During a business trip to San Francisco in 2018, I attended a marketing conference where CEOs of companies like Glossier and Allbirds took the stage. The D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) boom was taking over the startup scene. There was a growing focus on developing products for a sustainable society. At that time, in Japan, the keyword "sustainable" was rare, and it felt fresh.
After returning home, I negotiated with "Komehyo," the largest reuse department store in Japan, and started a business called "miluna." We upcycled previously purchased gemstones into trendy jewelry. Initially, the uniqueness of our initiative garnered attention, and our sales grew steadily from the first year. However, facing the reality that jewelry, a luxury item purchased only a few times a year, couldn't fundamentally solve environmental issues, became a challenge.
Soon, I noticed an increasing number of sustainable-themed products being sold around me. I began to feel uncomfortable with retailers trying to capitalize on environmental issues for commercial gain. It was around that time I came across Bill Gates' "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster" and learned that the world emits 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases annually. I was shocked to discover that about 40% of these emissions were caused by packaging, production, transportation, and distribution of goods.

Our daily lives are filled with countless packages. For instance, individual plastic wrappings (in Japan, even toothpicks are wrapped in plastic), trays for fresh produce, plastic bottles for cosmetics and shampoos - all sorts of items are packaged. Will we continue to endlessly release packaging that could persist for a century if it ends up in the sea? We, the millennial generation, must not choose to live according to the values of the past, burdening the next generation with the consequences.
Believing that tomorrow's consumption shapes the future, we must reduce packaging, even by a little, starting now. This is why our business, the "Vacuum Supply Chain Project," centers around retailers, the touchpoints of sales for products such as food, beverages, cosmetics, daily essentials, and medicines. We aim to realize a packaging-free approach at the heart of the supply chain, encompassing material sourcing, production, manufacturing, processing, storage, transportation, and consumption. Through the "NEXTCIRCULAR 'ECO'NOMY," striving for carbon neutrality, we target an impactful reduction of 1% (575 million tons) of the annual 51 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions globally by 2032, a decade after our business launch.
We believe in this journey towards a more sustainable future.

Our patented vacuum technology will give rise to a new framework spanning from production to retail and consumption. Beginning at the crucial retail touchpoint, we introduce the "vacuum-weighing" system. This allows products to be sold in the same vacuum containers used for storage during production. With personal vacuum bottle containers for home use, we enable long-term storage, consumption, and a significant extension of shelf life.
This vacuum system can replace 5-70% of the products found in supermarkets. For instance, consider daily-consumed milk. Milk, which has been pasteurized at the source, is transferred into a 100-liter logistics vacuum container, then directly delivered to supermarkets. It's set up in a vacuum-weighing system. Consumers can purchase their desired quantity using their personal vacuum bottles and keep the freshness preserved in their home refrigerators. This leads to more than doubled shelf life/consumption period, enhancing the taste and freshness of family meals. Furthermore, vacuum-sealed personal bottles are reusable until they tear, offering an environmentally friendly solution.
Our revolutionary vacuum patent technology, akin to the technology used in rockets, operates at the upper limit of terrestrial vacuum levels. It promises the same effects as storing goods in space. This technology holds a competitive advantage that can lead the industry for the next 30-50 years, ensuring rapid realization of an Earth-friendly circular consumption.

Now, let's talk about the future world from here. By attaching RFID tags to logistics materials and household vacuum packs, we're not only enabling tracking for reuse and recycling but also achieving automatic reordering as contents deplete. This system goes beyond that – it comprehends individual purchase/consumption data, allowing for personal food management in coordination with healthcare systems. Through this, consumers can easily manage the items they need using devices.
Users will be provided with a significant environment-engagement Green Points platform, offering discounts on repurchases and donations. Supermarkets will offer digital signage displaying while customers wait for bulk goods to be weighed. We will introduce new advertising filters, allowing ads only from top ESG-score companies. This positions us as leaders in the advertising industry, spearheading the circular consumption movement.
This approach not only revolutionizes consumption practices but also establishes an ecosystem where sustainability, convenience, and health intertwine seamlessly.

We are also proactively addressing global challenges such as food waste and food scarcity. We tackle the issue of non-standard or surplus produce and shipping adjustments, a problem that has gained attention in recent years. In collaboration with producers, we plan to develop and sell D2C products using paste-like formulations made from discarded or surplus vegetables and fruits. Moreover, as sales partners, we consider governments, local authorities, and international agencies for each country's ODA and shelf stock. We provide vacuum containers capable of long-term preservation, extending shelf life/consumption periods. In developing countries, we offer the joy of choice, while in advanced nations, we aim to establish the "FOODAIDTRUCK" as a mobile supermarket, contributing to addressing the impact of global warming and refugee crises.
Although we've discussed a grand future, vacuum technology is merely a means. Just as Apple sells "experiences," not just iPhones, we too are committed to delivering various approaches towards a sustainable life within the Earth's environment. To achieve this, we've secured 5 billion yen in funding this year and will devote all efforts to implementing our solution, which employs vacuum patent technology, among producers and stakeholders within the supply chain.
Our commitment is to create an ecosystem where innovative technologies and collaborative efforts lead to a better and more sustainable world for us all.

In the world of economics, as they say, even a 5% change can lead to transformation. The small consumption choices we make every day have the power to shape the future. Each individual's actions can transcend existing capitalism and strive for a sustainable planet for future generations. Believing in the unity of the world's efforts, we will continue to advance this business.

March 14, 2022: Ikumi Narui