SUSTAINABILITY IN EVERY BITE: JAPAN’S

B CORP-CERTIFIEDVEGAN BAKESHOPCHAMPIONSETHICAL BUSINESSA bakeshop specializing in plant-based cookies has achieved a groundbreaking milestone as the first food establishment
in Japan to obtain B Corp Certification, an accolade for businesses that prioritize environmental and social
considerations. What kind of diverse options does its founder, at the heart of a movement to harness the power of businessfor societal change, envision for the future?
“Doing good tastes so good”—
this simple concept of creating
something both delicious andgood for everyone has brought
attention to ovgo Baker, a bakeshop
founded by MIZOBUCHI Yuki
and two of her friends in May
2020. Ovgo inc. sells cookies andmuffins made entirely from plant-

based ingredients. The name “ovgo,”an acronym for “organic, vegan,gluten-free as options,” embodies
the bakery’s mission to expand
the range of choices for those withdietary restrictions, whether due toreligion, allergies, or other reasons.
Coupled with their unwavering
dedication to exceptional taste,theirs is a welcoming space thatensures everyone who enters leaves
with a smile.
After the company launchedonline sales during the COVID-19
pandemic, word of delicious
cookies made at ovgo quickly
spread on social media. Today, thecompany runs three bakeshops inMIZOBUCHI Yuki, founder ofovgo inc., focused on obtaining
B Corp Certification since thecompany’s early days. Her next
goal is to promote the Impact
Business Model, one of B Corp’sassessments, in Japan.

B Market Builder Japan’s focus is on nurturing connections and supporting local movements in Japan.
The photo is from the launch party held in March. NISHIDA KAORI

Vegan cookies use domestic wheat and plantbased ingredients in a wide variety of products
while reducing the environmental impact.
Popular flavors include matcha (powderedgreen tea) a favorite among foreign visitors.

Tokyo, and the number of cafes
stocking its products is steadilyrising. In a significant milestone,
ovgo earned B Corp Certificationin 2022, established by theAmerican nonprofit B Lab, which
recognizes businesses committed
to substantial public benefit andof high social and environmental
performance standards. The
certification is based on fulfillingvarious criteria in all five evaluation
categories, namely, governance,workers, community, environment,and customers, followed by analyst
review and interview. With
the certification given to over
8,900 companies certified in 101
countries (as of July 2024), ovgo
became Japan’s first in the foodindustry to receive the distinction.
Mizobuchi resigned from a major
trading firm that she had joined
after graduating from university injust three years. While pursuing aventure that truly resonates withher values and benefited society, shetraveled alone to the U.S. and Brazil,
where she crystallized her vision ofa society offering a rich diversity ofoptions and possibilities. She wasalso inspired by the local mindset
in those countries of choosing
plant-based
foodproducts
motivated by the environmental
repercussions of livestock farming
and concerns over food security.
Combining her love for baking
American-style cookies, a desire
for connection with society, andher entrepreneurial spirit, ovgo
was born.
“When a food establishment
like ours, deeply rooted in thecommunity with many people
involved, obtains B CorpCertification, I believe, the social
impact is significant,” remarks
Mizobuchi. A measurement of
their flagship chocolate chipcookies, carbon footprint, fromprocurement to production, anddistribution found that theirgreenhouse gas emissions were
84% less than that of similar
cookies made elsewhere. “It would
be wonderful if awareness grew
about how tasty cookies can playa role in decreasing environmental
impact and motivate people to act,”
she adds.
Mizobuchi has stepped down
as chief operating officer of ovgo,
having assumed the positionof co-lead at B Market Builder

Japan, in March 2024. In her newpost, she advocates the B Corp
philosophy across Japan. B Corp’s
aim is to benefit all stakeholders,from consumers and employees
to local communities and theenvironment. “Japan, I think, used
to have a good corporate cultureof caring for the environment
and employees. Societies andbusinesses alike, by introducing
mechanisms to embrace previously
overlooked diversity and address
hidden disparities, can cultivate
meaningful change,” she says.
While she has shifted her primary
focus, she hasn’t forgotten her
passion for cookies as a member ofovgo. Plans are underway to expand
the company’s market presence tothe U.S. and beyond. She views
the art of transforming plant-based
ingredients into delicious foods,
such as the ubiquitous dashi brothfrom kelp, as a hallmark of Japanesecooking. “Last year, at a pop-up
shop we ran in the U.S., customers
were full of praise for how tasty ourproducts were. I’m confident that
our flavors can win people’s hearts
overseas,” she remarks.
Today, as ever, the bakeshop
brought to life by Mizobuchi’s
aspiration is brimming with sweet
scents and countless smiles—“a diverse group of customers
and staff: everyone a picture ofhappiness.” 