東北・関東大地震最前線レポート4/3

「製造への道」

３月２８日より、多田克彦手づくり工房は製造を再スタートしています。

太平洋ベルト帯の岩手・宮城・福島・茨城のラインは製造と流通の基地、工場群の集約地でした。特に仙台港周辺、茨城鹿島、大洗海岸には資材、食材の工場群があり、ここが壊滅になったため、材料の確保と流通網の構築に神経をとがらせていました。

私の仙台物流センターも津波で流され、商品在庫と全て商品情報データは紛失。釜石への被災現場の応援と自社の立て直しの２つの課題を背負って生きてきました。牛乳を加工し流通し販売する仕組みは目に見えないもうひとつのオンリーワン戦略です。何度も失敗し挑戦して組み立ててきました。これは読みなのです。いつから商品として市場へ出していくか、決行する日を決めたら生クリームの確保、脱脂粉乳・オリゴ糖の確保、容器の確保、あらゆる情報からきめ細かく商品づくりのストーリーを描く。４月４日、いよいよ関西への商品供給スタートをしました。神戸市兵庫区にお住まいの西川佳奈さんから４月４日、手紙をいただきました。

私のヨーグルトを食べていて、初めて口にした時から他のヨーグルトはもう食べられない。と有り難い言葉。「“命つなぐヨーグルト”私だけでなく皆さんが持っています。私達というより全国の命をつなぐよう一日も早い再起を祈っています。私も１６年前の阪神大震災で全壊となり、３年間の仮設生活を過ごし、今は復興住宅にお世話になっていますが、５年後には引っ越さなければいけません。お店、農場を再開されるよう、遠い所でも待っている人達がいる事を忘れず“元気を出して下さい”“待っています”。」(西川佳奈様の手紙)

飲むヨーグルトはスタートしました。食べるヨーグルトは４月１５日スタートです。

動乱の中には危険と機会が混在しています。いったい何をすべきかがわかったら腹をくくって率先して取り組まなければなりません。

リーダーから動かない限り、組織は動かない。

今日の１日、大声で吠えている私でした。

English Version:

April 3^rd, 2011

A Way to Production

The Tada’s handmade factory resumed its production on March 28th. The Pacific Belt Zone connects Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, and Ibaraki prefectures, and it is here that their bases of production and distribution are, and where their factories were integrated. Particularly in the Sendai Port and its surrounding area, Kashima in Ibaraki and Oarai-Kaigan, there were a number of material and food factories. Since this area was completely destroyed, I have heightened my sensitivity toward how to secure the material and food for our own factory as well as how to rebuild the distribution system.

The distribution center of my farm and factory in Sendai was also swept away by the tsunami. I lost all stock and data of my merchandise. I’ve survived struggling with these two challenges: rebuilding my company and working on relief of the disaster in Kamaishi.

Although it’s behind the scenes, it is one of my business strategies to market "Only-one product" by processing milk from my own farm, and distributing and selling via my original channels. I came a long way to establish this system with much trial and error. The key of its success is foresight. After you set up a certain time to release your product into the market, you should illustrate your own story of marketing in detail with all information you collected, planning how to secure fresh cream, skim milk, oligosaccharide, and containers of the product.

On April 4^th, we finally resumed providing the Kansai area with our products. I received a letter from Ms. Kana Nishikawa, a resident in Hyogo-ku, Kobe, and appreciated her message. She said that she could not choose any other brand but Tada Katsuhiko's yoghurt ever since she had experienced it for the first time.

"Your yoghurt saved my life. Not only me but all those who enjoy your product look forward to having it again. I am praying for the soonest possible recovery of your business in order to save lives all over Japan. My house was also completely destroyed in the Great Hanshin Earthquake sixteen years ago. After spending 3 years in temporary housing, I was provided with a house by the reconstruction project. But I will have to move out in 5 years. Please remember that many people, including those who live far from your place, are waiting for your products, and for the restarting of your farm and stores." "Snap out of it." "We are waiting for you." (From the letter by Ms. Kana Nishikawa.)

We’ve restarted selling our yoghurt drink. As for regular yoghurt, it will come back to the market on April 15^th.

Dangers and opportunities are mingling in a convulsion. Once you find out what to do, you should take initiative with determination and make every effort to get down to it.

Without a leader going forward, any organization won’t move! – I was yelling all day today.