2022/09/16
ANA has been working to reduce food waste in a variety of ways, and we are pleased to introduce three new food-related initiatives.
1. The waste from cooking is reborn!
ANA CATERING SERVICE CO.,LTD. (ANAC), which produces in-flight meals for ANA's domestic and international flights departing from Japan, recycles 100% of food waste from cooking into compost and animal feed, and offers "soft kale" grown with the compost as salad served in economy class on international flights (excluding some flights).
In the new version, the "soft kale" is further utilized and blended into the bread.
ANA's bread is made by hand at ANAC's factory and carried on board the aircraft, and has long been one of the most popular menu items, receiving favorable reviews from customers for its quality.
Chef Aida, a member of ANA Connoisseur*, has created an original kale focaccia by blending "soft kale" into the bread dough to make it suitable for meals without a bitter taste.
- It is a team made up of famous chefs from Japan and abroad, professionals in the field of alcoholic beverages, as well as ANA chefs who are among the best in the world airlines.
Kale focaccia will be served in international first and business class over a three-month period from September through November 2022. (excluding some flights)
Comment from Chef Aida
To eliminate the unique green smell of soft kale, we added olive oil, which goes well with the vegetables, to the kneading process and adjusted the salt concentration.
We were concerned that the unique flavor of kale would remain in the bread and spoil the flavor of the dish, but after repeated research, we ended up with a bread that enhances the flavor of the dish while taking advantage of the soft kale flavor.
2. 100% domestically produced Menma(Bamboo Shoots) created to solve the problem of neglected bamboo groves
If left uncared for, fast-growing bamboo groves can block sunlight from entering the forest and stop the growth of trees, and shallow-rooted bamboo groves can also cause landslides. For this reason, one of the issues facing local governments across Japan is what to do about these neglected bamboo groves.
Nobeoka City of Miyazaki Prefecture and LOCAL BAMBOO Inc. have started an activity to make Menma from bamboo shoots in neglected bamboo groves.
ANA Akindo Co., Ltd., which is engaged in regional development projects, in cooperation with Nobeoka City and LOCAL BAMBOO Inc. will offer "Nobeoka Menma" in the Japanese menu of ANA's international first-class in-flight meals*.
By working together to improve the name recognition and branding of "Nobeoka Menma", we aim to contribute to the local community in solving issues together.
- For three months from September to November 2022 (excluding some flights)
For more information about LOCAL BAMBOO Inc. (Japanese only)
3. Effective use of discarded food that can still be eaten
There are 5.7 million tons of "Food Loss" in Japan alone that are thrown away even though they can still be eaten. (Estimated data for FY2019)
On a per person basis, this translates to approximately 124 grams of rice per day (nearly a cup of rice) being thrown away.
In order to contribute to the reduction of "Food Loss", ANA has partnered with FOOD LOSS BANK to provide "old rice" at the employee cafeteria of the ANA Group General Training Center from September 2022 to August 2024.
Rice that has been aged since harvest is called "old rice" and is out of the market, but it can be tasty if it is cooked in the right way.
For more information about FOOD LOSS BANK (Japanese only)
ANA will continue to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by working with local governments and businesses to reduce "Food Loss" from various perspectives.
