We are actively working on quality improvements to help our customers have peace of mind. From ingredients inspections of sweet potatoes, rice, and water, which are essential for making shochu, to post bottling and packaging inspections and sensory evaluations of shochu before shipment, we check the safety and quality at multiple stages before these ingredients reach our customers as products. We also share customer feedback and information from farmers company-wide to further improve quality.
Screenings check our raw materials (sweet potatoes and rice) for their origin, variety, color, shape, and for the presence of disease and damage. We also regularly conduct both in-house and external analyses, such as pesticide residue testing, to ensure safety. Our system can even do raw material safety checks based on cultivation records.
The water used in our factories undergoes in-house inspections and external analysis regularly to ensure its safety.
Before shipping our products, qualified personnel within the company conduct sensory evaluations. Various tests are also carried out by related departments to ensure the quality of our shochu.
To improve the quality of the sweet potatoes we use as raw materials, we hold an annual Sweet Potato Conference. During the conference, we exchange information about the cultivation conditions in each region with brokers and farmers and hold workshops. This event serves as a great place to share about Kirishima Shuzo's passion for shochu brewing and to deepen mutual understanding.
We visit the fields to conduct yield surveys and communicate with farmers to gather information on growth conditions and pests so that we can create the best sweet potatoes. If damage or disease is found during the sweet potato screenings, we share the points of concern with the farmers and cooperate to prevent any recurrences.
One of our initiatives for improving quality is small group activities. Employees involved in on-site work form small groups and exchange ideas on how to improve the inspection process and quality control.
At Kirishima Factory Garden, we offer factory tours of the authentic shochu brewing process. These tours are offered to tourists and as local extracurricular activities. By communicating with our customers, we hope to convey the passion and dedication we put into our products.
We share the feedback received by our Customer Help Desk with the entire company and use it to improve our products and develop new services. One example is holding workshops for departments that interact directly with our customers. Such activities are valuable ways to learn from customer feedback and gain new insight.
