Supply Chain Management
The Skylark Group has established standards for quality and hygiene management, and made its basic policy to thoroughly manage various foreseeable risks in all processes, from procurement of ingredients to processing, distribution, preparation and provision to customers.
We constantly incorporate the latest scientific insights from supervisory authorities, various inspection organizations and food industry bodies to build and operate a realistic and supremely effective quality assurance system, and pursue safety and security for our customers from all possible angles.
Acquisition of ISO 22000 Certification
Skylark has obtained ISO 22000 certification, the international standard for food safety management systems. The scope of this certification extends beyond our ten domestic central kitchens to include our Procurement (responsible for sourcing), Menu Development, Quality Control, and Internal Audit departments.
By building upon the principles of this standard, we have established and operate a robust food safety management system that encompasses our entire supply chain, from the initial procurement of ingredients to the final provision of meals.
Procurement
Establishing a Traceability System
Based on the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) guidelines on the labeling of production locations for restaurants, etc., Skylark publishes the production areas for its main raw ingredients including meats and seafood for its Japanese-style restaurants.
Additionally, by managing manufacturing information on our products by lot number, we have established a traceability system that allows us to go back to the time of shipment in the event of any quality-related problems.
Audits of Suppliers
When procuring ingredients, we inspect local factories and processes in accordance with our purchasing management regulations. We check hygiene management systems for each process at supplier locations based on the HACCP*1 approach and purchase ingredients only from suppliers that meet our trading standards.
*1 HACCP is a hygiene management approach that stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
Inspection
Thorough Inspections by Skylark’s Quality Management Group
The Quality Management Group, which manages food safety, conducts bacterial tests at its own hygiene inspection laboratory before the introduction of new products, regardless of whether they are proprietary or purchased products. In this way, we ensure that only ingredients that have passed inspections based on our internal criteria are delivered to our restaurants and stores nationwide.
Even after distribution has begun, we conduct periodic sampling inspections at eight hygiene inspection laboratories around Japan, covering products sent to restaurants to foods immediately before they are served to customers, in order to confirm safety at each stage of the supply chain, from raw ingredients to processing and serving. In bacterial testing, inspection items and reference values are established for each item. When a test result exceeds the reference value, prompt measures are taken, such as prohibition of use or discontinuation.
By conducting hygiene patrols at each of our restaurants and stores in conjunction with operational audit guidance team, we perform thorough checks and provide guidance on more than 50 checklist items relating to hygiene, including food management and the state of cleaning.
In addition, checking processes and the state of hygiene management at our central kitchens through unannounced monthly checks based on ISO 22000 concepts and reviewing the results also improves employee training. The number of samples tested by the Group each year is about 100,000, which is a top-class level for the restaurant industry.
From March 2022, the Skylark Group started conducting in-house residual pesticide inspections to further ensure food safety. In addition to checking the status of pesticide management at farm fields, we inspect raw vegetables used and products manufactured in the central kitchen to ensure the safety of the menus we provide.
Production
Establishment of Hygiene Management Aystem Aligned with ISO 22000 at the Central Kitchen
（Japanese text only）
At our central kitchens, which handle the primary processing and logistics of ingredients, we have installed cameras to ensure rigorous hand-washing protocols—both when entering production lines and after using the restroom. These areas are monitored and coached 24 hours a day. Furthermore, we take proactive measures to prevent viruses from entering the facilities by requiring employees to report and record not only their own health status but also that of their household members. In addition to establishing a hygiene management system aligned with ISO 22000, we have set strict quality standards to ensure the manufacture of safe products. As of December 2020, all of our central kitchens have obtained ISO 22000 certification.
Logistics
Our Transportation System Keeps Food Fresh
In order to deliver food in a fresh state, Skylark has created a system for delivering products primarily from its central kitchens (8 locations) to its restaurants in all 47 prefectures in Japan.
In order to maintain the ideal temperature range depending on the ingredients, we inject the necessary amount of carbon dioxide gas to use based on the temperature each day and the distance to the restaurant into our cooling boxes accordingly before delivery.
Preparation and Service at Stores
Norovirus Prevention Initiatives
Vomit cleanup kits (Multiple sets provided as standard at all locations)
Skylark implements thorough measures to prevent the occurrence and spread of Norovirus. In addition to mandatory health checks for employees before starting their shifts, we enforce meticulous handwashing and disinfection procedures in strict accordance with our safety manuals. Furthermore, we have established specific rules for frequent disinfection during working hours.
To ensure that employees can respond promptly and appropriately if a customer becomes unwell and vomits in a restaurant, all our locations are equipped with multiple vomit cleanup kits as standard equipment, with handling procedures clearly documented in our manuals. Additionally, high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, faucets, and toilet seats are regularly disinfected every day using chemicals effective against Norovirus.
In the event that an employee feels unwell, they are required to refrain from reporting to work. The company covers the full cost of high-sensitivity Norovirus testing, and employees are only permitted to return to duty once a negative result is confirmed. We have also collaborated with specialized institutions to research and verify methods for shortening the period required to achieve a negative test result.
To ensure the consistent implementation of these measures, we prioritize employee education and awareness-raising activities through various channels, including corporate meetings and internal video messages.
Strict Food Ingredient Management
At our restaurants, based on hygiene management methods incorporating HACCP principles, maintaining uniform quality in food management and meal preparation across all locations nationwide is our highest priority.
To ensure that staff can perform management tasks effectively, we have established comprehensive manuals that clearly outline procedures and key hygiene management points. Combined with regular culinary training, this creates a robust system for delivering safe, reliable, and high-quality meals.
Regarding ingredient shelf-life management, we utilize color-coded date labels, allowing employees to identify expiration dates at a single glance.
Disclosure of Allergen and Nutritional Information
We constantly provide the latest information to ensure that all customers—including those with food allergies and those on calorie- or salt-restricted diets—can enjoy their meals with peace of mind.
To maintain the highest level of accuracy, we utilize a dedicated specification sheet system to obtain the most up-to-date data, which is then meticulously scrutinized by our Quality Control Group. When serving low-allergen menu items, we follow strict protocols and exercise the utmost care to prevent cross-contamination or serving errors at our restaurants.
We disclose allergen information for "Specified Raw Materials" (mandatory labeling items), and for certain brands, we also include information for "items equivalent to Specified Raw Materials" (recommended labeling items).
By maintaining thorough ingredient data and providing personalized support for individual inquiries, we are committed to creating an environment where as many customers as possible can comfortably dine with us.