Maebashi launches school lunch programme using upcycled vegetables

Last month, food tech start-up Greenase partnered with Gunma Prefecture, the city of Maebashi and the social welfare organisation Yuzurihakai Nanohana to launch a circular school lunch programme. The initiative uses 100% unused vegetables sourced in Maebashi. The project provides “Upcycled Green Vegetable Furikake”, a seasoning served to approximately 24,000 children in Maebashi City. The seasoning is made from vegetable parts including broccoli stems, cabbage outer leaves and non-standard spinach.

The raw materials are sourced from Yuzurihakai Nanohana, a certified agricultural producer in Maebashi that employs individuals with disabilities. Greenase applies its proprietary technology to process these unused vegetable parts into a high-value powder. The method allows the vegetables to be dried and powdered while retaining their natural colour, aroma and nutritional components.

Each year, more than 2 million tonnes of non-standard vegetables are discarded in Japan. The project addresses this food waste, and helps save costs for producers by reducing disposal costs.