Meiji Co., Ltd. plays an active role in three priority areas, namely “the value and enjoyment of food,” “the nutritional balance of food,” and “the safety and reassurance of food.” Due to the widespread awareness regarding the value of “food” and health, we support the dietary education of customers by providing opportunities to understand and learn more about food, and also enjoy food.
Dietary Education Seminars
We have prepared an in-house developed easy-to-understand program that uses visuals to teach children about the importance of daily dietary habits and nutritional balance in order to raise awareness about both these topics. We also dispatch members of our highly trained staff to schools and kindergartens to lecture on these subjects.
Meiji Cooking Salon
At the Meiji Cooking Salon, we offer classes that are useful for all age groups and focus on the preparation of innovative and versatile meals featuring dairy products. We have conducted these activities for more than 30 years.
We believe that chocolate has the power to make people happy. It also has the power to make people energetic.
Meiji Co., Ltd. is a company that delivers chocolate to customers. As a company that brings “joy and energy” to customers, we felt that we would like to be of greater service and offer our assistance to the world with our chocolate. We have launched several “Supporting People Through Chocolate” activities, funded from part of the sales proceeds of milk chocolate, our leading product.
We will gradually broaden our activities for “Supporting People Through Chocolate.”
Supporting Refugee Children Worldwide
A portion of the proceeds of our “Milk Chocolate” sales is donated to the Japan Association for UNHCR, which supports activities conducted by UNHCR (In fiscal 2010, the amount donated totaled ¥7,223,005). This donation is used to fund a child nutrition improvement program for African refugees.
* Japan Association for UNHCR, the official fundraising and public relations body of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a registered nonprofit organization. The UNHCR is an organization that was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1950 to support refugees.
Supporting Children Fighting Diseases in Hospitals
We support the activities of the NPO Japan Hospital Clowns Association which brings “laughter” to children fighting disease, their families and others involved in their lives.
Supporting the Reforestation of the Amazon
There is a farming method for the purpose of reforestation that was used primarily by the Japanese who immigrated to Brazil 80 years ago. This method, referred to as “Agroforestry,” is similar to organic farming, and allows farmers to achieve reforestation through the cultivation of various kinds of plants, including cacao, and black pepper plants. We contribute to the reforestation of the Amazon by using cacao that is cultivated by this farming method.
Supporting Children in Japan
We are implementing a Nature School program for children entitled the “Kinoko and Takenoko Satoyama School,” named after our products, “Kinoko no Yama” and “Takenoko no Sato,” in cooperation with the Japan Environmental Education Forum.
As a member of the Chocolate and Cocoa Association of Japan, Meiji, Co., Ltd. conducts activities for the industry as a whole. In addition, we are deepening our partnerships with cacao-producing countries around the globe through our various activities in the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and independent initiatives.
Assistance through WCF
Cacao berries and cacao beans
The mission of the WCF is to promote a sustainable cacao economy, and to realize the economic and social development and environmental preservation of cacao-producing countries. A feature of the WCF program is that it provides on-site training and assistance to cacao-farming families, helping them to become more self-sufficient. Currently, the WCF membership is comprised of 70 cacao-related companies worldwide. We have participated in various activities since becoming a member in 2006.
A well bearing the “meiji” logo in Ghana
A well donated in 2009
Our new initiative launched in 2009 resulted in a well bearing the Meiji brand logo “meiji” in Ghana. A portion of the amount spent for purchasing premium cacao beans includes a donation for wells, which are useful for farmers in their daily lives.
A well frees farmers from having to a travel long distance from their villages to procure water for domestic use. We also presented them with mosquito nets to prevent the spread of malaria.
Visitors taking a tour of our Tokai Plant
Meiji Co., Ltd. conducts tours of six confectionery and dairy product plants and visitor centers to foster a closer relationship with its customers. We welcomed approximately 120,000 visitors to our three PR facilities and three confectionery plants in fiscal 2010.
