manual work by craftsmen
The immediate processing of fresh vegetables to create hand-dried seasonal vegetables.
Vegetables are a product of nature. At Kira Foods, humans are directly involved in each step of the drying process; checking each leave by hand; ascertaining the correct boiling time; checking moisture levels during the drying process; all by fingertip. Additionally, a visual quality check is completed for every product as it is completed.
interview
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Making Kira Foods Japan`s No. 1 Dried Vegetable Store
Kira Foods Manufacturing Unit
Factory Manager Mr. Yuya Kamata-
Personal introduction
As the factory manager, I plan and organize our systems from processing to shipping in conjunction with the raw materials team that cultivates our vegetables. Additionally, we execute requests from outside companies to whom are enlisted to grow and cut additional types of vegetables.
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My experience with Kira Foods
I am close friends with the President, as we have known each other since elementary school. When changing jobs at age 20, I was invited to join Kira Foods. Twenty years later and I still enjoy my work here. Aside from reasonable working hours, I recognize that the company strives to build employee relationships through recreation and other activities that genuinely allow us to enjoy our work.
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Thoughts
Our priority, is to deliver safe products to our customers. As a standard for hygiene management, we are working on ISO, which specializes in food risk management. In addition, we are very particular about whether the texture and flavor of the vegetables can be preserved when reconstituted at home.100% of Kira Foods products are domestically grown. We are constantly researching how to dry the leaves while preserving the characteristics of our richly flavored vegetables and the different textures of various types of produce. Currently, in the dried vegetable industry, freeze-drying, which allows vegetables to reconstitute quickly, is becoming the preferred method, but Kira Foods follows the traditional method of hot-air drying because it retains more flavor and texture. I am always happy to receive positive reviews and letters of jour products that I made with such commitment. I am always encouraged by the voices of customers who say, "It was delicious" and "I will buy it again”.
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The Future with Kira Foods
Dried vegetables are very convenient, but I don't think customers realize the work that goes into creating prepared vegetables. Washing, peeling, cutting, and pre-processing many times in daily cooking is hard work. Root vegetables such as burdock and lotus root, which are especially difficult, can be easily cooked by rehydrating them in hot water. By popularizing convenience of dried vegetables, we aim to make cooking easier for everyone. At Kira Foods, we aim to be the best dried vegetable shop in Japan!!
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