Green House provides a variety of food-based services, including food services for offices and hospitals, restaurants, and even hotel management. We spoke with CEO Chiaki Tanuma about the origins and future vision of Green House, which is a dynamic company in Japan's hospitality industry.

Its origins lie in the cafeteria, which supports students' bodies and minds.

The predecessor of Green House dates back to President Tanuma's father, Mr. Bunzo Tanuma, who became the dormitory supervisor of the student dormitory of Keio University's preparatory course. During the war, Bunzo, a company commander in a transport unit, lost half of his young men on the Indochina front. Feeling regret and regret for not being able to protect his subordinates, after graduating from Waseda University, he was asked by his mentor to take care of students. Kindly accepted. It all started as a student cafeteria within the university.

``During the time of food shortages immediately after the war, he worked hard to provide for the students' daily meals by helping farmers with their farm work to secure food and directly negotiating with the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture for support.''

At times, he would provide meals to struggling students who didn't have money without asking them, and it seems that he has been supporting them.

Even after the student cafeteria took off and became a corporation, he was not interested in growing the company. I think it was a genuine desire to make the students happy, rather than chasing profits."

By the way, once the company name Green House was adopted,1This was solicited from students on the condition that they would receive a year's worth of meal tickets. The connections we made with people through food in the student cafeteria became the foundation of Green House.

Mr. Bunzo didn't ask for anything in return, but his thoughts would later lead to great results.1960When we started a new food service business for companies such as company cafeterias in 2017, some of the students who were active in society after graduation encouraged us to expand into Green House if we were going to be in charge of the company's cafeteria. In many cases, it has been a great support for the expansion of Greenhouse's current core businesses, including school lunches, employee cafeterias, and facilities for the elderly.

After that, they opened their own restaurants, including the pork cutlet specialty restaurant ``Shinjuku Saboten''. Mr. Tanuma, whose father is active in the food and beverage industry, worked at a securities company after graduating from university, but a story he heard from Mr. Bunzo inspired him to enter the industry.

“In addition to stories about the war, I often heard from my father about the difficulties he had in obtaining bank loans.At that time,"Restaurant industry"There was no name for it, and the restaurant industry received a very low evaluation from banks. No matter how good a business plan is, it is difficult to get financing. The value of the industry itself was still not recognized. It was very frustrating. If that's the case, I sincerely hope that one day our company will come to the point where banks will come to us and ask for a loan.''

Opening up the future of food service with new ideas

1978After joining Green House in 2017, all current executives have been working together to improve their insight and awareness of hospitality within the company.10with the Department of Food Science at South Seattle Community College.40One day training. Furthermore, he studied abroad at Cornell University Graduate School, one of the world's top educational institutions in the hotel and restaurant field, where he learned the world's most cutting-edge restaurant and hotel management.

"But I am where I am today because of my father's work, who built a business from nothing. I believe that my father's virtues have helped me."

Mr. Tanuma says so,1980Since joining the family business in earnest in 2017, he has launched a number of new businesses and expanded his business.1993It is undoubtedly Mr. Tanuma's overflowing ideas and driving force that have built a new era for Green House since he became president in 2017.

For example, by opening a take-out deli, we quickly entered what is now called the ready-made meal market. Furthermore, he launched various restaurant brands such as Chinese restaurant "Xie Hoden" and Spanish restaurant "SPANISH DINING Rico".BtoBSales that were once centered onB to C 4raised to a certain level.

In overseas markets, in addition to the opening of restaurants, contract food service companies such as employee cafeterias and hospitals have recently opened.M&AWe are expanding our business mainly in Asia. now the world13to the city200It has more than just stores.

Also, a registered dietitian2,000Taking advantage of the know-how that other companies do not have in that we have employees on staff,ITWe developed our own AI meal management app ``Asuken'' that aims to improve eating habits. When you photograph your meal, the nutrients and calories are analyzed through image analysis.AIThis app, which provides advice from registered dietitians, has many users in Japan.900It is one of Japan's top healthcare apps with over 10,000 registered users.

moreover2022In 2019, “Food and Health + Food and Hospitality”×Open innovation space with the concept of "new ideas""GreeneX Plus” was opened at the head office. Create new business together with external partner companies using cutting-edge digital solutions.

“This place is like a research institute for food, health, and hospitality. Food manufacturers often have research institutes, but there is no research institute that covers everything from hospitality to hospitality. We want to make it a place where we can conduct demonstration experiments with advanced technologies from various companies and generate new ideas that have never existed before."

Hotel Grandbach, a lifelong dream come true

The company is currently focusing on the hotel business, which has been a long-held dream of President Tanuma himself.

Originally, we operated cafeterias for companies, as well as lodging-related businesses such as employee dormitories and recreational facilities.2000Established a company specializing in hotel management in . Since then20For more than a year, all over the country15It operates a number of hotels.

``Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, actually started with in-flight meals and company cafeterias.When I was studying hotel management in the United States, there was nothing concrete about hotel management, and it was just a dream. However, I still had the feeling that someday.”

Among them, our own brand ``Hotel Grand Bach'' is based on the concept of ``providing healing and excitement through food and music'' and offers a luxurious space, wellness-conscious meals created by a wellness food concierge (registered dietitian) and a chef, and fine-tuned meals. Provide warm hospitality. As the name suggests, Bach's music plays throughout the hall, and salon concerts by famous musicians are sometimes held.

Actually, when I was a student, I joined a classical music appreciation club. Mr. Tanuma is so fond of music that he particularly likes baroque music, and has even installed a pipe organ in his home.

``Just as music saved me during my difficult study abroad days, I believe that music has the power to heal people.'' Hotel Grandbach offers tranquil rooms with beautiful views and rooms that are gentle on the body. We aim to be a hotel where you can have a stay that soothes your mind and body, with food and music that satisfies your soul.”

Hospitality that pleases everyone in every situation

Ideas continue to come to me even now, even in my busy days. Where is its source?

``It's not something I'm particularly conscious of, but I think the important thing is to take a close look at the phenomena that are happening right now. Then, I can naturally decide on a direction that I should take next.'' Maybe that's the only ability I have (lol), but it must be difficult for the staff to think, ``The president is saying something again'' (lol) So, what I came up with is... I'm really helped by the staff around me who help me translate so that everyone can understand.I'm especially grateful to my wife, who has supported me for many years in her capacity as vice president. Masu"

As a company responsible for Japan's hospitality industry, what is Japan's aesthetic sense? When I asked about this, he introduced me to the book ``Remembrances of a Dead World'' by historian Kyoji Watanabe, which he said had impressed him.

``Here it says that Japanese people, as seen by foreigners around the time of the Meiji Restoration, ``trusted each other and lived carefree lives''.I sensed the true Japaneseness and aesthetic sense in that image. However, in today's social climate and values ​​where only the strong should survive, I may feel that Japan has lost the goodness of the past, when it was natural to care for others. I don't think it's because I've forgotten, but because I'm just asleep."

Because we believe in the true sense of beauty that Japanese people have, we are sure to be able to make use of their delicate hospitality in every situation. This idea is sure to have great significance in the hospitality industry, where people are an asset.

Just as his father, Mr. Bunzo, provided the best food possible for his students, the starting point of Green House's founding was ``to make our customers happy.'' It's the employees3Even now that the number of people has exceeded 10,000, nothing has changed.

We pursue hospitality that brings joy to everyone in every situation, whether it's in a factory or hospital on a daily basis, in a restaurant or hotel on a special occasion, or in the digital world in the palm of your hand. That is the future that Green House is aiming for.

Chiaki Tanuma

Graduated from Keio University in 1975, joined Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. in the same year, and joined the United States in 1980.Cornell UniversityGraduated from the Graduate School of Hotel Management. After joining Green House, he became president of Green House in 1993 and is currently in his current position. He was chairman of the Japan Food Service Association from 2008 to 2010, a permanent member of the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a board member of Cornell University since 2011. In 2023, he received the Order of the Rising Sun with a Ribbon.

Mio Shimamura

Representative, publisher and editor-in-chief of Premium Japan. After working at a foreign advertising agency, he held positions in charge of marketing and PR at top brands such as Walt Disney, Harry Winston, and Tiffany & Co. In 2013, he founded Russo Co., Ltd. He handles PR for various top brands. Because his parents' home was an environment that taught Japanese culture such as tea ceremony and kimono dressing, he acquired the business rights to Premium Japan in 2017 and established Premium Japan Co., Ltd. in 2018.