In this page, you will find the interview with a business that has acquired JFS Standard, in which they describe their efforts toward acquiring JFS Standard and the effects they have achieved after acquisition.

This article was produced under a project subsidized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 2023.

Agape Farms Inc. (Manufacture and sale of processed products)

　Agape Farm Inc. is headquartered in Chikuzen-cho, Asakura-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture, and is engaged in the production and sale of agricultural products and processed products. Licensed as a qualified agricultural land-owning corporation, the company's farm in Chikuzen-cho produces agricultural products without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The company's own factory produces OEM products, as well as an original ginger syrup called "Kinkoukan" using Hachiro ginger from Kumamoto Prefecture. Through industry-government-academia collaboration, the company has succeeded in obtaining solid evidence for the functionality of Kinkyokan as a food, and has completed notification of its Food with Functional Labeling. In addition, we also produce soy milk and other products at our own factory, using soybeans grown in Fukuoka Prefecture. In February 2024, the company acquired the JFS-B standard for the production of its mainstay products, "Lactobacillus Fermented Beverage Soylact" and "Kangan Citrus". In this interview, we asked Mr. Sakuragi, who led the movement to acquire the standard, about the background, aims, and future vision of the company.

-How did you come to acquire the JFS-B standard?

Sakuragi: We decided to build a new factory to produce processed products in February 2023, and we wanted to acquire some kind of standard. At first, we were considering other standards, but when we learned about the JFS-B standard at a seminar held in Fukuoka Prefecture, we thought that this standard would be easier to understand. We also considered acquiring the JFS-C standard, but none of us had any experience in obtaining any kind of certification, and we feared that suddenly trying a standard with such high hurdles might cause confusion in our operations. Therefore, we decided to start by acquiring the JFS-B standard.

-What were your internal activities to acquire the JFS-B standard?

Sakuragi: Once a month, we held a meeting attended by all employees. The entire company was working together to acquire the JFS-B standard. There are a number of items to be reviewed in order to obtain the standard, so each employee would bring home homework like, "This month, let's work on items 1 through 5. Each employee would bring home homework assignments, and then complete the homework before the next meeting. It was a really good experience for all employees to be able to work on their own initiative, rather than leaving it up to specific employees.

-So the employees on site took the lead in moving forward with the acquisition.

Sakuragi: Basically, I left it to the employees on site. I thought it was more meaningful for the employees actually working on the site to use their brains and take action, rather than for me to tell them what to do from above. The JFS-B guidelines were easy to understand, even for employees with little experience in food production. We feel that the process of acquiring the standard went smoothly and without delay.

-Did the acquisition of the JFS-B standard result in any changes within the company?

Sakuragi: I believe that the level of food safety awareness among our employees has risen dramatically. We learned a lot of new things in the process of acquiring the standard, and our knowledge of food safety must have increased dramatically. In addition, there has been a change in the awareness of our employees. Employees on the front line now have concrete opinions such as, "We should also check the physical condition of the contractors who repair the machines in the factory. This was a surprise to me because all of our employees had little experience in food production. The change in the awareness of our employees as a result of acquiring the JFS-B standard was truly a great benefit.

-Did the acquisition of the JFS-B standard change the reaction of your customers?

Sakuragi: They are reassured by the fact that we have a highly reliable standard. Awareness of food safety has changed, and I feel that the need to acquire such a standard is growing. Especially for companies that are thinking of selling their products on a national level, I think it is fair to say that acquiring a highly reliable standard is a must. If you are thinking of acquiring some kind of certification, we recommend the easy-to-understand JFS-B standard as a first step.

-What is your vision for the future utilizing the JFS-B standard?

Sakuragi: We are thinking of acquiring Halal certification (certification that indicates that the food does not violate the tenets of Islam). To obtain Halal certification, we need to have a highly reliable standard like the JFS-B standard. The Port of Hakata in Fukuoka receives many inbound customers from China on cruise ships. In fact, many of our Chinese customers are Muslims from Turfan and Uyghur. Since there are not many Halal-certified foods in Japan, many Muslims cannot enjoy Japanese food even though they have come all the way to Japan. By obtaining Halal certification, we will be able to offer our food products to Muslim customers. Now that we have successfully obtained the JFS-B standard, we are now ready to undergo the Halal certification audit. If we can capture the inbound demand from Muslims, it will be a great opportunity for our company.

-Will you be putting more effort into exports in the future?

Sakuragi: We do not know how large the scale will be, but we are positively considering exports. We would like to export first to Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, and eventually to the Middle East, where there are many wealthy people. We have built a new factory and acquired the JFS-B standard, and I believe we are ready to produce products that will satisfy our overseas customers.

-With the acquisition of the JFS-B standard, is there a possibility of starting a new business?

Sakuragi: We are considering starting an engineering business for other food product manufacturers. We have been considering acquiring the JFS-B standard from the stage of building a new factory, and we have reflected the standard in the design of our factory. We would like to use this experience to offer engineering services to other food manufacturers to design their factories in a way that incorporates acquisition of the JFS-B standard. We feel that there is definitely a need for this service, and that the engineering business could well become a new pillar of support for the company.

-If you have any comments on the JFS standards, please let us know.

Sakuragi: I think it is a very easy-to-understand and user-friendly standard, but I feel that it is not as well known as other standards. It would be great if the standard could be promoted more aggressively to increase its visibility, as an acquirer. Nevertheless, the number of companies in Fukuoka Prefecture that have acquired the JFS standard is increasing, and I expect that the number of JFS-standard factories will continue to increase as awareness of the standard rises.

-Thank you very much for your time today.

Company Profile
Company Name: Agape Farms Inc.
Representative: Kazuyuki Fujiki
Address: 361-1 Chikuzen-cho, Asakura-gun, Fukuoka, 838-0224, Japan
Founded:October 17, 2013
URL: https://agapefarm.jp/

The Japanese version of the interview is available in the PDF below.

Disclaimer: The translation process used on this English website is partially offered by a "machine translation" for your convenience. This translated document is provided for information purposes only. In the event of a difference of interpretation or a dispute, the original Japanese version of this document is binding.