Organics initiative in Japan

Growing concern about food safety did lead to a remarkable initiative in Japan, reports the newswire Asia Pulse. Seventeen food suppliers will jointly develop and market organic food products under the unified ‘Organic Guild’ brand. In September the first organic items will be launched and by the end of this year there should be some 20 to 30 items available. In two to three years the partner firms intend to have some 100 items under the jointly developed organic banner.

Itoham Foods, Nippon Flour Mills and Kibun Foods are among the food companies who will be required to obtain an ‘Organic JAS’ certification from Japan’s Agriculture Ministry. Such products are guaranteed produced without pesticides, chemical fertilisers or genetically modified ingredients. Furthermore they will cost almost twice as much as regular foods.

Based on a similar concern for safe food, Japan’s retailers AEON and Ito Yokado are developing new initiatives to increase the sale of organics via their stores. AEON will add 20 new items to its organic assortment which already comprises 90 items and Ito-Yokado will test organic corners in four of its stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area.