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Collaboration for Sustainability: F-Promo and Elena's Eco-Friendly Initiative

F-Promo Co., Ltd., under the leadership of Chairman Mamoru Sato, and Elena Co., Ltd., led by President Kenji Nakamura, are taking significant steps in their collaboration to enhance environmentally responsible practices. They are actively promoting the reuse of recycled products through their 'store-to-store' recycling initiative across Elena’s 41 stores.

This initiative focuses on regenerating used food trays and PET bottles collected at stores into new food trays and transparent containers, which will be reused in the same stores. This closed-loop recycling system aims to make stores local eco-leaders that significantly reduce environmental footprints and optimize the use of recycled materials, contributing to the establishment of a sustainable circular society.

The Store-to-Store Recycling Process

Elena encourages community participation by allowing customers to drop off their used food trays and PET bottles into designated collection boxes at its stores. F-Promo then takes these materials and transforms them into eco-friendly products such as eco-trays, which are designed specifically to minimize environmental impact. Their approach creates a seamless flow of resources where the store acts as a point of circulation for these recycled materials.

Effective operation of this initiative highly relies on both customer involvement in the recycling process and diligent management by store staff to ensure optimal outcomes.

Environmental Contribution and CO2 Reduction Goals

By actively utilizing eco-friendly products, Elena has reported a reduction of approximately 326 tons of CO2 emissions for the fiscal year ending March 2025. They are committed to further enhancing this initiative with a goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 341 tons by March 2026.

Elena is also dedicated to expanding the use of eco-friendly products. Plans are underway to focus particularly on making sushi and sashimi packaging more sustainable. They successfully recovered 58 tons of used food trays and 20 tons of PET bottles in the fiscal year ending March 2025, with an ambitious target of recovering 62 tons of food trays and 40 tons of PET bottles for the fiscal year ending March 2026. They specifically aim for a 15% increase in the collection of transparent containers year over year.

To encourage customer participation in the horizontal recycling effort, posters detailing CO2 reduction achievements will be displayed at stores to raise awareness and motivate community involvement.

Understanding the Terms of Recycling

The term 'horizontal recycling' refers to the practice of recycling materials without changing their application before and after the recycling process. Eco containers, such as eco-trays and recycled transparent containers (EcoAPET, EcoOPET), play a vital role in maintaining the sustainability ethos of F-Promo and Elena.

F-Promo leads the market as Japan’s premier manufacturer of simple food containers, emphasizing on recycling strategies like 'tray-to-tray' and 'bottle-to-transparent-container', striving to minimize environmental burdens while promoting sustainable development.

Founded in July 1962, F-Promo is headquartered in the Shinjuku Oak Tower in Tokyo and has a reputation for driving efforts toward reducing CO2 emissions and advancing resource conservation through innovative packaging design.

Elena, operational since April 1959, is a pivotal player in the Nagasaki and Saga areas, focusing on providing the freshest produce and engaging in proactive environmental protection activities, such as recovering milk cartons and PET bottles. This regional supermarket aims to contribute to a sustainable society through its eco-conscious practices.

Through the ongoing collaboration between F-Promo and Elena, the ambition to reduce environmental impact while enhancing product sustainability continues to flourish, underscoring the power of community engagement and corporate responsibility in addressing environmental challenges.