FANCL and Seiyo City Hold Kale Aojiru Experience Event for Citizen Health Promotion and Food Education

FANCL CORPORATION, in collaboration with Seiyo City, held a "Let's Eat Vegetables Every Meal! Kale Aojiru Tasting and Sampling Event" on Monday, June 22, 2026, in the first-floor citizen lobby of Seiyo City Hall.

The kale used in our kale aojiru is grown in Nomuracho, Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture. Aojiru made from this kale has been adopted as a Furusato Nozei (hometown tax donation) return gift in Seiyo City since 2019 and is widely popular as a local specialty. This event aimed to leverage these local resources to address the challenge of insufficient vegetable intake in Seiyo City by creating opportunities for people to incorporate vegetables into their daily diets without difficulty.

On the day of the event, approximately 205 people, including local residents, Seiyo City Mayor Kange, city hall officials, and members of the press, attended and enjoyed the tasting and sampling.

Mayor Kange gave an opening address, introducing that this joint project with our company has entered its second year. He also mentioned the kale harvesting experience with kindergarten children held in May at "Green Hill" in Nomuracho, and spoke about how he was reminded of the importance of food education through the children's experience of learning with their five senses while becoming familiar with local resources.

Furthermore, he touched upon the issue of vegetable deficiency among the younger generation in Seiyo City and expressed his hope that kale, which is rich in nutrients, would be incorporated into daily meals as a more familiar ingredient.

At the venue, in addition to our aojiru made with Seiyo City-grown kale, we offered "Kale Buchimgae," "Kale Steamed Buns," and "Kale Mousse," all created and prepared by Seiyo City's registered dietitians. We also conducted three food education lectures by our company, with approximately 60 participants. Seiyo City's mascot character "Seibo" also made an appearance, livening up the venue and interacting with attendees.

Additionally, as a special event that evokes the essence of Ehime, we set up a "Green Mandarin Juice Tap." A special blend of FANCL's kale aojiru mixed with mandarin juice was offered. Mayor Kange, who tried it, commented, "It's easy to drink when mixed with mandarin juice," and "It has a taste that even children can enjoy, making it a great drink for addressing vegetable deficiency."

Participants commented, "Kale aojiru is sweet and easy to drink even on its own," "I didn't know aojiru could be used in cooking," and "I didn't know it was a Furusato Nozei gift, so I want to tell my relatives outside the prefecture." This initiative not only promoted the appeal of Seiyo City-grown kale both within and outside the region but also served as a platform to encourage daily healthy habits.

Moving forward, our company will continue to engage in initiatives that promote community-based health and food education, and enhance the value of local resources. By leveraging the respective strengths of corporations and local governments to solve regional issues and improve local value, we aim to contribute to the realization of a sustainable and healthy local society.