On the 4th, Japan Post announced a capital alliance with the startup “Kuradashi,” which operates an online business selling food products nearing their expiration dates to reduce food waste. Japan Post is investing approximately 500 million yen to acquire a 10% stake in Kuradashi through a third-party allocation of shares. Starting this fall, Japan Post plans to sell Kuradashi’s products on its own website and, within this year, launch a joint meal delivery service.
Kuradashi sources near-expiry food items from manufacturers and sells them at a discount before the expiration date. Japan Post’s merchandise business primarily consists of catalog sales, like the “Furusato Parcel,” but has been declining since its peak in the 2017 fiscal year, pressured by competition from other online retailers.
by MagazineKey4532