PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2021

BOTTLING / FILLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 03/21 www.petpla.net 28 Interview with Mt. Fuji Springs Inc. August 21, 2020 We met: Ms Akiko Yokoyama, Marketing Manager Extremely low material use for bottled water Lightweight bottles from Japan’s landmark The factory of bottler Mt. Fuji Springs was built ten years ago at the foot of Mount Fuji in Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture. The area around the volcano is situated around 150 km to the south-west of Tokyo and is so well-known, it is a must-see for any traveller to Japan. Here, at an altitude of 1,000m, the area above the plant is a marginal development zone, and there are no livestock farms and ski resorts. Winters can be snowy and summers are pleasant and not too hot. We met Marketing Manager Akiko Yokoyama to talk about her products and the company background. “Since we started in 2010, our idea was to put the excellent quality water from Fuji to good use. At that time there was nothing up here - the entire infrastructure had to be cre- ated, of course taking into account all environmental laws and require- ments. Because there are no other buildings above our company, the groundwater is extremely low in nitrates and nitrites, which is an ideal prerequisite for us.” The water for their own-brand product “Frecious Fuji” is obtained from a 273m-deep well; its initial acquisition that aimed to retain the water quality was a bit of a chal- lenge. It is meltwater, which is filtered through a layer of natural basalt over the years. In the factory, it is filtered again to remove foreign objects and microorganisms before it is bottled. Ms Yokoyama explains: “We own a total of six wells. We also tap into other water sources to meet the dif- ferent needs of different customers. These provide different water prop- erties and tastes.” Alongside Fre- cious Fuji, the company also bottles “Frecious Asagiri Kogen” in another factory on the Asagiri Plateau at the western foot of the volcano. This has a high vanadium content and can only be tapped here. A third product is “Frecious Kiso”, which is bottled at Mount Ontake, over 250 km away. “In that area, there is wide biodiver- sity and lots of wild wasabi growing, which needs clean drinking water,” says Miss Yokoyama. Mt. Fuji Spring’s water is soft and so is suitable for making baby food. The manufacturer has had product safety confirmed with an FSSC 22000 certificate. The core business is the water delivery business, and the company has its own brand, Frecious. There are two main water dispensers and both of which are highly regarded for their design. ‘Dewo’ features a 7.2 l light weight film pack, and ‘Slat’ is a floor-mounted model that features a 9.3 l easy-to-crush bottle. The dispens- ers are manufactured by a third-party company. Ms Yokoyama explains: “We see a significantly expanding market for water coolers for home use rather than commercial use. Here, the functionality and design of the devices play a significant role, as well as easy handling of the water containers within one’s own home.” The coronavirus situation has also fuelled the demand for products for consumption at home. The company makes its best seller, the 118g PET container holding 9.3 l, as well as its 32g PE film packs holding 7.2 l entirely inhouse. The bottling process itself takes place in a cleanroom before the fin- ished product is delivered directly and exclusively to customers at home. The precise equipment remains a secret, but there are eight production lines available on site. “Conventional bottles simply have a weight problem, while our packaging is very light in the hand, can be compressed or folded for dis- posal once it is empty and overall pro- duces less waste,” says Ms Yokoyama. “As regards regular bottles, we are Tour Sponsors: PE film packaging Marketing Manager Akiko Yokoyama Water server “Frecious Slat” in action by Kay Barton Our reporting usually finds us in functional industrial estates on the outskirts of cities or in central urban office complexes. Occasionally however, there are special exceptions. Googling Japan quickly brings up photos of a snow-capped mountain, the 3,376m-high volcano Fuji, which is a landmark of the country. And it is precisely here, at an altitude of 1,000m and surrounded by nature, that the company Mt. Fuji Springs bot- tles mineral water for water coolers. With its packaging, the company consciously strives for extremely low material use. FILLING