For both tummies and hearts, No-Peko Lab!

We want to solve the issue of "children and food" in a fun way, making it something everyone feels personally invested in.
No matter how much we say, "Let's contribute to society by thinking of others!" in Japan, if it's not fun, people are unlikely to start, and it might not last. So, let's aim for "social contribution that everyone naturally wants to do, not because it's the right thing, but because it's fun." It was from this idea that the Dentsu Inc. No-Peko Lab was born in early 2019.

"No-Peko" means "No, I'm starving!" Guided by the SDGs, our lab aims to solve challenges like eating alone, creating safe spaces for children, and supporting working women. We do this by collaborating with various companies, everyone in society, and food volunteer groups worldwide—creating fun, large-scale, and sustainable solutions.

Officially recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association! Every September 9th is "Goo-Goo Day"!

In 2019, the year the lab was founded, we defined September 9th as "Goo Goo Day" (meaning "rumbling stomach")—a day to think about and take action on "children and food." This day was officially recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association, making the entire month of September "Goo Goo Month." Since then, with the support of many companies and individuals each year, we've been working on activities that bring joy and smiles to children through food. For this year's Goo Goo Month, No Peko Lab is recruiting partners to think and act with us. If you're interested, please get in touch!

Save the world with "Noko-san Cooking"!

Carrot tops, leftover cabbage, small potatoes... Don't you have some "poor leftover vegetables" in your fridge too? We're running a series of recipe song videos called "Nokosun Cooking" on our lab site and YouTube, showing how to cook up those fridge leftovers into "Nokosun". It was even featured in the Yomiuri Shimbun. These simple recipes not only reduce food waste but also make vegetables easier for kids who dislike them to eat, while saving on food costs, bringing smiles to many dinner tables.

It's not widely known, but hunger and food waste are actually connected in a very real way—not just in theory. (Mass production → Mass disposal → Fuel consumption → CO2 emissions → Global warming → Extreme weather → Crop failures in poor countries → Widespread hunger). Wanting everyone to understand this, we created not only "Nokosank Cooking" but also the catchy song video "Nokosank (Don't Waste) and No Peko".

In addition to the recipe song videos, we've created "Nokosun Today" magnets as awareness items for food loss prevention. These can be stuck on your home refrigerator. To ensure you can always watch the aforementioned recipe song videos, we printed a QR code linked to the video site on the magnet. "Nokosun Cooking" saves those poor leftover vegetables with daily recipes. Why not give it a try?

Nopeko Lab marks its fourth year of operation in 2022. With the support of numerous companies and individuals, we have undertaken various activities. Below is a brief overview of our activities in 2020 and 2019.

What we should do, what can bring smiles, especially during the pandemic

In the second year of the pandemic, we learned about the "Enjoy Dinner" initiative (a Minato Ward program providing free dinner boxed meals to families facing real hardship during COVID) and proposed a pantry event in collaboration with this program.

We co-hosted the "Don't Let Corona Win! Enjoy Pantry" event with the Minato Ward Children's Cafeteria Network. This event, held on September 9th (Goo Goo Day), distributed meals alongside food items provided by over 10 companies, including pasta from Nippon Flour Mills (now Nippon Flour Mills). With donations from network members, various companies, individuals, production companies Pict and Trademark, Lab members, and many others, this event ultimately brought smiles to 811 people.

Furthermore, during Goo Goo Month, we held the "No-Peko-kun Bento Sale," a food event aimed at bringing smiles to many children. This was co-hosted with the Shirokane Shopping District Association in Minato Ward, where demand for takeout had increased due to the impact of COVID-19.

After visiting the association's chairman and vice-chairman and holding numerous meetings with each restaurant, we secured collaborations with popular establishments like Yakiniku Jambo Shirokane, Tarantella da Luigi, Bäckerei Brauberg, and Mimosa. Together with these restaurants, we developed a special "No-Peko-kun Bento" packed with children's favorite menu items. Sold for a limited time, a portion of the proceeds from each store was donated to the National Children's Cafeteria Support Center Musubie.

Celebrating with a Giant Omelet Rice Cake! The Lab's First Year

In 2019, the year the Lab was established, Minato Children's Cafeteria joined as a co-founder, designating September 9th as "Goo Goo Day" – a day for everyone to think together about children and food issues. This day was officially recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association. On the 9th itself, a commemorative event was held at Minato Children's Cafeteria's second location, "Daimon Damon" (named by Lab Observer Shinichi Fukusato).

Food stylist Nami Iijima created a "Goo Goo-filled omelet rice cake" to celebrate both the opening of Daimon Damon and the Goo Goo anniversary. All the ingredients were provided by the supermarket Inageya, which sympathized with the event. It was 50 cm in diameter and 11 cm high. The three layers of red chicken rice, green vegetables, and brown curry sauce were beautiful and impressive! The children who made reservations and their parents all enjoyed it.

No Peco Lab is where it is today thanks to the support of so many people. The next article will be about what No Peco Lab wants to do in the future. Thank you for reading to the end!