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.

Seabourn Japan K.K. (Seafood processing company)

Seaborn Japan Inc., headquartered in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, is an importer of Canadian marine products and processor of marine products. Seaborn Japan imports mainly lobsters and other marine products directly from Canada, separates them into wholesale (sold by the box) and processed products, and then ships them throughout Japan. We have the know-how to distribute live "living" fish, and we have established a system that allows us to perform pre-treatment, primary processing, and secondary processing in response to customer requests, and then deliver them at the specified temperature to the specified location. Direct imports can also be delivered to hotels and restaurants, and information on harvest volume and price fluctuations is also communicated at the time of delivery. In 2022, the Fukuoka Plant obtained JFS-B standard, and in 2023, the Shiga Plant also obtained JFS-B standard. In 2023, the Shiga Plant also obtained JFS-B standard. In this interview, we talked with Yuji Ozawa, President and Representative Director, and Mr. Yahata, who led the movement to obtain the standard at the Shiga Plant, about the company's aim to obtain the new standard and its vision for the future.

-Following the Fukuoka Plant's acquisition of the JFS-B standard in 2022, the Shiga Plant is also expected to acquire the JFS-B standard in 2023. What is the reason for this?

President Ozawa: When the Fukuoka Plant acquired the JFS-B standard, we were fully aware of the advantages of this standard. However, we were hesitant to acquire the standard at the Shiga Plant because we thought it would require a large-scale renovation. Since its establishment, the Shiga Plant had been repeatedly expanded, and we were concerned about whether it would comply with the standard. At that time, we were advised that if we accumulated the necessary documents and changed the way of thinking of our employees, acquisition of the standard would be possible without large-scale capital investment, and we started the move toward acquisition at the Shiga Factory.

-What was the client's reaction to the acquisition of the JFS-B standard at the Shiga Plant?

Ozawa:Because of its proximity to Kyoto and Osaka, many of the clients of the Shiga Plant are hotel purchasing managers , and many of them are familiar with JFS, so we received comments such as, "Well , then we can rely on you. In the Kansai region, where a number of high-priced hotels are opening one after another in anticipation of the Osaka Expo, we feel that acquisition of the JFS-B standard is a major weapon in our sales activities for such hotels.

-Do you feel that many of your clients place great importance on safety?

Ozawa: I feel that very strongly. Many hotel purchasing managers visit our Shiga Plant for inspection. We believe that awareness of food safety is growing throughout Japan, and is not limited to our clients.

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

Ozawa: At first, some employees had doubts about acquiring the JFS-B standard, but the content of the JFS-B standard is easy to understand, and as we proceeded with our efforts to acquire the standard, the reaction of the employees on the front lines turned out to be positive. I feel that the ease of understanding is one of JFS's great strengths.

-Did you make full use of your experience in acquiring the JFS-B standard at the Fukuoka Plant when you acquired the standard at the Shiga Plant?

Ozawa：I feel that we were able to make full use of our experience. The Fukuoka Plant had already started training its employees ahead of the Shiga Plant, and the content of that training was also shared with the Shiga Plant. Therefore, we knew what we needed to prioritize. It is not easy to acquire any kind of standard, not limited to JFS-B, but once acquired, the know-how can be applied to other sites as well, which may be surprisingly unrecognized. It is not easy to acquire JFS-B standards, but once acquired, the know-how can be applied to other locations.

-Documentation is an important part of acquiring the JFS-B standard.

Yahata: The Fukuoka Plant obtained the standard ahead of the Shiga Plant, so we arranged the documents prepared by the Fukuoka Plant for the Shiga Plant to obtain the standard. Since we did not create the documents from scratch , we did not feel it was that burdensome. The employee who was in charge of preparing the documents also commented, "It was easy to prepare the documents.

-There is a cost involved in acquiring the JFS standard, but do you think that the cost will be recovered sufficiently through future corporate activities?

Ozawa: We think so. If we want to grow as a company in a situation where awareness of food safety is increasing, acquiring the JFS standard is a must, don't you think? If we want to expand our scale as a company, we should positively consider acquiring the JFS-B standard, even if we are content to maintain the status quo.

-You have acquired the JFS-B standard at the Fukuoka Plant and the Shiga Plant. What is your vision for the future?

Ozawa: In the future, we would like to import raw materials from overseas, process them at our plants, and sell them to our customers of Japanese descent living overseas. Japanese food products are highly valued overseas , so we feel there is great potential. Our company's origins are in Vancouver, Canada, so our goal is to bring our processed foods to that city in the degree. I believe that we are able to set such specific goals because we have acquired the JFS-B standard.

-Thank you very much for this opportunity.

Company Profile
Company Name: Seaborn Japan K.K.
Representative: Yuji Ozawa
Address: 1-21-14 Karasaki, Otsu, Shiga 520-0106
Founded: November 15, 1986
URL http://seaborn.co.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.