Kuradashi seeks 200 testers for government-backed food loss project

Kuradashi, Inc. that it is recruiting up to 200 public testers for a project aimed at reducing household food loss. Their project is titled the “Use-it-all Challenge,” chosen for the ministry’s FY2024 Model Project for Promoting Household Food Loss Reduction through Consumer Behaviour Change. The aim is to verify how combining e-commerce with recipe distribution can alter consumer habits and decrease food waste at home.

Participants will receive a special 4,000-yen coupon to purchase food items from the Kuradashi online store. These products, which include items with near-expiry dates or damaged packaging, might otherwise be discarded. Testers will then receive “use-it-all recipes” through the “Uchirepi” app, operated by Sapporo Holdings Limited, to help them consume the items completely.

Kuradashi’s business model is built on tackling food waste. The company’s vision is to be the company that reduces the most food loss in Japan, selling surplus food online and donating a portion of its sales to social contribution activities. This project extends its mission by actively seeking to change consumer behaviour.

The project will measure changes in household food waste and consumer actions by having testers complete surveys before and after the trial period. The recipes will also provide information on optimal cooking and storage methods to further empower consumers to reduce waste.

The recruitment period runs till 17 September, with the testing period scheduled from 22 September to 19 December. Applicants must register as a Kuradashi member, purchase the designated products, try the recipes and complete the required surveys.