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 2022.

Yasuda Kamaboko Corporation (Manufacture and sale of fish paste products)

Ltd., headquartered in Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture, has been manufacturing and selling fish paste products such as kamaboko, chikuwa, and fried food (satsuma-age) since its establishment in 1807. The company was founded as a handmade business for the family, but now manufactures its products in its own factory under strict hygiene control. Even though the scale of the company has changed, they continue to produce kamaboko with the same emphasis on ingredients and manufacturing methods, never forgetting to be grateful for the blessings of nature. In order to provide end-users with fresh products, we purchase carefully selected whitefish such as walleye pollock, southern cod, and guchi, start making products early in the morning, and ship them out on the same day. We mainly wholesale to supermarkets in Fukui Prefecture, but we also focus on our online store. Our high-quality products are supported by many end users, and we were awarded the "Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize" at the 73rd National Kamaboko Products Fair held in 2022. As a long-established local company, it is often visited by elementary school students from Fukui City on factory tours, making it a company that is loved by the local community. The Yasuda Kamaboko Dojo, located adjacent to the main factory, offers the public a chance to try their hand at making kamaboko. in February 2024, the company was awarded the JFS-B standard for kamaboko, chikuwa, and fried foods produced at the main factory. In this interview, we spoke with Ms. Yasuyo Okazaki, who led the efforts to obtain the JFS-B standard, about the purpose of obtaining the standard and her vision for its future use.

-Please tell us about the purpose of obtaining the JFS-B standard.

Okazaki: The main purpose is to improve the level of food safety management. Since we manufacture fish paste products, we have always strictly monitored food sanitation. However, we felt that the level of food sanitation required of manufacturers has become much higher than before. We have never had any major problems with our past practices, but there is no guarantee that the same practices will continue to work in the future. In order to respond to the situation where society as a whole is becoming stricter on food sanitation, we decided to move forward with the acquisition of the JFS-B standard. Another important factor was the need to obtain a new certification (letter of conformance) because HACCP in Fukui Prefecture was to be abolished.

-What did you find beneficial about the JFS-B standard?

Okazaki：I had heard that the certification (letter of conformance) was easy to understand and user-friendly since it was born in Japan, so that was a big attraction for me. Until now, we had been using Fukui Prefecture's HACCP, but since the JFS-B standard is common throughout Japan, we thought it would be easier to gain the understanding of customers outside the prefecture. We now mainly wholesale to supermarkets in Fukui Prefecture, but in the future we would like to expand our business with clients outside the prefecture, so we thought it would be a great advantage to acquire the JFS-B standard.

-What was the reaction of your on-site employees to acquiring the JFS-B standard?

Okazaki: The employees involved in the production of fish paste products at the plant are highly aware of food safety and quality control, and they work with pride in their work. However, some of them were not accustomed to obtaining any kind of certification (letter of conformance), so they were a bit confused. However, without the cooperation of the employees on site, it would have been impossible to proceed with the acquisition of the standard. Posters explaining the JFS-B standard in an easy-to-understand manner were put up in the factory, and the significance and benefits of acquiring the standard were also explained in detail. We also had trainees from the Philippines come to the factory, so we made posters in Tagalog and held workshops to deepen their understanding of the JFS-B standard. These efforts were successful, and the employees and trainees at the site began to think positively about acquiring the JFS-B standard. I believe that if managers communicate well, it is not difficult to gain the understanding of front-line employees.

-What were the key points in your efforts to acquire the JFS-B standard?

Okazaki: The renovation of the factory was a very important point for the company. It was not an easy decision to make because it would cost a certain amount of money. However, we had been aware for some time that the factory was getting old, so we decided to make a thorough renovation in conjunction with the acquisition of the JFS-B standard. We believe this decision was the right one. We were able to reflect the contents of the JFS-B standard in the construction work, which was more efficient than doing the renovation work and certification (letter of conformance) separately.

-How do you plan to utilize the JFS-B standard that you acquired?

Okazaki: We expect it to be a tool for gaining the trust of end users. Society as a whole is becoming more and more aware of food hygiene, and more and more customers are demanding a higher level of safety and security. We often receive inquiries from customers such as, "How is this kamaboko made?" We believe that the JFS-B standard is very effective in making our customers aware of the high level of our food safety management. It will also be a tool for us to gain trust not only from end-users but also from corporate customers. We expect that the JFS-B standard will make it easier for us to start doing business with new customers.

-Are you planning to export your products to overseas markets in the future?

Okazaki: Currently, we do not export most of our products overseas, but we have sold our products on a test basis overseas in the past. Although it was only a test sale, the response was positive, and we would like to get serious about exporting our products overseas in the future. We are considering not only exporting our existing products but also developing new products for export, referring to local laws and food sanitation standards. In order to start our export business, we are considering acquiring not only the JFS-B standard, but also the JFS-C standard, which is one step higher.

-What are your expectations for JFS standards in the future?

Okazaki: I would like to see more aggressive promotion of the JFS standard to increase its name recognition. The number of food manufacturers in Fukui Prefecture that have acquired the JFS standard is gradually increasing, but it is not a large number. I feel that end-users are not very aware of the JFS standard. It is a shame, because the content is solid and the guidelines are easy to understand. I would like to see more people know about JFS-B as a certification (letter of conformance) that proves the high level of food sanitation.

-What is your message to companies considering acquiring the JFS-B standard?

Okazaki: The JFS-B standard is a valuable tool that certifies the high level of food sanitation. In today's Japan, where people are becoming more and more aware of food safety and security, it is very significant to acquire this standard. The process of obtaining the standard includes employee training, which helps to improve employee awareness of food hygiene. The certification (letter of conformance) was born in Japan, so its contents are easy to understand, and we hope that you will positively consider acquiring it.

-Thank you very much for your time today.

Company Profile
Company Name: Yasuda Kamaboko Co., Ltd.
Representative: Seitaro Yasuda
Address: Head Office and Factory 1-2512 Takayanagi, Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture,
910-0837 , Japan
Founded in 1807
URL: https://yasuda-kamaboko.com/

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.