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.

Sunpac Corporation (Processing of edible laver)

Sunpak Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and its main business is the manufacture and sale of packaging materials such as decorative boxes and label seals. Three years ago, the company entered the field of food processing and established an in-house Food Processing Department. We mainly process nori (dried laver), and are commissioned by laver makers to use raw materials, which we season, cut, and package at our factory in Fukuoka, Japan. We have steadily built up a track record in the field of food processing, taking full advantage of the advanced technology we have cultivated in the manufacture of packaging materials. In February 2024, the Food Processing Department acquired the JFS-B standard. In this interview, we spoke with Mr. Possahiro Matsunaga (Executive Officer, General Manager of Sales Division), who led the efforts leading up to the standard, about the purpose of the standard and future prospects for the company.

-Please tell us the purpose of acquiring the JFS-B standard.

Matsunaga: The main purpose is to meet the expectations of our client, a food manufacturer, at a higher level. Nori (dried laver) basically goes straight into the end user's body without being heated after opening the package. Therefore, we have been very careful about hygiene. In order to meet the highest standards, we felt it was necessary for our food processing department to obtain a certification (letter of conformance) that is trustworthy.

-How did you come to know about the JFS-B standard?

Matsunaga: One of our employees stopped by the Food Safety Management Association booth at a trade show and asked about it. I got the impression that you participate in various exhibitions to spread the name recognition of certification (letter of conformance).

-I have the impression that you are exhibiting at various exhibitions to spread the name recognition of your certification (letter of conformance).

Matsunaga: Among the certifications (letter of conformance) related to food processing, we felt that the JFS-B standard was the easiest to work with. We have only been in the food processing business for three years. We do not have a wealth of experience in this field. Therefore, we felt that the certification (letter of conformance) should be as easy to work with as possible. The JFS-B standard is a Japanese-born certification (letter of conformance), so the content is easy to understand and the guidelines are well written down to the finest details. The required level is not too high, and we decided that this would be a good choice for us.

-Is there any other company in the same industry that has acquired the JFS standard?

Matsunaga: As far as I know, there are companies that have acquired the JFS standard. My impression is that all companies are positive about acquiring certification (letter of conformance), as society as a whole is becoming more and more aware of food hygiene. When considering which certification (letter of conformance) to acquire, the criterion is " whether the certification (letter of conformance) is trusted by the client .

-What was the reaction of the employees onsite to the acquisition of the JFS-B standard?

Matsunaga: Some employees were puzzled. We are not a company that has always been involved in food processing,so many of our employees are not familiar with certification (letter of conformance) such as the JFS standard.Since the cooperation of on-site employees is essential to obtaining certification (letter of conformance), we explained the JFS-B standard to them in detail anyway. I made it clear to them that if they managed the process of finishing laver to finished products according to the rules of certification (letter of conformance), they would be able to eliminate any mismanagement and improve the efficiency of their work. I believe that it is important for managers to meet with employees in the field and explain the benefits of JFS standard to them in detail.

-What were some of the innovations you made in your efforts to acquire the JFS-B standard?

Matsunaga: In our efforts to obtain certification (letter of conformance), we established a new quality control department. Since we have only been in the food processing business for three years, we did not have such a department before. We set up a new quality control department and brought in personnel to work there, but things did not go smoothly from the start. The new employees were inexperienced and were not accustomed to preparing the necessary documents to obtain certification (letter of conformance). However, thanks to the positive attitude of everyone who worked hard despite their unfamiliarity, we were able to successfully obtain the standard. The timing of the acquisition was not behind schedule, and with the cooperation of our employees, we believe it is possible to acquire the certification (letter of conformance) even if they are not accustomed to it. The employees were also able to experience new tasks, and I think it was a valuable opportunity for them to grow.

-What was the client's reaction to acquiring the JFS-B standard?

Matsunaga: We received a positive response from the seaweed manufacturer. The client did not ask us to obtain any kind of certification (letter of conformance), and we decided to proceed with the acquisition at our own discretion, but the seaweed manufacturer is also very conscious of food hygiene. Ultimately, this will benefit the end user, and I doubt that any of our clients will have a negative reaction when they hear that we are acquiring a certification (letter of conformance) that is trustworthy.

-How do you plan to utilize the JFS-B standard in the future?

Matsunaga: In the future, I am considering getting involved in exporting our products overseas. Fortunately, sales of the newly established Food Processing Department have been growing steadily, and its share of the company's total sales has been increasing every year. In order to further increase sales, we believe it is necessary to be involved in processing laver for export as well as for domestic use. Our mission is to provide our clients with seaweed that they can sell overseas with confidence, since it is the client seaweed manufacturers who actually sell the seaweed locally. In order to be involved in the export business, we are considering acquiring a higher level of certification, such as the JFS-C standard. If possible, we would like to obtain this certification within one to two years.

-What is your message to other companies that are considering acquiring the JFS standard?

Matsunaga：All companies involved in the food industry have a high awareness of sanitation, but some have yet to obtain certification (letter of conformance) that they can rely on. If your company is considering obtaining some kind of certification (letter of conformance), you may want to think positively about the JFS standard.

-Thank you very much for your time today.

Company Profile
Company Name: Sunpac Corporation
Representative: Jun Masuda
Address: 500 Nomachi, Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture, 833-0032, Japan
Founded: November 1972
URL https://sunp.mpx-group.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.