Group Company Activities
Sapporo Breweries Initiatives
Aiming for quality in development, design and manufacturing
Each department related to product development and design has acquired ISO9001 certification for international standards of quality management systems. Furthermore, supporting departments, such as the Quality Assurance Department at the head office, ascertain legal compliance on factors such as product display to support quality assurance in design and development departments.
Additionally, eight core manufacturing factories*1 have acquired and implemented the international standard for food safety management systems FSSC22000*2, as part of unceasing efforts to further improve product safety.
* Eight major factories: Hokkaido Brewery , Sendai Brewery , Nasu Brewery , Gunma Plant (Ojima), Chiba Brewery , Shizuoka Brewery , Kyushu-Hita Brewery, Okayama winery
** FSSC22000: The acronym for Food Safety System Certification 22000, which is a food safety management system standard targeting food manufacturing organizations. This certification is approved as one food safety certification scheme under the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). It also incorporates HACCP principles.
Factories and headquarters come together for quality assurance
Sapporo Breweries conduct regular meetings at Headquarters for departments related to quality assurance, product planning, research and development for content and packaging, and manufacturing management. In these meetings, various information such as quality issue customer feedback and other consumer opinions are swiftly and comprehensively analyzed. The information extracted from this is reflected in the product development and factory manufacturing processes. At the same time, factory managers organize regular “quality meetings” at their factories, in which discussions are made from a customer perspective towards issues in quality improvement, along with the “mutual factory diagnosis” held across technological departments. Diagnosis is conducted by selected staff from various departments. This diagnosis staff identifies issues on-location at other factories and conducts active discussions with factory members. Enhancement of technological levels that support the foundation of “deliciousness” and “quality assurance”, human resource training, and also continued invigoration of organizations can also be anticipated from these initiatives.
Quality management for barrel draft products
Sapporo Breweries Draft Beer Quality Centers and Maintenance Centers are located throughout Japan, making efforts toward quality management and awareness-raising on barrel products for restaurant clients who use Sapporo barrel products. Along with our restaurant clients, the Centers strive for “safe and secure” barrel products to “provide impressive barrel product quality” through technological guidance and maintenance of draft beer servers, equipment and container-related factors.
Maintenance of draft beer servers
The original barrel draft beer quality management system for Sapporo Breweries, the “SAPPORO SEPARE System” incorporates patented technology and Sapporo know-how to separate barrel draft beer server coolers from beer circuits (tubes in which beer flows, such as beer hoses), which were conventionally inseparable, for better maintainability. The beer circuits are changed regularly and thoroughly cleaned at special maintenance centers. The SEPARE Center’s beer circuit washing machines are responsible for cleaning approximately 80 percent of beer circuits from all over Japan. Developed in-house, these machines control washing temperatures, times, rinsing, and drying in a fully automated manner. It operates from early morning to clean 700 to 800 circuits every day. Microorganisms remaining on the washed beer circuits are close to “zero”, making it a “zero reset” for the circuits.
The SEPARE server maintenance center and rows of automatic washing machines
Beer circuits that have been used for a certain period of time are collected and washed within the company’s special facilities. The beer circuits themselves are washed at Sapporo’s original automated washing machine, and fine parts are disassembled before going under ultrasonic cleaning for a thorough wash, to become good as new.
The evolving “SAPPORO SEPARE System”
--Confirmation of waste-suppressing effects at the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) --
In 2011, the “SAPPORO SEPARE System” evolved into the “New SEPARE System” by incorporating industry-first components. This attained a “technological revolution” that reduces the amount of impurities within the beer circuits as much as possible. Components include beer hoses manufactured from extremely water-resistant material for more effective cleaning, beer hose joints to reduce the pooling of beer as much as possible, and metal heads. The beer circuits are kept clean longer, resulting in improvement in the quality of draft beer provided. Furthermore, the construction of separate beer lines and cooler components which could be disassembled and replaced, realized longer use life for the items as well. It has also been verified through the LCA method that this system has decreased the impact on the environment, due to the suppression of waste materials when compared to conventional servers. Thanks to this feat, the system has been awarded the 8th Eco-products Award for Excellence.
Quality assurance for contract-manufactured products and imported products
In order to maintain and enhance the quality of products whose manufacture is outsourced, Sapporo Breweries technicians conduct inspections at intervals prescribed by designated evaluation criteria.
With regard to imported wines, the Wine & Spirits Department and related departments assure quality by analyzing values and checking manufacturing methods for each imported lot, and only then conducting acceptance inspections.
Visitations to client wineries are also conducted when necessary, as part of efforts to strengthen quality management systems.
Logistics quality improvement
Sapporo Breweries was one of the first companies in the industry to improve the quality of its logistics operations (e.g., light shielding and vibration prevention of products during transportation). Based on the idea that "safety takes precedence over everything else," all employees at Sapporo Group Logistics, which is responsible for the logistics operations of Sapporo Breweries, have established a safety philosophy based on the idea of "safety" and "improving logistics quality. As a manufacturer logistics company, safety is the first step to improve logistics quality, and we have expressed our determination on the actions we should take and awareness we should have to realize this. Based on this safety philosophy, in order to improve quality in transportation, warehouse operations, and logistics office operations, we hold "Safety CS Rally" twice a year, in spring and fall, to achieve "zero accidents" and "zero complaints. These meetings are held not only for employees but also for employees of logistics partners and subcontractors, and the purpose of these activities is to raise awareness of the significance of safety and CS and to further improve the quality of logistics. In addition, each branch office holds an annual forklift driving skills competition to improve the skills and related knowledge of each worker who handles products, and to establish safe operations in the workplace.
POKKA SAPPORO Food & Beverages Initiatives
Quality initiatives
POKKA SAPPORO Food & Beverages has constructed a system that evaluates and eliminates risks in each process related to raw materials, product development, manufacturing and distribution, in its mission to be a trusted company that provides products and services that satisfy customers. Furthermore, all customer feedback and opinions are taken seriously as a fundamental policy and are shared within the company to boost quality.
View AllThe PDCA cycle for customer satisfaction
Quality assurance for products produced through manufacturing agreements/imported products
Collaboration with overseas manufacturers
POKKA SAPPORO and GEROLSTEINER have closely collaborated for the import and sales of the German sparkling water “GEROLSTEINER”. In 2010, the companies entered a “Quality Manual” contract which combines the excellent know-how of product quality from both countries, in an attempt to standardize processes. Furthermore, great care is taken during transport as well, such as checks for used containers, instrument monitoring at sea, and reinforcements of inspections after import to stabilize product quality during transport.
Industry-first sterilization technology improves lemon product quality
The production line for “Pokka Lemon 100” at the POKKA SAPOPRO Nagoya Factory No.3 has incorporated the industry-first “AC electric field sterilization method*”to produce products with higher quality than that of conventional heating sterilization methods.
*AC electric field sterilization method: A technology that offers quick and efficient sterilization by transmitting electricity in foodsLabeling initiatives
As part of its measures to support customers with food allergies, POKKA SAPPORO labels not only the mandatory seven specified ingredients but also the 21 items equivalent to specified ingredients for which labeling is recommended but not mandatory.
For products containing a large number of ingredients, particularly powdered soups, a table is provided on the packaging so that customers can better and more easily understand allergy-related information.
Additionally, we will continue to make efforts in labeling practices for safety in products that do not contain allergens as well. One example is products with honey, in which we provide labeling with information that honey is not to be given to infants under one year old.
Sapporo Lion Initiatives
Sapporo Lion believes it is its duty and responsibility to offer safe and secure products to customers as a company that provides food. With this, thorough quality and sanitary control is implemented in all aspects from food material procurement to cooking/serving at restaurants, in efforts to ensure the customers’ peace of mind at our restaurants.
Food material quality assurance
Preparation and handling of unforeseen circumstances
In the event issues or concerns stemming from the produce area of food materials, the quality management department of our suppliers will cooperate for swift information disclosure to change the produce areas. We also collect information on a regular basis to ensure the provision of safe food materials.
Continuous initiatives to provide the most delicious draft beer in Japan
Sapporo Lion makes daily efforts towards its slogan of “Providing the most delicious draft beer in Japan”, as the forerunner of beerhalls in the country. As one part of this initiative, Sapporo Lion conducts lectures to educate employees on topics related to beer, such as “Draft Beer Training” for employees including part-time staff taught by equipment managers and seasoned counter managers with the Sapporo certification of “Lion Beer Meister”, along with guidance on the traditional “Ginza Lion” beerhall way of serving beer, the “pouring in one action” technique. Furthermore, all stores implement annual beer hose replacement and chemical cleaning of beer lines for cooler servers once a year, and concentrate on daily sanitation control, along with washing beer server equipment and glasses.
What’s more, the restaurants put full efforts in their temperature control so that customers can enjoy delicious draft beer at its optimal state. Draft beer is maintained at 2 to 3 degrees Celsius when served. These activities are displayed on posters within the facilities, to inform the customers as well.
Sanitation control in stores
Sapporo Lion implements hygiene management based on the HACCP concept, and is promoting the visualization of hygiene management by creating an electronic system for the hygiene management ledgers kept at each store. To ensure that our customers can enjoy their meals with peace of mind, we conduct annual hygiene audits at all of our restaurants nationwide. Additionally, random microorganism testing is conducted on food and equipment to verify quality and ensure safe and secure food is being provided. Any items discovered needing improvement with these sanitation inspections or microorganism testing, will result in requests to the facility to present an improvement report, which will be inspected to see whether improvements have actually been made.
Employee sanitation management training and system establishment
Reinforcing awareness of sanitation management
It is important to heighten the awareness of sanitation management in each employee when implementing thorough sanitation management. For this reason, a “Sanitation Management manual”, a pamphlet that contains basic rules on sanitation management, is distributed to all restaurants. There are also English and Chinese movie versions of the sanitation management manual, to support the many foreign staff members in charge of cooking. We have been attempting to ensure a high level of sanitary awareness throughout the staff, regardless of whether it is part-time, full-time, serving staff or cooking staff, with these pamphlets and movies.
Furthermore, efforts toward individual education are also being made, which include regular fecal examinations, daily health checks, individual e-learning, lectures on sanitation and information related to food sanitation.
Space creation to provide joy
Under the principle of providing the “JOY OF LIVING” through eating and drinking, efforts are made to create a comfortable space with chairs, tables, air conditioning, ventilation, and restaurant designs which eliminate differences in levels for customers in wheelchairs, so that customers can enjoy their meal with peace of mind. What’s more, as awareness on prevention of passive smoking has heightened with the Health Promotion Act, new restaurants and renovated restaurants have been implementing non-smoking rules or complete separation of smoking and non-smoking areas, along with existing restaurants following suit in municipalities with the antismoking ordinance in effect. The main “The Beer Hall Lion Ginza on 7-Chome” has also installed a smoking room and designated all other areas as non-smoking. We will continue to make efforts towards this major challenge of separating smoking and non-smoking areas.
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The smoking room at Beer Hall Lion Sotetsu Branch -
The smoking room at The Beer Hall Lion Ginza on 7-Chome -
Kouyouen accessible restroom
Sapporo Real Estate Initiatives
Creation of safe and secure facility spaces
In addition to compliance with various laws and regulations, the real estate operation also develops safe and comfortable facilities and spaces. Sapporo Real Estate strives to create safe and comfortable facilities under their management philosophy of “Offering a ‘Luxurious Time’ in a ‘Luxurious Space’ for Cities and Society as a Whole”.
View AllOngoing “Yebisu Garden Place” initiatives
- - Build cooperative systems with related parties (police, fire department, JR, neighborhood, etc.)
- - Implementation of self-defense fire drills
- - Inspection and confirmation of fire prevention in kitchens and other areas for restaurant tenants, including fire prevention and disaster prevention patrols
- - Ongoing crime prevention patrol and training
- - Conducting cleaning inspections for restaurant tenants
Ongoing “Sapporo Factory” initiatives
- - Walkthrough inspection of cleaning and facilities from a customer perspective (monthly)
- - Establishment of cooperative systems with related organizations (police, fire departments, neighbors, etc.)
- - Ongoing crime prevention patrol and training
- - Inspection and confirmation of fire prevention system within restaurant tenants
- - Food sanitation lectures conducted by Sapporo Health Center staff for restaurant tenants
Offering comfortable spaces
YEBISU GARDEN PLACE
The Yebisu Garden Place was designed and is managed under the concept of “creation of a space which people who work, play or live in spend a luxurious time”. Furthermore, the “Yebisu Skywalk”, the moving sidewalk that connects the Yebisu Station with the Yebisu Garden Place, features braille blocks.
SAPPORO FACTORY
Ever since the Sapporo Factory opened in 1993 as a large-scaled commercial complex featuring approximately 160 shopping, restaurants and amusement facilities, botanical displays are located throughout the facility and outside of the landmark, to create pleasant spaces for customers. Additionally, universal design has been incorporated into various fixtures such as handrails for stairs, sequentially making improvements in the facility environment with consideration towards safety for a diverse range of customers.
Preparation for unforeseen disasters
Both the “Yebisu Garden Place” and “Sapporo Factory” are prepared for unforeseen disasters, with disaster prevention systems and earthquake countermeasures in place.
Status of existing disaster prevention measures
YEBISU GARDEN PLACE
- - Manuals corresponding to various disasters
- - In-house firefighting training conducted (twice annually) with a focus on tenant firefighting squads
- - Standard lifesaving training conducted (twice annually)
- - Rescue training for elevator baskets (as necessary)
- - Educational training on tenant fire prevention/fire prevention managers, etc.
SAPPORO FACTORY
- - Creation of BCP (business continuity planning) according to disaster
- - Fire drills focused on in-house firefighting squads (twice annually)
- - Participation in first aid training (as necessary)
- - Standard lifesaving training conducted
- - Rescue training for elevator baskets (as necessary)
- - Raising handrails, renovation of areas with hazards such as falling snow, etc.
Yebisu Garden Place Tower undergoes seismic damping work to halve the shaking caused by long-period seismic motion
Yebisu Garden Place Tower is a safe, earthquake-resistant building that has undergone structural evaluation and obtained ministerial approval on a solid foundation. Although the building has sufficient earthquake resistance at present, seismic damping equipment will be installed in preparation for a major earthquake with long-period seismic motion, which is predicted to occur in the future. This will ensure the safety and security of office workers, tenants, and visitors to the building.
For further customer satisfaction
Operation of customer support desks
Sapporo Breweries
Sapporo Breweries develops its business operations under the corporate philosophy of a “rich and rewarding lifestyle for our customers”, aiming to be a company that is trusted by customers and can offer new ways of enriching lives and enjoyment. Therefore, to further promote customer-oriented management, we have declared our “Independent Consumer-Oriented Statement”.
Furthermore, initiatives to apply “customer opinions” into business activities through constructing management systems for customer correspondence based on “ISO 10002/JIS Q 10002” certifications are also being promoted.
POKKA SAPPORO Food & Beverage／Sapporo Lion
"Customer support desks" are provided at each company to apply customer feedback as valuable management information. The collected customer feedback will be discussed at related departments towards new product development and improvement of products and services.
SAPPORO REAL ESTATE
SAPPORO REAL ESTATE has installed survey boxes to collect customer feedback, and also has arranged information desks and telephone lines to directly correspond to customer inquiries at the “Yebisu Garden Place” and “Sapporo Factory” facilities.
Furthermore, initiatives for swifter service are being taken at the “Sapporo Factory”—it is open to inquiries and requests at any time of day through e-mail from the webpage or by telephone.
Incorporating customer feedback
Sapporo Breweries
Example
We made it possible to see the remaining amount of ”Koime lemon sour base”.
In response to customers' comments that they cannot see how much is left in the bottle, we created a window on the label so that they can see the remaining amount at a glance.
We also launched the RTD canned product "Sapporo Koime no Lemon Sour" and "Koime no Lemon Sour no Moto PET 1.8L" in response to customers' comments that they wanted us to release a larger capacity product and a convenient can type.
Sharing Customer Feedback
Customer satisfaction investigation with receipt questionnaire
Sapporo Lion conducts a "receipt questionnaire" with the aim of improving customer satisfaction.
From the receipt questionnaire items, "overall satisfaction" in the areas of draft beer, food, service, and cleanliness is tabulated, and "store growth" is confirmed by comparing the trends of the previous three months, the same month of the previous year, and the business category average. We recognize our own store's strengths and areas for improvement, share them with our staff, and plan and implement measures to improve the quality of our stores.
Information disclosure to customers
The Sapporo Group offers information on products and services to customers through the internet. Sapporo Breweries has a “Customer Support Desk” within its webpage, along with frequently asked questions from customers and corresponding answers. The published content is updated as necessary, in the company’s efforts to always provide new information.
The Sapporo Lion webpage offers information on restaurants according to area, business category, intent of use, and offered beer type. The website supports the customers’ search for the perfect restaurant by offering various methods of searching.
Product development with customer health in mind
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has designated the recommended amount of daily sodium intake within the dietary reference intake for Japanese people. It is said that Japanese citizens tend to intake more sodium than is recommended in this standard.
Along with introducing tips on how to reduce the amount of sodium eaten in a tasty way by including lemons in one’s diet, POKKA SAPPORO has released the low-sodium “Lemon no Okage Ureshio” as a part of its activities to raise awareness toward sodium reduction.
“Lemon no Okage Ureshio” does not modify its reduced-salt taste by adding potassium chloride, but uses the acidity of lemons for sodium reduction, enabling customers who are watching their potassium intake to use the product like conventional salt.
* There is a miniscule amount of potassium e in “Lemon no Okage Ureshio” from the raw materials used (36.0mg per 100g)
"In 2019, we acquired the "Karushio Certification" from the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center. In 2019, we acquired the "Karushio certification" from the National Cardiovascular Center. We are sampling the product as a tasty way to reduce salt intake.
* Karushio is a new way of thinking about salt reduction in which salt is used lightly to bring out the flavor of the product.
- Quality assurance infrastructure and system
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Group Company Activities