Meiji and Hemicellulose Partner to Develop Sustainable Cocoa-Based Bioplastics
In a significant step towards environmental sustainability, Meiji Co., under the leadership of CEO Bunjirou Yao, has successfully collaborated with Hemicellulose, led by CEO Jin Nasukawa. The partnership aims to develop a bio-plastics manufacturing model utilizing cocoa agricultural waste such as cascara and cacao husk. This initiative has received endorsement from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in Japan, through its Fiscal Year 2023 subsidy program targeting the Global South.
The project, titled 'Research Project for the Establishment of a Bioplastic Manufacturing Model Using Agricultural Waste in the Republic of Ghana, the Republic of Ecuador, and the United Mexican States,' focuses on assessing the viability and potential of creating a circular manufacturing model that generates added value from previously underutilized resources in these cocoa-producing countries.
This feasibility study will analyze four critical dimensions:
1. Business Environment Feasibility: Investigating the investment climate in each target country.
2. Material Feasibility: Researching raw materials and potential partners.
3. Technical Feasibility: Evaluating the practicality of the manufacturing processes involved.
4. Regulatory and Risk Feasibility: Assessing infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.
Based on these assessments, Meiji and Hemicellulose aim to clarify the conditions necessary to transition into the implementation and commercialization phases of their project. This endeavor marks the first attempt to validate the feasibility of a bioplastics manufacturing model within cocoa-producing regions, where uncertainties around raw material properties, local production conditions, and supply chain logistics exist.
Conducting this field investigation requires specialized knowledge, as well as significant time and resources. However, support through this subsidy program, provided by the Japanese government, enables a systematic approach to verify technology, market viability, and operational aspects of the project.
Through this collaboration, Meiji not only aims to contribute to the income improvement of cocoa farmers and the generation of local employment in cocoa-producing countries but also strives to establish a low-cost, low-environmental impact circular industry model that leverages underutilized cocoa parts. Additionally, in Japan, the established manufacturing model is anticipated to boost exports of related equipment and raw materials and generate ongoing revenue through intellectual property licensing, thereby enhancing domestic manufacturing competitiveness.
The METI's economic cooperation subsidy program is specifically designed to stimulate market activity in the Global South and strengthen economic ties with Japan by supporting feasibility studies and small-scale demonstration projects implemented by Japanese companies.
Meiji has a long-standing history of producing chocolate from cocoa beans and has actively supported local farmers. However, various social challenges in cocoa-producing areas, including child labor and deforestation, pose significant hurdles that cannot be addressed by a single company alone. To tackle these issues, Meiji has launched the 'Open Cocoa' initiative, viewing cocoa as a material with new potential. The project aims to enhance the economic value of cocoa and ensure returns to cocoa-producing communities, working towards a future where all stakeholders involved in cocoa can smile.
Since the project's announcement in March 2022, Meiji has developed food products that utilize cocoa's new raw materials, distinct from traditional chocolate, and in June 2023, it launched a new non-food brand called 'CACAO STYLE.' Furthermore, in January 2024, Meiji will begin the 'meiji CACAO Beauty Project,' focusing on the beauty aspects of cocoa-derived ingredients. For further information, please visit the Open Cocoa project page here.
Meiji strives to contribute to sustainable cocoa production by returning new value created from cocoa through the development of a cocoa-based bioplastics manufacturing model back to the producers.
The project, titled 'Research Project for the Establishment of a Bioplastic Manufacturing Model Using Agricultural Waste in the Republic of Ghana, the Republic of Ecuador, and the United Mexican States,' focuses on assessing the viability and potential of creating a circular manufacturing model that generates added value from previously underutilized resources in these cocoa-producing countries.
This feasibility study will analyze four critical dimensions:
1. Business Environment Feasibility: Investigating the investment climate in each target country.
2. Material Feasibility: Researching raw materials and potential partners.
3. Technical Feasibility: Evaluating the practicality of the manufacturing processes involved.
4. Regulatory and Risk Feasibility: Assessing infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.
Based on these assessments, Meiji and Hemicellulose aim to clarify the conditions necessary to transition into the implementation and commercialization phases of their project. This endeavor marks the first attempt to validate the feasibility of a bioplastics manufacturing model within cocoa-producing regions, where uncertainties around raw material properties, local production conditions, and supply chain logistics exist.
Conducting this field investigation requires specialized knowledge, as well as significant time and resources. However, support through this subsidy program, provided by the Japanese government, enables a systematic approach to verify technology, market viability, and operational aspects of the project.
Through this collaboration, Meiji not only aims to contribute to the income improvement of cocoa farmers and the generation of local employment in cocoa-producing countries but also strives to establish a low-cost, low-environmental impact circular industry model that leverages underutilized cocoa parts. Additionally, in Japan, the established manufacturing model is anticipated to boost exports of related equipment and raw materials and generate ongoing revenue through intellectual property licensing, thereby enhancing domestic manufacturing competitiveness.
The METI's economic cooperation subsidy program is specifically designed to stimulate market activity in the Global South and strengthen economic ties with Japan by supporting feasibility studies and small-scale demonstration projects implemented by Japanese companies.
Meiji has a long-standing history of producing chocolate from cocoa beans and has actively supported local farmers. However, various social challenges in cocoa-producing areas, including child labor and deforestation, pose significant hurdles that cannot be addressed by a single company alone. To tackle these issues, Meiji has launched the 'Open Cocoa' initiative, viewing cocoa as a material with new potential. The project aims to enhance the economic value of cocoa and ensure returns to cocoa-producing communities, working towards a future where all stakeholders involved in cocoa can smile.
Since the project's announcement in March 2022, Meiji has developed food products that utilize cocoa's new raw materials, distinct from traditional chocolate, and in June 2023, it launched a new non-food brand called 'CACAO STYLE.' Furthermore, in January 2024, Meiji will begin the 'meiji CACAO Beauty Project,' focusing on the beauty aspects of cocoa-derived ingredients. For further information, please visit the Open Cocoa project page here.
Meiji strives to contribute to sustainable cocoa production by returning new value created from cocoa through the development of a cocoa-based bioplastics manufacturing model back to the producers.
Topics Consumer Products & Retail）
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