DX Initiatives

02Meal service DX strategy

Narikoma's advisors will lead the digital transformation of clients' kitchens based on the know-how cultivated through practical experience in kitchen outsourcing.

We support labor saving and stabilization of kitchen operations by proposing cook-chill and new cook-chill to improve efficiency of cooking and serving operations, and by reducing administrative workload through digitalization.Furthermore, the burden of providing highly individualized meals tailored to the health conditions of patients and users is also solved digitally.

In addition, we are not satisfied with our current services.We will continue to improve our services by consolidating and analyzing customer requests and other data and responding speedy. It is essential to reorganize our internal manufacturing system to achieve these goals.

Reorganization of production system

We are building a data infrastructure designed to facilitate AI Transformation （AX）. By consolidating internal big data, we are creating an environment where AI provides recommendations to staff across various areas—including production planning, menu creation, procurement, and manufacturing processes.

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03DX Promotion Scenario

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1.Construction of the digital infrastructure

• Development of cloud infrastructure

  We build a cloud-based system to integrate recipes, nutritional information, inventory, order data, etc.

• Installation of IoT devices

  We used non-contact ICs and cameras about inspection to improve efficiency at the food preparation site.

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2.Enhancement of operational efficiency

• Big data analysis

  We identify disposal rates and consumption trends and provide useful data for on-site improvements.

• Introduction of proposal-based AI

  We streamline cooking operations and food procurement by using AI to automatically generate menus and forecast demand.

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3.Improvement of individual response capability

• Individualized Nutrition Management System

  We implement nutrition management tools that allow for personalized attention based on health status and preferences.

• Development of mobile apps

  We provide a mechanism for clients and facility staff to review and provide feedback on nutritional information.

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4.Transitioning to a sustainable kitchen management system

• Talent Strategy Support System

  Eliminate reliance on specific individuals through a talent acquisition support system,
  and facilitate the creation of a cross-functional staffing structure.

• Building an Integration Platform for Business Systems

  Data integration with hospital systems reduces the burden of manual data entry and standardizes workflows.

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5.Enhancement of digital collaboration and transparency

• Block-chain

  We ensure transparency in the food supply chain and improve safety and reliability.

• Digital collaboration with related institutions

  Share operational and nutritional information with medical institutions and welfare facilities to streamline kitchen operations and foster collaboration.

04Structure and Organization

Support for Deepening and Embedding the DX Promotion Structure

We established a company-wide organization to drive DX and built a framework that fosters synergy across departments. We have now transitioned from the initial implementation phase to a phase focused on embedding and deepening these initiatives. The DX promotion division provides end-to-end support for this integration—ranging from developing platforms (such as AI, cloud infrastructure, and internal systems) and establishing guidelines to offering hands-on support for resolving operational challenges and conducting training and education.

Transition to an agile organization

We have transitioned from a traditional waterfall model to an autonomous, decentralized Agile organizational structure. We reorganized into product-specific teams and empowered product managers by delegating greater authority to them. By focusing on enhancing problem-solving capabilities, teamwork, and business acumen, we have established a development framework that enables us to address customer and operational challenges more directly.

05Environmental Improvement

• Development of core systems

  We have developed our own core system ("Narikoma Cloud") to manage manufacturing, sales, and administration. This system enables us to achieve high-variety production—a feat often considered difficult with the central kitchen model—thereby accommodating the diversity arising from regional culinary characteristics and specific customer needs.
  In 2025, we established a data analytics infrastructure. We created an environment capable of automatically collecting and storing—in real-time—data of all formats (including images, video, and text) related to our internal operations and customers.
  We organized and integrated this information into company-wide data ready for use with BI and AI tools, transforming it into a valuable asset that directly drives decision-making and operational improvements.

  
• Diversifying talent acquisition

  In 2023, we launched a recruitment team dedicated to engineers. We have also strengthened our support systems for onboarding international engineers, and a number of them are now playing active roles in the company. Furthermore, women make up 43.9% of our engineering workforce (as of the end of May 2026), including those in leadership positions such as the general manager overseeing our DX promotion division. We have created an environment where diverse talent can thrive, regardless of nationality or gender.
  
  Regarding talent development, we run the "Grow Up Project," in which young engineers take the lead in driving operational improvements and system development, thereby gaining opportunities for growth through hands-on experience. We also implement a "20% Rule," allowing engineers to dedicate 20% of their working hours to researching and developing initiatives that lead to new technology validation or operational improvements, thereby supporting autonomous learning and the creation of innovation.

  

06Performance indicators

• Promoting digital
  transformation in customer kitchens

  In addition to serving welfare facilities, we independently develop and provide systems specialized for medical facilities, thereby enabling the digital transformation (DX) of kitchen operations. Furthermore, to meet increasingly diverse needs, we aim to expand our meal selection options by 2028 and establish a system that allows for the provision of nursing-care meals across all menu items. By delivering our services to customers nationwide, we will drive the digital transformation of the industry itself.

  
• Production System

  Regarding our production system, we currently manufacture approximately 590,000 meals (as of the end of May 2026) and plan to launch operations at the Okayama Central Kitchen in February 2028. Through the addition of further facilities and improvements in productivity, we will expand our capacity to approximately 720,000 meals in fiscal year 2029.

  
• Developing Digital and AI Talent

  We are enhancing our employees AI proficiency to ensure we are 「AX-Ready」—fully prepared to implement AX (business transformation driven by AI) at any time. As part of this initiative, we provide support for obtaining professional certifications.
  
  We are actively encouraging employees—particularly managers and future management candidates—to obtain certifications, with the goal of having 40% of our total workforce hold digital-related certifications by the end of fiscal year 2030.

  

07Security measures

Actions to enhance information security

We have declared “SECURITY ACTION” (two stars) and are acting to enhance information security.
On the soft face, we are promoting information literacy education, focusing on security engineers who can appropriately utilize cutting-edge technologies such as AI. On the hard face, we have a robust data center, backup system, and 24-hour surveillance (SOC) to prepare for disasters and cyber-attacks on the medical and welfare sectors to ensure safe and sustainable business operations.