Collection of short message cards posted online

Q:

I occasionally use "Uogashi Hongo," but I feel that the prices are high compared to the quality of the ingredients they offer. In particular, I honestly don't think the ingredients in their seafood bowls are very appealing. I suspect
that the reason for the high prices is that the co-op doesn't have its own supply chain for fresh fish, so they have no choice but to purchase in small quantities.
I think this issue could be resolved if an external company, such as a sushi chain, were to operate the
restaurant. During the renovation, did they not solicit external tenants like PANES HOUSE did? If not, I would appreciate it if you could tell me the reason, if possible.

A:

The fish market corner in the central cafeteria was established in response to numerous requests for seafood following the cafeteria's renovation. Since the co-op alone cannot handle procurement and other aspects, we have entered into an advisory contract, entrusting them with menu planning, procurement, and technical guidance. This advisor can be found here:https://www.shochikugeino.co.jp/talents/ogawakouichi/Currently, the fish market is unique to the central cafeteria within the university co-op, resulting in higher costs, including logistics. Due to the characteristics of a university cafeteria—speedy service and decreased usage during off-peak seasons like spring and summer breaks—usage fluctuates depending on the time of year, making it difficult for larger companies to cooperate. Regarding PANES HOUSE, Italian Tomato is involved, and their relationship with Komaba and the 2nd floor of the central cafeteria led to their agreement. As a welfare facility providing food, we are working to create an environment that is more accessible to a wider range of people. We would appreciate any suggestions for improvement.

Q:

I've heard that some companies are now using mRNA vaccines on cattle, pigs, and chickens. Could you please tell me about the situation at your company?
Also, could you tell me about genome-edited fish and tomatoes?

A:

① When selecting ingredients, we do not include checking for residual vaccines in our inspection items. ② We do not have our own standards regarding the use of genetically modified foods, and we use ingredients that are distributed in accordance with the standards of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. *For the nine agricultural products and the 33 processed food groups that use them as raw materials, which have been approved for distribution after national safety review, we collect information on whether genetically modified ingredients are "used," "not used," or "not segregated" when selecting ingredients

Q:

I recently heard the news that the University of Tokyo Co-op's management is deteriorating, so I thought I'd offer some ideas for improving management from the perspective of a user (although this is just the ramblings of an outsider who has nothing to do with the organization...)

- Review of the cafeteria pricing system and introduction of dynamic pricing
Currently, there are two classifications: "non-university user price" and "union member price." How about revising this to two classifications: "cafeteria money user price" and "other user price"? With the advancement of digital payments, the use of credit cards and transportation IC cards by union members is expanding, but these payments have the disadvantage of a portion of the sales being collected as a fee. Therefore, by limiting the use of discounted prices to cafeteria money, it is possible to prevent the loss of profit due to fees.
In addition, the introduction of "dynamic pricing," which raises prices during peak hours, should also be considered. In the case of students, there are patterns where either the second or third period is free, so some degree of distributed use should be expected.
- High-profit "University of Tokyo limited menu" and limited goods set sale targeting tourists
The University of Tokyo is often visited by tourists from outside the university, but rather than being seen as a nuisance that causes congestion in the cafeteria, it should be seen as a business opportunity. What they are looking for in the cafeteria is the unique experience of eating and drinking in the University of Tokyo cafeteria, and their budget is likely to be significantly higher than that of general users. Therefore, how about strengthening the "high-priced menu for tourists" by adding limited menu items such as Akamon Ramen to the current seafood rice bowl stand (for example, prohibiting non-students from using the regular menu)? In this case, the comparison point would be nearby restaurants, and the average price of meals at these places is well over 1,000 yen, so further price increases should be acceptable. In addition, it might be possible to further increase added value by selling sets of University of Tokyo limited goods or including them as souvenirs.
– Partial withdrawal from the purchasing business and concentration on the electronics and real estate businesses
We recognize that the purchasing business, which involves high volume sales with low profit margins, is a sector that is not generating much profit within the cooperative's business. From the user's perspective, purchasing is perceived as more expensive compared to nearby convenience stores and supermarkets along Hongo Street. Therefore, how about withdrawing from the low-profit food and stationery businesses and changing to a method of soliciting other businesses and collecting store rental fees? Furthermore, I believe that the strength of university cooperatives in the purchasing business lies more in their "closeness to students" than in their pricing. Therefore, I suggest they focus on the high-priced electrical appliance and housing center businesses, where they can leverage their unique strengths through continuous support.

A:

We are pleased to receive your proposals for improving management. Reducing credit card fees by concentrating the use of Co-op Money. Setting prices by time of day and selling merchandise sets. Catering to tourists. There are many key points, such as streamlining operations, that we empathize with. Starting in March, we will begin charging non-members for purchasing. We believe that incorporating your opinions and creating an environment for sound management and reinvestment will lead to improved service. At the general meeting to be held in May, we will report on future initiatives, such as formulating a mid-term plan and approving budget policies, and hold a Q&A session. We appreciate your continued participation in Co-op management

Q:

I would like to ask about using the cafeteria for purposes other than eating

If possible, I would like to use the cafeteria for club activity meetings, or for work that requires electronic devices such as a computer or paper and pen

A:

Generally, we ask that you refrain from using the facilities for any purpose other than dining in the cafeteria

Q:

When ordering white rice or barley rice, I'm always bothered by the fact that certain staff members don't seem to weigh the rice properly.
Specifically, they hold the bowl in their hand and just briefly touch it to the scale before serving it. This distributes the weight, making it impossible to determine an accurate reading, and they don't even seem to be checking the scale reading. I
use the cafeteria during the evening hours when it's not busy, so I don't think it's a case of them being overwhelmed during peak hours.
We use small, medium, and large portions as part of our nutritional management, so could you please be more mindful of serving portions according to the standard amounts?

A:

We will once again thoroughly instruct all staff on how to measure the specified amount.

Q:

There are frequent discrepancies between the menu information listed on comenu and the menu actually served in the cafeteria (and the menu displayed on the electronic bulletin board at the cafeteria entrance). (For example, today, fried white fish was not actually served.) Since
detailed nutritional information can only be checked through comenu, these frequent discrepancies throw off my nutritional calculations.
I understand that there may be last-minute changes due to ingredient availability, but even so, the frequency seems too high, so I would like you to consider reviewing the menu listing system and other measures.

A:

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the issue with comenu. As you mentioned, there are many cases where ingredients change on the day of the event, and we have received your feedback. We will review our operations to make corrections on the day as much as possible.

Q:

This is regarding the issue of being prohibited from using the hot water dispenser despite the distribution of sample cup noodles and other items. I
would like this prohibition to be clearly stated. As far as I could see, there was no such wording on the notices, X posts, or in the announcements made by the distribution staff. I went to the register intending to have lunch with the distributed items, but I was prohibited from using the hot water dispenser there, and since I didn't have enough for lunch without the distributed items, I had to get back in line at the register. I don't think I'm the only one who would think of adding hot water and making the food right there when the hot water dispenser is being distributed. If many people make the same mistake as me, the area around the register will become crowded, which will be detrimental to both the purchasing department and the customers. I would appreciate it if you could take action.

A:

Thank you for your feedback regarding the distribution of samples. Because the distribution of samples caused significant congestion when everyone used the water heaters, we have restricted the use of the water heaters for the sampled products. We
sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. In the future, we will include this information in notices and other materials.

Q:

Having many self-checkout machines, which are only used by a few people, and many manned registers is extremely inconvenient.
If you're going to have a store on a university, you should be more aware of your responsibility to maintain convenience. If you do have a store there, please make sure it accepts credit cards and electronic payment methods other than your own.

A:

We will take all your feedback and requests seriously.
Based on that, we would like to explain the background and current status of our expansion of self-checkout systems.

[Background]
- We have 3,000 to 4,500 users daily.
- As a reference for checkout speed,
　cash/credit cards etc.: 20-30 seconds, Co-op app: around 10 seconds
　(By promoting payment via the Co-op app, a simple calculation shows that a 1% increase in the payment rate will lead to a reduction in congestion of 5 minutes or more per day.)
- Membership rate: approximately 99% (1st and 2nd year students)
- Co-op app payment rate: 65% (as of July)
within their limited time
in order to allow as many students as possible to use the store more smoothly
that support the Co-op app, enabling speedy payment and serving as a measure against rising prices and labor costs from a business perspective
we are increasing the number of self-checkout registers
This is because, as an organization that operates using capital contributions from our members, we are
trying to maintain the provision of goods and services to our members.

[Current Situation]
- Co-op app payment rate: 68-71%

We believe this has improved convenience by allowing more students to use the service smoothly during their limited time (such as breaks). Depending on the time of day, it may appear that there are
fewer users even during peak lunch hours, as the lines at the self-checkout counters clear quickly.
We also receive feedback via message cards from students saying that "paying with the co-op app is fast."

On the other hand, we understand your request for other payment methods.
However, as you may know, there are transaction fees charged by payment companies for all payment methods, including credit cards.
Implementing other payment methods at self-checkout counters would also incur significant development costs.
As a non-profit organization operating solely within the university, this would be a major burden on our operations.
Therefore, we ask for your understanding and cooperation in using the student cooperative app for payments while you are enrolled at the university.

We ask that you continue to use the University of Tokyo Co-op, and we would appreciate it if you would feel free to contact us with any comments, opinions, or requests you may have

Q:

I want to see more monsters again

A:

The Monster Energy Drink series is currently
experiencing a system failure due to a cyberattack on Asahi Soft Drinks, the distributor, which
has halted shipments from the manufacturer.

Q:

I'm a student at Hongo University. I can check the menu for the Central Cafeteria online. This is very convenient and appreciated. Can I also check the menus for the Metro Cafeteria and the Second Cafeteria? I'd appreciate it if you could let me know

A:

The menus for the Central and Komaba cafeterias are displayed on comenu, but for Metro, the Second Cafeteria, and the Faculty of Agriculture, they are not displayed due to cost and personnel constraints. We will consider this internally, but please check in-store until the implementation