Sustainability
Wellness
Approach and Policy
As a company involved in food and medicine, the Takara Group aims to contribute to a healthy lifestyle. We will work to create a society where people can continue to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, including through the development of revolutionary biotechnologies such as gene therapy, the supply of related services, and the development of health-conscious products.
Targets
| Initiative themes | Specific measures | Targets |
|---|---|---|
| Support for the development of global life science research | Provide extensive support for the development of life science research and industry |
[ Takara Bio ] Toward the stable supply of products, support the development of life science research globally by establishing production facilities for major sites in Japan, China, the U.S., Europe and other regions for optimization. |
| Contribute to the life science community |
[ Takara Bio ] - Spread biotechnology covering from basics to the latest technologies by holding seminars and workshops. - Drive commercialization of academia seeds through open innovation. - Strive to promote the understanding of biotechnology by society. |
|
| Application of genetic analysis technology to testing and diagnostics | Supply testing and diagnostic kits for viruses, etc. |
[ Takara Bio ] In addition to products to test for pandemic viruses, expand the scope of application by developing glocal products that combine the characteristics and demand of regions across the globe. |
| Social implementation of gene therapies | Gene therapy technology development to fulfill unmet medical needs |
[ Takara Bio ] - Apply for sales and manufacturing permission for Takara-developed TBI-1301, and socially implement. - Drive the business of supporting the development and manufacturing of regenerative medical products (CDMO business). |
| Supply of health- conscious products | Development of products with no or low carbs |
[ Takara Shuzo ] Develop products with features of containing no or low carbs to cater to the needs of customers without affecting the taste, satisfaction, and effects on cooking. |
| Appeal of salt-free cooking liquor |
[ Takara Shuzo ] Raise the recognition of the salt-free feature of cooking sake to 35% by 2030. |
|
| Offer organic foods, etc. |
[ Takara Shuzo International ] Expand the lineup of organic and vegan products to 1,569 items by FY2025 (up by 300 items from March 2021). |
|
| Develop food-allergy- conscious products |
[ Takara Shuzo International ] Expand the lineup of gluten-free and other food-allergy-conscious products to 1,640 items by FY2025 (up by 150 items from March 2021). |
Related SDGs
Initiatives
Support for the development of global life science research
Provide extensive support for the development of life science research and industry
Takara Bio Group supports the development of global life science research by providing a variety of products and services from basic research to industrial application of life science research.
In fiscal year 2021, we established production facilities for in-vitro diagnostic agents and reagents, such as PCR testing reagents for COVID-19, in the Takara Bio head office area (Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture). Subsidies under the Program for Promoting Investment in Japan to Strengthen Supply Chains by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry were used for facility development. In addition, Takara Bio USA, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary, relocated its site to San Jose, California to expand its existing R&D and sales functions and to acquire manufacturing functions to manufacture products for U.S. users. Furthermore, a subsidiary in Europe has started manufacturing reagents for cell research. The entire Group is working to establish a supply chain for a stable provision of reagents.
Newly established in-vitro diagnostic agent manufacturing facilities (Japan)
Contribute to the life science community
Takara Bio supports life science communities by sponsoring various academic meetings and events related to life sciences and biotechnology, such as seminars for biotechnology researchers. We strive to promote the understanding of biotechnology in society by participating in university or group seminars and holding public relations workshops for university students. We are also driving commercialization of technology seeds originating from academia through open innovation.
Technology seminar
Application of genetic analysis technology to testing and diagnostics
Supply testing and diagnostic kits for viruses, etc.
Takara Bio Group is developing products to test for viruses and other pathogenic microorganisms that cause various inf ectious diseases. We are contributing to the creation of a healthy society by offering various food and environmental testing and diagnosis kits, including those used to test food poisoning caused by Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, etc., and animal infections such as Bovine leukemia virus, in addition to test kits for the COVID-19 infections.
TaKaRa intestinal pathogenic bacteria gene detection kit(Testing for Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, etc.)
Initiatives for PCR tests for COVID-19
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In the area of testing for COVID-19, we established a speedy and simple PCR test system. We developed and began selling the SARS-CoV-2 Direct Detection RT-qPCR Kit, a high-speed, direct PCR test kit that does not require extracting and refining RNA from the specimen. This kit does not require the extracting and refining of specimens, which takes approximately two hours, and can replace the process with a pretreatment that only takes 10 minutes, and Takara Bio’s unique high-speed PCR reaction makes it possible to have the results in approximately an hour. In addition, using saliva, instead of nasal pharynx swabs that involve complicated procedures and high infection risks, enables simple, speedy, and safe PCR tests. We have also launched in the market the Takara SARS-CoV-2 Direct PCR detection kit, an in-vitro diagnostic agent that obtained regulatory approval, making Takara Bio products available for broader tests.
Takara Bio strives for a stable supply of these PCR-related products by building manufacturing facilities. -
（Product photo）SARS-CoV-2 Direct Detection RT-qPCR Kit
Initiatives for the development of gene therapies
Takara Bio is advancing the development of gene therapy technologies that fulfill unmet medical needs through the development and practical application of drug discovery platform technologies that utilize gene and cell technologies. In addition, we are promoting the CDMO business to support the development and manufacture of regenerative and cellular medicine and gene therapy products and also working on the development and sales of ancillary materials that support new modalities.
Gene and cell processing center facilities (plasmid DNA manufacturing facilities)
that serve as sites for the CDMO business
Supply of health-conscious products
Development of non-alcoholic products
Takara Shuzo is actively engaged in the development of health-conscious products. Takara Karakuchi Zero Ball is a non-alcoholic beverage perfect for meals with a crisp and dry flavor offering a satisfying experience through our unique technology. It is not only alcoholfree, but also containing no calories, no carbs, no added sweeteners, and no purines.
Development of products with no or low carbs
“Takara Shochu Highball is a dry flavored chu-hi that pays tribute to the taste of the shochu highball originated from cheap saloons in Tokyo’s colorful shitamachi (lower city) districts in the early 1950s (shochu highball is said to be the origin of the word “chuhai”), created by leveraging Takara Shuzo’s proprietary technologies. Its features of containing no purines, no added sweeteners, and no*1 or low carbs, in addition to the strong satisfaction and dry flavor based on Takara Shochu with the alcohol content of 7%, have been endorsed not only by existing chu-hi drinkers, but also by health-conscious customers.
- *1. Labeled no carb when a product contains less than 0.5g of carbohydrates per 100ml in accordance with Japan’s Food Labeling Standards.
Takara Ryori no Tame no Seishu (Carb-Free) is a cooking sake made from 100% Japanese rice that is salt-free and carb-free while still increasing the flavor ingredient (succinic acid) by about 20%*2. Using our unique “umami-boosting yeast” that creates more organic acids and succinic acid, it works wonderfully to remove raw odors from ingredients and give them richness, making your food taste even better. Being carb-free, it is also perfect for customers who are concerned about health.
- Takara Ryori no Tame no Seishu (Carb-Free) 500ml Rakuraku ChosetsuBottle, a salt-free cooking sake
- *2. Compared to our Sake.
Promoting the lack of added salt in our cooking sake
Takara Ryori no Tame no Seishu is a salt-free sake made with 100% Japanese rice, with a focus on making dishes more delicious. Takara Shuzo’s proprietary Umami Appu Kobo (umami-boosting yeast) used in the product is effective in giving an extra well-seasoned flavor and umami while eliminating raw odors.
In the current market of broadly-defined cooking liquor for home use (excluding substitute of sake for drinking), salt-added cooking liquors account for 65%*3 of the market. However, the fact that there are cooking liquors containing salt has not been really recognized. Takara Shuzo is disseminating information by highlighting reduced salt content, including the fact that the cooking liquor it manufactures and sells does not contain salt and is also making an appeal to customers that there is a difference between cooking liquors and salt-added cooking liquors.
- *3. Source: Intage SRI. Sales amount from April 2022 to March 2023
Takara Ryori no Tame no Seishu (Kome Koji Tappuri 2-bai) 500ml Rakuraku ChosetsuBottle, a salt-free cooking sake
Offering organic, vegan, and food-allergy-conscious products
Due to its healthy image, Japanese food is increasingly gaining recognition overseas. Tazaki Foods Ltd., a Japanese food wholesaler in the U.K., offers a lineup of more than 220 items including organic and vegan products and gluten-free and other food-allergy-conscious products to meet customers’ needs.
Left: Yutaka Vegan Edamame Gyoza
Center: Yutaka Gluten Free & Organic Konjac Noodles
Right: Yutaka Reduced Salt Gluten Free Soy Sauce