FamilyMart upcycles bread crusts to cut food waste

FamilyMart Co., Ltd. launched a new upcycled food product across the Tokai region on 10 February, repurposing bread crusts that are typically discarded during sandwich production. The “Chicken and Mushroom Bread Gratin” is available at their stores in Aichi, Gifu, Mie, and parts of Shizuoka prefectures.

The chain is addressing a specific point of waste in their supply chain, in particular bread crusts. To ensure the soft texture of its “Famimaru KITCHEN” sandwich range, the company removes the crusts from bread during the manufacturing process. By incorporating these crusts into the new gratin dish, they expect to reduce food waste by approximately 1.5 tonnes during the product’s sales period.

The product features bread crusts toasted with butter to create a fragrant base, combined with a rich bechamel sauce made with fresh cream, a sauté of chicken, mushrooms, and onions, and topped with melted cheese.

The company stated that the product was inspired by the Japanese spirit of mottainai (a feeling of regret over waste) aiming to demonstrate that unavoidable manufacturing by-products can be transformed into high-quality meals. While the single-use plastic is still a concern, preventing food loss is a necessary step.