Mitsui Fudosan’s In-house Venture Company GREENCOLLAR, Inc.
Full-Scale Operations Start, Aiming to Become a Globally Unique Company Producing Table Grapes
- Year-Round Production Bases in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and Creating a New Lifestyle -

September 18, 2020
Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.
GREENCOLLAR, Inc.

GREENCOLLAR Inc., established as the first in-house venture company in December 2019 as a creation under the Mitsui Fudosan Group business proposal system, MAG!C (see page 8), hereby informs that it has started full-scale operations, aiming to become a globally unique company producing ta In the wide-open production plot surrounded by an abundance of wilderness, GREENCOLLAR is planning not only production activities, but will also conduct hands-on farming events, internships offered for those thinking about working in farming and a variety of other green collar lifestyle experiences for a wide array of generations. There are also plans to use it as a place for academic and corporate research, corporate promotions and communication with customers. ble grapes and realizing a hitherto unknown lifestyle through large-scale grape production in Japan and New Zealand.

GREENCOLLAR, in which the proposer himself under MAG!C has become the representative director, will advance a business (hereinafter “Business”) for large-scale production of high quality table grapes of a Japanese variety such as Shine Muscat in the northern hemisphere (Japan) and the southern hemisphere (New Zealand), where seasons are opposite, to sell seasonal grapes around the world throughout the year. The Business seeks to create a new lifestyle for the coming age that is neither white collar nor blue collar, but “Living in a more human way with nature = ‘Green Collar,’” and aims to be a globally unique company producing table grapes.

Under VISION 2025, the Mitsui Fudosan Group long-term vision, people are the centerpiece of the creation of neighborhoods. The Group advances mixed-use creation satisfying for people working, visiting, or living there. GREENCOLLAR, launched through MAG!C and with bases in regional areas and overseas, is taking on the challenge of creating a new lifestyle that blends motivation for working and for living.
Reference news release:
https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/news/2020/0326/

Key Points of This Press Release

1. Secured a plot of land as a production site of approx. 4 ha (total production area of approx. 2.2 ha) in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture
2. Test sales of “OMOTE-SHUN (regular season)” Japan-produced Shine Muscat and Violet King grapes in Japan and overseas and advance promotional activities
3. Appointed John James Patrick Kirwan as the executive advisor to GREENCOLLAR NEW ZEALAND LIMITED
4. Collaborated with NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd. with the goal of stabilizing quality using ICT and production efficiency

TOPIC1
Secured a plot of land as a production site of approx. 4 ha (total production area of approx. 2.2 ha) in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture

The Business has secured a plot of land for production in Japan, which will be GREENCOLLAR first lot (approx. 4 ha, of which the production area is approx. 2.2 ha) in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture.
After the start of the lease, officers and employees joined as one to build the grapevine trellises, which are aimed for completion by December 2020. In April 2021, production partner Budousenshin plans to transplant about 400 Shine Muscat seedlings it currently has temporarily growing in the lot, with the first harvest forecast for August 2023.
In the wide-open production plot surrounded by an abundance of wilderness, GREENCOLLAR is planning not only production activities, but will also conduct hands-on farming events, internships offered for those thinking about working in farming and a variety of other green collar lifestyle experiences for a wide array of generations. There are also plans to use it as a place for academic and corporate research, corporate promotions and communication with customers.

<GREENCOLLAR First Lot>

<At the first lot, building the grapevine trellises and transplanting the Shine Muscat seedlings Budousenshin has growing>

TOPIC2
Test sales of “OMOTE-SHUN” Japan-produced Shine Muscat and Violet King grapes in Japan and overseas and advance promotional activitie

Production partner Budousenshin is moving forward with test sales and promotions inside and outside of Japan using Yamanashi Prefecture-produced “OMOTE-SHUN” (*) high quality grapes, Shine Muscat and Violet King, a rare variety of grape and a hybrid derived from Shine Muscat. GREENCOLLAR’s first harvest is planned for 2023. However, until then, the Business is working to enhance recognition within and outside of Japan and aims to establish sales channels around the world with a focus on Asia where further economic growth and population increases are forecast, while disseminating the green collar lifestyle.

(*) “OMOTE-SHUN” and “URA-SHUN (Reverse Seasonal)”

“OMOTE-SHUN” logo

These varieties of luxurious grapes will be refined using technology in Japan and grown in Japan and New Zealand. That will be the knack behind enjoying seasonal tastes year-round through the “omote (regular)” and “ura (reverse)” seasons. GREENCOLLAR refers to Japanese-produced OMOTE-SHUN grapes as “regular seasonal” and New Zealand-produced grapes as “URA-SHUN.” Have a taste and enjoy the special sensation of overturning the concept of seasonal fruits.

(1) NIHON AGRI’s test sales of Shine Muscat and Violet King Grapes in Thailand

NIHON AGRI, INC., which supports Japanese farming exports overseas and operates under the principle to wow the world with Japanese agriculture, has the top sales share of Japanese-produced apples in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. It has concluded a basic agreement to jointly sell table grapes in Asia.
As the first step in joint operations, a total of 250 kg of Shine Muscat and Violet King grapes were exported to Thailand in September 2020 and are now being sold locally in supermarkets and other places, starting the approach to consumers overseas and jointly studying the market potential in Thailand.
Going forward, the plan is to expand sales channels in various Asian countries, including Singapore and Malaysia.

<Harvesting Violet King grapes for export to Thailand and sales in Thailand>

(2) Tie-up event with CAFÉ SANS NOM AKASAKA

ZERO CREATIVE, INC., which is involved in designing cafes throughout Japan, operates the CAFÉ SANS NOM AKASAKA at 6-16-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, where there are sales of three Shine Muscat grapes in a fancy box and a limited sale of a jointly developed set of rare cheesecake with liberal amounts of Shine Muscat and a beverage, running from September 4-30, 2020.
This event aims to promote recognition and communication among highly conscious consumers, as well as develop collaborative menus and through their sales increase the number of consumers and promote the potential of Shine Muscat grapes.
Shine Muscat grapes used in this event are from unformed bunches (bunches formed when grapes are picked or fallen off from bunches during the production process. They have the same quality as bunched grapes) generated during the production process. Using grapes from unformed bunches eliminates food loss and contributes to securing earnings for producers.

< Original collaboration menu >     Photo courtesy of AGRI PICK

Rare cheesecake using Yamanashi Prefecture Shine Muscat grapes (on the left)
Made using cream cheese from Hokkaido, with a crust made of barley and almonds
a non-alcoholic cocktail (in rear) Made using raw ginger and several types of spices blended with the sweetness of peaches and Shine Muscat grapes with a touch of bitterness from tonic water

Rock Steady cocktail
Made using brandy (cognac) and Ginrei Shiro, rice-based shochu from Kumamoto Prefecture
Cascara syrup from coffee beans mixed with tonic water and a touch of Shine Muscat grapes and cho-onigoroshi pepper from Niigata Prefecture

< CAFĒ SANS NOM AKASAKA >
CAFĒ SANS NOM AKASAKA, a café where the coffee and cheesecake are delicious
That is “the cafē with no name.” Stay while having coffee, having a drink, listening to music, or reading.
Sometimes, it’s a café. Sometimes, it’s a bar. Enjoy a quiet, relaxing time.

(3) Endorsing the opening reception for fashion brand meeme

At the August 21, 2020 opening reception for the fashion label, meeme, launched by creator and influencer Bunkei, invited guests were given an original package of three Shine Muscat grapes by meeme and GREENCOLLAR to promote recognition among the highly conscious youth market.
GREENCOLLAR plans on future collaborations not only with fashion labels but with all sorts of industries to convey the charms of grapes and to popularize the green collar lifestyle.

< The package of three grapes handed out at the reception party >     Photo courtesy of AGRI PICK

<meeme>
meeme is a new fashion label that appeared in August 2020. Inspired by the concept of “memes,” which refer to culture and behaviors passed from person to person through the internet, meeme has developed unisex items to be worn for the 2020 autumn-winter collection. It is garnering popularity mainly among young people.

TOPIC3
Appointed John James Patrick Kirwan as the executive advisor to GREENCOLLAR NEW ZEALAND LIMITED

Sir John Kirwan, who made an enormous contribution to rugby in New Zealand, identifies with the future potential and social significance of this Business. He was appointed executive advisor to GREENCOLLAR NEW ZEALAND in July 2020 with the objective of supporting this Business, which will take place in New Zealand.
GREENCOLLAR believes that Sir John can make an enormous contribution to this Business considering his achievements over many years, activities for society and international business experience.

TOPIC4
Collaborated with NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd. with the goal of stabilizing quality using ICT and production efficiency

GREENCOLLAR decided to tie up with NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd. as a partner to stabilize quality to stabilize quality and promote efficient production through the use of ICT in the Business.
The company will develop teaching tools using ICT, stabilize quality and promote efficient production.

(1) Develop teaching tools using ICT

Work techniques that had conventionally been passed down tacitly can be taught to highly productive talented individuals quickly through systemization under Budousenshin’s guidance using video footage, images and text that simplifies the continuation of high-level technologies, thereby contributing to the prevention of lost technological continuation, a problem for Japanese agriculture.

< Conceptual image of the frontlines in developing teaching tools >

(2) Stabilizing quality and efficient production through the use of ICT

Collecting and accumulating data on the lot environment, growth status and work, and combining this with AI aims to develop technology for predicting harvest yields and timing, advance development of automated judgement technology for the production process, maximize earnings, eliminate food loss and make allocation of workers more efficient. In the future, we aim to identify work processes that can be automated and develop labor automation tools.

Promoting technological development using ICT may widen the opportunities presented by a green collar lifestyle such as for those who have had no previous experience in farming, or for those with dual residences who are forecast to increase in number from now on, or those performing side jobs, enhancing productivity through higher earnings and greater efficiency. This will allow for future-style farming unlike agriculture up until now.

■ The people who proposed the Business

GREENCOLLAR, Inc.
Representative Directors: Osamu Oba (on the right)
and Yusuke Kaburagi (on the left)

GREENCOLLAR NEWZEALAND LIMITED
Representative Director: Shin Koizumi

■ Company overview

GREENCOLLAR, Inc.

GREENCOLLAR NEWZEALAND LIMITED

*Wholly owned subsidiary of GREENCOLLAR

■ The Mitsui Fudosan Group’s business proposal system, MAG!C

This system was created during fiscal 2018 to reboot the Mitsui Fudosan Group’s DNA of Innovation and for the Companywide promotion to innovate the real estate business.
In principle, those who propose a business are given responsibility for it to move ahead.

■ Mitsui Fudosan Group’s Contribution to SDGs

https://www.mitsuifudosan.co.jp/english/corporate/esg_csr/
The Mitsui Fudosan Group aims for a society that enriches both people and the planet under the principles of coexistence in harmony with society, link diverse values and achieve a sustainable society, and advances business with an awareness of the environment (E), society (S) and governance (G), thus promoting ESG management. By further accelerating its ESG management, the Group will realize Society 5.0, which the Japanese government has been advocating, and contribute significantly to achieving the SDGs.

* The initiatives covered in this press release are contributing to three of the UN’s SDGs.