Sharing the Thoughts of Farmers: A Catering Service Featuring Imperfect Vegetables

Founded in 2016, FARM CANNING initially specialized in producing and selling jarred goods made with organic and pesticide-free imperfect vegetables while also running an education project that offers agricultural experiences. Despite its admirable goal of supporting local farmers, the business has faced certain challenges. The company’s representative, Chie Nishimura, has been working to shift the business in a new direction.

“We had to adjust the ingredients and recipes for our jarred sauces and dips to ensure that production was maintained steadily and that they could be safely stored at room temperature. However, although I would be happy to purchase all kinds of vegetables, some are simply not suitable for canning. This resulted in a bit of a dilemma when I couldn’t use all of the imperfect produce.”

After much deliberation, she finally came up with a solution—a sustainable, no-waste catering service. Since catering services don’t have a set menu, you can use a wider variety of ingredients compared to the production of processed goods. Additionally, as the event dates and food portions are set in advance, any odd-looking vegetables that you purchase can be used to their fullest without waste, so you don’t have to worry about unnecessary excess inventory. This was precisely the solution that Nishimura was hoping for.

Sustainable catering has become the cornerstone of her business. She serves groups of 50 to 400 people and a diverse range of clientele—from corporate customers organizing company events and lunches to private clients seeking wedding catering.

All dishes are made to highlight the natural taste and shapes of vegetables. The simplicity of the recipes reflects the realities of the current agriculture industry. Upon request, a selection of dishes featuring sustainably sourced meat and fish can be prepared. However, there has been a rising number of clients requesting a vegetarian menu. Eri Dixon, who works with Nishimura, tells us:

“We sometimes use soy milk instead of eggs to make mayonnaise. At one event, a guest remarked that they never expected vegetables to be this filling and satisfying. It seems that the more someone loves meat, the more surprised they are by our dishes.”

Aiming to support the sustainable agriculture industry, Nishimura makes sure to purchase vegetables at the price set by farmers. She buys both non-standard produce and commercially sellable vegetables.

“If I only bought misshapen produce, our catering business couldn’t be considered sustainable. By purchasing unsorted vegetables, I save farmers time and make use of less attractive produce that would otherwise go to waste. As a result, my suppliers are happy and I don’t have to worry about any lack of ingredients.”

That said, Nishimura still has a few concerns. The more she learns about food-related industries, the more frustrated she feels about the current state of things.

“It is said that nowadays, 30% of produce doesn’t even make it to the shelves. It gets discarded for various reasons, including being deemed substandard. For pesticide-free, organic vegetables, the percentage is likely even higher than that. The problem is that the agriculture industry as a whole is struggling with a labor shortage, so expanding farmland as a way to increase profits certainly isn’t an easy task. I would like to create a system that gives back to farmers who care about society, the natural environment, and sustainable agriculture.”

To become even more helpful, Nishimura is considering transforming the no-waste catering service. She is developing ideas to share farmers’ perspectives and tell the story behind the ingredients at the events they cater to. Nishimura says with passion, “I would like to take this business a step further by offering menus that focus on learning more about seafood or the bounty of the mountains. This April, we are launching a hands-on community project to grow pesticide-free grapes and make wine in the town of Samukawa, Kanagawa Prefecture. I hope I can help people stop and think about nature and farmers by offering opportunities such as tasting our no-waste catering or organizing events related to agriculture and food.”

FARM CANNING’s endeavor to offer delicious and enjoyable dishes continues…