Sustainable ZENB sandwiches collaboration between Mizkan Group and Tokyo University of Agriculture

ZENB Japan is tying up with Associate Professor Haruko Noguchi of Tokyo University of Agriculture and her students at the Agriculture Department of Agricultural Innovation for Sustainable Society to develop “ZENB Sandwich” that maximizes ingredient usage.

ZENB is a new brand launched by Mizkan Group, proposing a healthy diet, using plant-based products. The brand opens up a new world of flavor and plant-powered goodness with simple ingredients, such as legume, vegetables, beans and grains. It avoids using animal ingredients and additives and instead strives to bring out the taste of the ingredients themselves.

From fall 2020, Noguchi teamed up with Azabu Juban Mont-Thabor—a bakery that produces fresh baked bread—Bread Food Culture Laboratory and ZENB to hold three special classes to find ways for developing products that use ingredients to their fullest. During these classes, her students came up with a recipe for a sandwich that produces zero waste. The sandwich uses ZENB Paste, which contains parts of vegetables that are often discarded. It also uses whole wheat bread, which also helps to produce little waste.

Out of the 150 receipts the students came up with, five were selected and commercialized by Azabu Juban Mont-Thabor:

1. Egg sandwich ZENB Corn (490 yen)
2. Spicy chicken sandwich ZENB Paprika (500 yen)
3. Steamed chicken sandwich ZENB Edamame (490 yen)
4. Burdock salad sandwich ZENB Edamame (490 yen)
5. Panini omelet ZENB Beets (370 yen)

These sandwiches, of nutritional balance and good color, are now on sale at three of Azabu Juban Mont-Thabor’s stores: Azabu Juban Mont-Thabor Main Store in Minato-ku, Komazawa Store in Setagaya-ku, and Kugenuma Kaigan Store in Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture.

It may be a small effort like these that make a difference in the long run for pursuing food loss. These ZENB sandwiches are bound to taste more delicious, now that you know the story behind its creation.