Farmind Co., Ltd. (Headquarter: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Tatsuo Horiuchi, hereinafter "Farmind"), a comprehensive distribution company which holding a nationwide cold chain for fruits and vegetables has been improving its logistics system since 2019 as a solution for the "Logistics 2024 Issue". "Logistics 2024 Issue" has been focused as a logistics-problem related to the Work Style Reform Law, which was applied to transportation and other industries in April of this year. In particular, Farmind has strengthened its 14 fruit and vegetable centers as relay transportation centers for distribution in order to achieve "Joint Transportation and Delivery", to increase the logistics efficiency, which is one of the measures of the "Policy Package for Logistics Innovation" announced by the government in June last year. This action is in collaboration with All Japan Line Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Akihiro Shimotobe; hereinafter "All Japan Line"), a subsidiary of Farmind which is responsible for the land transportation of fruits and vegetables. As a result, in 2023, the relay volume has been tripled and the load factor of trucks increased approximately 5% compared to 2019. Farmind will continue to promote the relay transportation and improve the efficiency of logistics through "Joint Transportation and Delivery" from now on.

●Further promotion of "Joint Transportation and Delivery" aiming for 130% year-on-year growth in relay volume at existing centers

Farmind centers delivery fruits and vegetables in a fresh state to domestic retailer everyday (approximately 1600 distribution channels) after storage and processing. Each center is located within 200km from every retailer, which can be used as an effective traffic hub to resolve the logistics crises caused by long-distance delivery difficulty. Also fruits and vegetables from various areas can be consolidated in either of the center and carried out by using Joint Transportation and Delivery system of All Japan Line Co., Ltd. to increase the load factor of trucks. In 2024, Farmind will further promote Joint Transport and Delivery by increasing the volume growth of 130% year-on-year.

Improving nationwide fruits and vegetables cold chain network cooperated with All Japan Line, a group company responsible for land transportation

●Effective use of new production area stock points to reduce the delivery burden on producer

In order to resolve the supply-shortage caused by a decrease in the number of agricultural workers, Farmind set up PFC Nagano*, a platform center used as a stock point closer to the producing area, jointly with Japan Agriculture Cooperatives. By using it as a traffic hub to increase the transportation efficiency of producer side, Farmind can also reduce the burden on producers and improve the efficiency of logistics through Joint Transportation and Delivery system. Farmind is now planning to construct a similar platform center in Ibaraki Prefecture.

*PFC Nagano is a dedicated production center that is equipped with pre-cooling and storage equipment to keep the freshness of fruit and vegetables which is located close to the producers. Also it can handle packaging operations in accordance with the demands of consumers.

Established PFC Nagano，a platform center jointly with Japan Agriculture Cooperatives

Based on the corporate philosophy of "Connecting producers and consumers," Farmind will continue its efforts to realize a sustainable society by contributing for the development of fruit and vegetable distribution through its cold chain network.

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Corporate Planning Department, Farmind Corporation

TEL: +81-3-5835-1794