) easy to understand; (3) solves social issues; and (4) healthy for people and the planet. By exploring the equation for choosing plant-based ingredients, with the GOODNOON brand we will pave the way for a future of delicious food culture and continue to embrace the challenge of realizing a world where everyone can enjoy food.

  • *1 GOODNOON: https://www.goodnoon.jp/ (in Japanese)
  • *2 Fuji Oil Group Management Philosophy: Revised in April 2023 to: “Together with our stakeholders, we will co-create a sustainable future for food, based on plant-based ingredients that are both delicious and healthy.”

Developing new plant-based ingredients that cater to diversifying values

Our Group strives to develop products that bring out the flavor of plant-based food ingredients to help solve food insecurity and global environmental challenges. These products harness the development technologies of oils and fats and soy protein ingredients we have cultivated over many years.
In FY2024, we developed KIWADATE Whip and Blend Top plant-based whipped cream specifically for blending to bring out the flavor of ingredients using emulsification technology. This product has been used in chilled products sold at convenience stores and other retailers, as well as in room-temperature bread. When cream containing dairy ingredients is combined with ingredients such as fruits and chocolate, the flavors can become blurred. We developed the Blend Top product to address this issue. We also developed plant-based ingredients that address social issues and meet customer needs, including a concentrated ramen soup using the MIRACORE® technology to express the feeling of satisfaction unique to animal-based foods, and UFURI®, a plant-based cake mix, which contains a soy protein mixture that functions as a replacement for eggs suitable for sponge cakes and similar baked foods. Furthermore, we introduced Prime Soy Meat to the market, which was launched last year, by developing products that meet the needs of the U.S. market with the aim of expanding internationally.

Fruit cream puffs made with our plant-based whipped cream

UFURI®, plant-based cake mix

Examples of using UFURI®: tea chiffon cake and coffee bouchée (egg-free)

Plant-based concentrated ramen soup (tonkotsu flavor)

Proposing new value to the market

The Fuji Oil Group has achieved amazing deliciousness with plant-based foods by leveraging the technologies it has honed thus far, and continues to provide consumers with a multitude of food choices. We are working with our customers to create new products with the aim of providing a wide range of options for delicious plant-based food products.

Delicious plant-based foods available to everyone

New Otani Co., Ltd.

The Hotel New Otani, operated by New Otani Co., Ltd., offers several dishes on its restaurant menu using soy protein products and soy milk-related products made by Fuji Oil Group.

Dishes available at the hotel restaurant: Plant-based Meat and Tomato Stew, Healthy Soy Milk Pudding and Basque-style Soy Milk Cheesecake, from left to right (images from Hotel New Otani's website)

cotta Inc.

We have entered into a capital and business alliance with cotta Inc., which operates one of the largest websites for confectionery and baking ingredients in Japan.
The cotta tomorrow®* website was jointly launched in May 2023 to provide healthy products and information, and now it is one of Japan’s largest e-commerce media platform focusing on plant-based ingredients. The website is visited by many people with one million monthly page views, and its Instagram account has over 200,000 followers.

cotta tomorrow website (2D code)

Products in the Soy lait Beurre series
(image provided by cotta)

FamilyMart Co., Ltd.

FamilyMart’s Blue Green Project promotes the value of making incremental contributions to the global environment. It periodically features rice balls, desserts and other products made with plant-based ingredients and developed with taste in mind. These tasty plant-based products provide consumers with new choices.

Garlic rice balls with plant-based meat
(images provided by FamilyMart)

Plant-based strawberry shortcake with strawberry whipped cream
(images provided by FamilyMart)

  • * The above products are currently not available.

Joint development of Yasashii Tsuyu with venerable soba shop Sarashina Horii

In November 2024, Fuji Fresh Foods Co., Ltd. launched Yasashii Tsuyu, a soup base for household use, as a GOODNOON product. Leveraging the MIRACORE® technology, this product was jointly developed with Sarashina Horii, a long-standing soba noodles shop with a history of over 230 years. The opportunity for this joint development arose from President Horii’s remarks about the difficulty in obtaining bonito flakes due to changes in the marine environment. We believed that by utilizing MIRACORE® to express the Edo-style flavor in a plant-based form, we could contribute to the preservation of traditional tastes while also deepening understanding of marine environments and traditional ingredients. It was these ideas that led to the joint development of this product.
Currently, it is sold for home use on the Soya Farm Club and cotta tomorrow® websites, and at the Sarashina Horii stores.
Despite not using any animal products, Yasashii Tsuyu delivers a bonito-like flavor that stands up to soy sauce, allowing many consumers to enjoy an authentic Edo-style taste.

Yasashii Tsuyu

MIRACORE®: Technology behind plant-based foods with satisfaction

Primarily in the Fundamental Seasoning Business Division, we are addressing social issues through the business development of MIRACORE®, including the development of new products and the dissemination of solutions, focusing mainly on the challenges of the tourism industry.
Leveraging MIRACORE® technology, we launched a European-style curry in a retort pouch in August 2024, and in February 2025, we expanded our lineup with three different flavors of plant-based concentrated ramen soups: tonkotsu-, miso-, and seafood & salt-flavored types. These products have been served to customers at restaurants, ski resorts, and hotels where inbound tourism and labor shortages have led to challenges in their operations. The products have been favorably received, mainly because they can be easily utilized to provide delicious dishes for not only vegans, but also for the general public.
On January 23, 2025, we hosted an event for tourism service operators, including hotels and local governments, showcasing an all-purpose menu using MIRACORE® plant-based soup stock. The all-purpose menu is a selection of delicious dishes that everyone can enjoy, regardless of dietary restrictions, and which are tasty enough to make people want to eat them again. After sampling some buffet dishes prepared by four chefs active in various fields and listening to a talk session, the participants gained an understanding of how the all-purpose menu can contribute to solving issues in food and tourism.

European-style curry

Event in progress on January 23

MIRACORE® concentrated ramen soup (from left to right: tonkotsu, seafood & salt, and miso)

Partnering with other companies on sustainable food

As a founding member of the Plant Based Lifestyle Lab (P-LAB),*1 we are working to raise awareness of and promote plant-based food (PBF) in collaboration with companies from a range of business domains.
In FY2024, we participated in the World King of Chefs Summit held on Awaji Island (November 16–18, 2024, with special sponsorship from P-LAB). The PBF menu we provided in collaboration with member companies garnered significant interest from attendees.

Until now, the lack of indicators for consumers when choosing PBF was seen to be one of the challenges for its widespread adoption. P-LAB launched a certification system for PBF on March 1, 2025, initially for member companies. The standards for raw material selection and manufacturing processes for PBF have been clarified, and third-party certification by an independent secretariat within P-LAB has been carried out. Certified products can display the logo. The number of certified products will be expanded as a tool to clearly communicate the value and appeal of PBF to consumers.
Going forward, as well as stepping up activities to serve as a communication hub of PBF information, we will continue to promote value creation by collaborating with member companies to develop new PBF products and dishes.

  • *1 Founded in March 2021 with 15 member companies, and became a general incorporated association in October 2021. Currently has 51 member companies (as of July 2025)

    https://pbl-lab.net/ (in Japanese)

P-LAB booth at the World King of Chefs Summit

Group work session at a P-LAB general meeting