Ito-Yokado to Expand Closed-Loop Agriculture by Seven Farm

Copyright Ito-Yokado Co.

Ito-Yokado Co., a major Japanese retailer, announced on March 19, 2010, that it will establish a core business in the agricultural sector called Seven Farm as a fully-owned subsidiary in July 2010, aiming to contribute to sustainable local agriculture.

Seven Farm is an umbrella organization that will manage and maintain a food recycling network, establish new local agricultural companies and develop their enterprises. Ito-Yokado has been conducting closed-loop farming in Chiba Prefecture since 2008, and it plans to introduce the same system to 10 sites across Japan by the end of February, 2013.

Initially, Seven Farm will form business operating companies in Miura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and in Chikusei City, Ibaraki Prefecture, starting to manage affiliated farms, then expand its agricultural business to Ito-Yokado's store areas.

By developing this agricultural business, Ito-Yokado will increase the number of shops running its food-recycling program from the 60 involved as of the end of February 2010, to 100. Consequently, it expects to achieve a food-recycling ratio of 45 percent.

Major Retail Distributor Develops Perfect Food Recycling System (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/027990.html

Posted: 2010/10/17 06:00:15 AM