Message from CEO

The Seeds of Future Planted
Three Years Ago Are Sprouting:
The Present of a “New welzo”

Three years have already passed since we changed our company name to "welzo" in 2022.
Over these three years, we have continuously challenged ourselves to plant seeds that generate new value for our Purpose: “Pioneering a happy future for people and the earth.”

As each employee envisions the next 5 to 10 years, voices saying, “I want to challenge this!” and “I want to create this kind of product!” are now being heard throughout the company.

I am personally delighted to see a positive atmosphere and energy spreading across the entire company. We launched a consulting department dedicated to supporting questions like, "What value can we create in our current business?" and "How can we expand our value chain?"

In the past three years, we have planted over 50 new "seeds" to leverage the connections with our business partners, welzo's most valuable asset, and the knowledge and experience we have honestly and diligently cultivated over the years. I would like to introduce a few of these projects.

■ Project Overview
1. Smart Agriculture Joint Research with Kyushu University
First, I would like to introduce our joint research project with Kyushu University. By providing the agricultural know-how and technology we have accumulated over many years, we aim to realize smart agriculture. This research is specialized for elevated hydroponic cultivation in greenhouses. Progress in this area will allow us to maintain stable yields and build a system to support Japan's food supply, even as the agricultural population declines. A future may not be far off where agriculture is possible even in environments like deserts with scarce water. We are also developing advanced agricultural materials using "Plasma Green Agriculture" technology, which produces new fertilizers by utilizing nitrogen in the air.

2. Capital and Business Alliance Projects
Next, I will introduce two capital and business alliance projects.

The first is our initiative with Citrus Palette Co., Ltd. Partnered with this produce processing wholesale company, which supports fruit growers in improving both quantity and quality, we have built an end-to-end system, from developing agricultural materials tailored to the cultivation stage to the sale of harvested produce. This project involves relevant departments within welzo, as well as our group companies, Sun & Hope Co., Ltd. and JAHT Co., Ltd., as we work to establish a value chain that connects the upstream to the downstream.

The second is a capital and business alliance with Regional Fish Co., Ltd. By planting new seeds not only in agriculture and horticulture but also in the fisheries sector, we aim to realize a rich food culture for people.

3. Global Business Expansion in Singapore
The final project has launched beyond Japan—our global business expansion project starting in Singapore. welzo has always conducted business both domestically and internationally, but in June 2025, we established a new base in Singapore, focusing on the recent growth and diverse business opportunities in the Southeast Asian market. Functioning as an "Antenna base" to assess market trends in Southeast Asia, we will collaborate with local companies and major manufacturers to spread the power of Japanese agriculture and fisheries to the world.

■The Future of welzo
In the future, the environment surrounding us will undergo even greater changes. Issues like climate change and the decline in the agricultural population due to aging are inevitable challenges. As we discern what will change and what will become the norm over the next decade, we must constantly embrace change and continue to make our next move without fear. The "new seeds" that have sprouted over the past three years, including the initiatives introduced above, will continue to grow and challenge themselves to solve these social issues.

On the other hand, as I have stated before, the ultimate goal of social contribution must be the happiness of our employees working at welzo. The most important asset to the company is our employees. This belief will not change as long as I am the leader of welzo.

By being a company that embraces challenges in new businesses and social contribution, we aim to be a company whose employees' children can proudly say, "My dad's company is doing amazing things!" and "My mom's company is helping society!" And, to create a company that makes those children think, "I want to work for welzo someday!" when they grow up—that remains one of my constant missions as CEO.

We, welzo, will continue to plant seeds to create new value for our Purpose: “Pioneering a happy future for people and the earth.” Please continue to look forward to welzo's new challenges.

CEO
Yoshifumi Kanao