Co-Creation Ecosystem [ Action for the Future ]Ability to Purchase Quality Foods Matched to One’s Body
in the Appropriate Portions
In the past, ingredients and food were prepared in a manner that was
designed to accommodate large families and preparation at home.
However, nuclear families, two-income households, and people living
alone have become commonplace in Japan, resulting in a rise ininstances of people eating alone. At the same time, younger generations, for whom fast food has been a familiar option since a young age,are coming to embrace organic goods out of a desire to eat foods thatare better for their health. These trends are generating anticipation for

CO-CREATION ECOSYSTEM

food products that can be customized and personalized so that every

ACTION FOR THE FUTURE

priate portions. The emergence of such options will give rise to a newcustomer can purchase quality foods matched to their bodies in approcircular food economy that makes mealtime more enjoyable while
reducing food loss. MARUI GROUP recognizes that there are immediate
actions we can take to help realize such an economy.

PASTPRESENT

Large, multi-generational families

Nuclear families, two-income
households, people living alone

Purchasing of large amounts offood at once

More frequent purchases of smaller
amounts of foodHigh-calorie diets, rising lifestyle diseases

Trend toward healthy and organic foods

Lack of food safety and traceability

Peace of mind provided by visibility of producers

Logical Conclusion of Pursuit of Abundance andConvenience of Food
The foods we purchase and eat as a matter of habit are provided to us through a supply chain encompassing production, import or export, processing preparation, consumption, and disposal. In fact, 1.3 billion tons of food waste
are produced around the world each year, meaning that roughly one-third of all of the food produced for human02

Diverse Options

consumption is thrown away.*1 This amount refers to the excess food and ingredients that are produced and disposed of before they pass into consumer hands and the food that we throw away after purchase. This waste isreferred to as food loss and is becoming a serious social issue. Everyone, whether a producer, seller, or consumer,needs to be cognizant of the food issues to which they contribute.
*1 Source: Global Food Losses and Food Waste, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2011

for the Future of Food
Food is indispensable to our daily lives, and globalization and technological progress are making food moreabundant and convenient. In Japan, people are now able to purchase their favorite types of food wheneverthey like. Moreover, they can choose consumption styles for these foods based on their needs at a given

Sustainable Food Options for Shaping the Future
It is estimated that between 21% and 37% of the total amount of green-Portion of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Attributable to Food Production and Distribution*2

house gases emitted by society is attributable to the production anddistribution of food. A large portion of these gases come from livestock.

time, including making meals by hand, using kits for home preparation, eating in restaurants, or buying

Cows, for example, emit methane gas, which is 28 times more effective

pre-prepared food. However, this convenience is also contributing to food loss as well as emissions ofthan CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere, while also consuming

greenhouse gases that damage the global environment.

massive amounts of water and grains. Accordingly, such livestock
threatens to damage the global environment. This reality has directedattention toward vegan foods, which do not use animal-derived ingredi-

21%–37%

ents, instead replacing them with soy and other alternatives. This type ofmeat substitute is also gaining attention in Japan. Eating is an essential
part of living. Accordingly, if everyone were to replace just one meal aweek with a vegan alternative, it could have a significant benefit toward
limiting global warming. We are now pressed with the need to reassess
our daily meals and the amount of food we waste to consider thepossibility of sustainable food options in our actions.
*2 Represents greenhouse gas emissions associated with human activities
Source: Special Report on Climate Change and Land,
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2019585859