#Japan #Saitama #Food Truck Team #Mellow Inc. #Disaster Relief Team

Food Truck Response Team at Saitama City's Disaster Drill

As a leading mobility business platform, Mellow Inc. is pioneering the Food Truck Response Team, a nonprofit organization that will take part in the comprehensive disaster drill held in Saitama City on September 1, 2025. This event not only underscores the importance of food trucks in emergency situations but also demonstrates how food services can effectively deliver warmth and support to those in need during times of crisis.

New Registration System for Disaster Support

This year, the Cabinet Office introduced a disaster support vehicle registration system known as "D-TRACE." Within this framework, the Food Truck Response Team has been designated as a "Disaster Response Vehicle Coordination Organization." This means that in the event of a disaster, the team is responsible for coordinating the deployment of food trucks from various kitchen operators across the country.

The Role and Challenges of Food Trucks

Mobile kitchens, or food trucks, are recognized as vital players in the context of disaster relief. They can provide hot meals to affected individuals, along with a dedicated mission to aid those in distress. However, there are challenges as well—local businesses may themselves become victims of disasters, making it difficult for them to engage in relief activities.

Addressing Challenges Through a Broad Network

The Food Truck Response Team takes advantage of their extensive nationwide network, which spans regions such as the Kanto, Kansai, Tokai, and Kyushu areas. Through this network, they have established a system that prevents excessive burden on any single individual and facilitates support from neighboring areas, ensuring a stable and sustainable approach to assistance.

Practicing a Phase-Free Approach to Preparedness

The strengths of the Food Truck Response Team extend beyond just disaster response. In regular circumstances, they operate daily through the SHOP STOP platform in office districts and communities, fostering relationships with local governments, building managers, and residents. This day-to-day interaction helps enhance their readiness during emergencies, embodying the concept of a "phase-free" approach where normal operations contribute to disaster preparedness.

The team’s commitment to leveraging their wide network allows for the rapid dispatch of support from nearby areas, fostering a collaborative environment with multiple operators involved. This mitigates the risk of overwhelming any one entity, ultimately creating a more sustainable solution that connects ordinary life with emergency readiness.

Looking Ahead

Currently, the Food Truck Response Team comprises approximately 300 businesses nationwide that support its mission. They plan to expand their system that bridges everyday life with emergency support further, forging more partnerships with municipalities and businesses alike.

Overview of the Saitama City Comprehensive Disaster Drill

• - Date & Time: September 1, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM (practical training from 10:00 AM to 12:20 PM)
• - Venue: Arakawa Comprehensive Sports Park, Saitama City
• - Organizer: Saitama City (Joint Disaster Drill Central Venue)
• - Content: Exhibition and explanation of disaster response food trucks, showcasing equipment, and introducing the registration system among other activities, specifically in the special vehicle exhibition area.

This exhibit will demonstrate cooking facilities that can be utilized during disasters, the systems for information sharing, and how the "experience of regular operations" can be invaluable during emergencies from a phase-free perspective.

\[Note: The D-TRACE system allows for the rapid provision of disaster response vehicles based on the needs of affected municipalities by maintaining a database of registered vehicles and organizations both in normal and disaster circumstances. More information available at: https://pr.d-trace.go.jp/\]

About the Food Truck Response Team

Motivated by the desire to deliver warm meals to those in need, the Food Truck Response Team was established by Mellow in September 2019. Their inaugural involvement occurred during the extensive power outage caused by Typhoon Faxai in Chiba, where they provided approximately 4,000 free meals using 32 food trucks over eight days.

Since then, the team has expanded its activities encompassing about 300 operators, especially in major regions like Kanto, Kansai, Tokai, and Kyushu. The team’s partnerships include eight comprehensive collaborative agreements with municipalities (including agreements with Mellow Inc.) to actively participate in community disaster preparedness efforts.

In addition, they were recognized in 2025 as a coordinating body under the national disaster response vehicle registration system, which enhances their capacity to mobilize teams from neighboring regions when local operators are unavailable due to disasters. The mantra "everyday life supports emergency situations" encapsulates the mission of the Food Truck Response Team as a practical example of a phase-free operation that connects daily life with crisis support, striving to deliver both warm meals and compassion to communities in need.

About SHOP STOP

SHOP STOP is a platform for mobility business operators, including food trucks. With a track record across 22 prefectures in Japan, it manages over 1,200 operational locations and 3,500 registered stores. By utilizing data analysis for optimal vehicle management and leveraging sales and customer flow data, it supports food truck operators in maximizing their profits. Additionally, it aids in efficient operations by predicting demand influenced by external factors like weather and events.

About Mellow Inc.

Mellow operates the SHOP STOP platform, aiming to enrich and transform urban landscapes. By facilitating mobile commerce, it helps create small market spaces that cater to diverse community needs, enhancing local engagement and fostering fresh experiences for customers. Mellow is committed to achieving its vision of bringing change and prosperity to neighborhoods through community-driven initiatives.