* Calbee, Inc.
* Industry: Food, Business, Field: Manufacturing, Number of Employees: 4,839 (as of March 31, 2023)
* Software purpose: Matching and Data Accumulation

Calbee Inc., a major food company in Japan, launched a new business called "FOOD for FACTORY" in 2023 with the aim of providing refreshment to factory workers. "FOOD for FACTORY" is Japan's leading platform service that mediates between factories and local restaurants, regularly setting up pop-up stores within factory premises. In promoting the business, they faced the challenge of the matching process becoming person-dependent and complicated. To solve this issue, they requested for system development.<br>
In this interview, we spoke with Mr. Otsuka, the department manager, and Mr. Nonaka from the same department of Calbee Inc.'s Food and Health Promotion Division. We focused on the challenges faced by Calbee Inc., the effects of their Digital Transformation (DX), the decisive factor in choosing Jitera as their software development company, and their interactions with Jitera's Project Manager.

### Challenges

・The matching process had become person-dependent.<br>
・Multiple tools such as Excel, Notion, and LINE were being used, leading to complex data management.<br>
・There were many mistakes, and the tasks were time-consuming.

### Solutions

・Realizing a system that is less prone to errors and efficient through system development.

### Expected Effects

・Improvement in work efficiency and reduction of human errors.

# "FOOD for FACTORY", a new business following snack foods and cereals

― Could you please tell us about the circumstances that led to the creation of the new business "FOOD for FACTORY"?

**Mr. Nonaka**: Snack foods and cereals are the two major pillars of Calbee's business. In addition, a new business called "FOOD for FACTORY" was born as we pursued the creation of a third pillar. We, at Calbee, including ourselves, felt there were issues in the working conditions and lack of refreshment opportunities during work hours for factory workers, who are part of Japan's core industries, especially in the manufacturing sector. This business was born out of our desire to solve these issues.

[More details on "FOOD for FACTORY"{: .btn .btn--primary target="_blank"}](https://foodforfactory.jp/)

― What is the scale of your business operations?

As of November 2023, we have been introduced in 12 factories and 36 restaurants, mainly in the North Kanto area. First, we aim to establish our business model in the North Kanto area, and then we plan to gradually expand our operations to areas around Calbee Group factories nationwide.

![Mr. Nonaka](https://corpsite-backend-staging-retool.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/%E6%8C%BF%E7%B5%B5%E7%94%A8%E9%87%8E%E4%B8%AD%E3%81%95%E3%82%93.jpg "Mr. Nonaka") 

# Utilizing Multiple Tools for Matching Tasks: A Time-Consuming Process Prone to Errors and Dependence on Individuals

― What were the challenges before the system was implemented?

**Mr. Nonaka**: The first issue was that the matching process was highly dependent on individuals, and the second was that we were using a lot of tools to perform this matching work. We used Notion, Excel, and LINE. In Excel, we were using multiple sheets, which made things incredibly complicated. The occurrence of errors due to this and the time it took were the challenges we faced.

# Data Entry Time Reduced by 1/3! A Sense of Achievement with the System

― It's not long since the system launch, could you please share your feedback?

**Mr. Nonaka**: We are currently inputting data in preparation for actual operation. Previously, data on factories, restaurants, sales, etc. was scattered across multiple sheets in Excel, but now it's consolidated into one, eliminating the need to open multiple sheets when entering data. Since anyone can understand just by looking at this, it also helps to prevent mistakes.

― How much has the work time been reduced?

**Mr. Nonaka**: Previously, it took us 15 minutes, but when we timed it today, it was finished in just 5 minutes. By simple calculation, we've become three times faster.

# Specific Proposal Contents Reflecting the Requests

― What made you choose Jitera as your development company?

**Mr. Nonaka**: Rather than promoting what they could do, they **listened to us from the same perspective** to realize what we wanted to create. The deciding factor was that they made proposals based on the request sheet we provided.

# Extremely Detailed and Persistent Requirement Definition, Equal Exchange was the Key Point

― How was the software development with us Jitera?

**Mr. Nonaka**: I appreciated their conscious effort to create a system that prevents mistakes. They systematized what used to be dependent on individuals, ensuring that no mistakes occur regardless of who uses it.

― How do you feel about the overall software development process now that you've completed this development project?

**Mr. Otsuka**: Indeed, if the requirements are not well defined, you often hear stories like "we made it, but it's totally unusable", and I've had some experiences like that in the past. The best thing about asking your company this time was that you listened very carefully, almost to the point of being persistent. The Project Manager at Jitera said, "It's completely meaningless if it's unusable even after it's finished." "Is that really necessary?" "On the contrary, isn't this necessary?" and so on. Despite handling the budget, they said from the beginning, "The system is not just about being made, it's important to use it effectively." I personally thought I could trust this person.<br>
Moreover, it was a key point that they didn't just respond to what was said, but also had an equal exchange, suggesting **"If it's like this, it would be good to do it this way."** I think that seems simple, but it's probably the most difficult thing. We told them in advance that we are amateurs and don't understand the system, and I'm glad they accepted that properly.


![Mr.Otsuka](https://corpsite-backend-staging-retool.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/%E6%8C%BF%E7%B5%B5%E7%94%A8%E5%A4%A7%E5%A1%9A%E3%81%95%E3%82%93.jpg "Mr. Otsuka")

― We aim to continue improving the quality of our services so that you will continue to rely on Jitera for support in the future. Thank you for your valuable insight!

## At Jitera, we align ourselves with our customers' challenges and provide software solutions that balance quality and speed.

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Defining Requirements from the Same Perspective is Key