Mar 15,2018
Katori, a small city in Chiba, is about a 90-minute drive from the center of Tokyo. It is here you will find a uniquely named company — Koisuru-Buta Laboratory [Pigs-in-Love Laboratory] — surrounded by a lush natural environment. The Koisuru-Buta Laboratory processes and sells pork under the brand name Koibuta Pork. All Koibuta Pork pigs are raised at the Arita Farm in Chiba’s Katori District. The Arita Farm employs its own rearing method that involves raising pigs on a fermented feedstock developed on the farm.
Why has the Koisuru-Buta Laboratory focused on fermentation for raising pigs? How do pigs reared on fermented feedstock develop compared to other pigs? We spoke with Kano Keisuke of the Koisuru-Buta Laboratory to find out.
First off, the most intriguing thing for us was the name, Koibuta Pork. So we immediately asked about its origin.
“The ‘koisuru’ [‘love’] in the name is not about us loving pigs, but pigs being in love. We imagined that if we could raise healthy pigs in an environment where the pigs could fall in love, the pork would surely be delicious. That’s how we came up with the name.”
Kano Keisuke, sales manager at the Koisuru-Buta Laboratory
Doing the actual raising of the pigs is the Arita Farm, which has been in business for 60 years. Surprisingly, not just the workers at the Arita Farm but also nearly all the staff at the Koisuru-Buta Laboratory regularly eat Koibuta Pork products.
“This might seem extraordinary when you think about it. Some farmers might not be able to eat pork from the pigs they’ve raised with love. However, at the Arita Farm and our laboratory, we believe it’s important to eat our own pork to ensure it’s of high quality and delicious.”
The building housing the Koisuru-Buta Laboratory. The winding stairs at the front were designed in the image of a pig’s tail. Besides offices, the building contains a restaurant, a sales outlet for Koibuta Pork and other products, and a food processing plant.
Since its founding in 2012, Koisuru-Buta Laboratory has focused on fostering close ties with producers, processors, and sellers, instead of increasing the number of producers and contract farms, in order to ensure the distribution of safe pork products. In addition, it concentrates on feedstock and rearing methods and is very discriminating in these areas. Which brings up the question: What is the fermented feedstock that they feed to their pigs?
“We have been feeding pigs fermented feedstock on the farm since 1995. The fermented feedstock is made by grinding bread crusts and adding lactic acid bacteria, koji mold, hay bacillus, and other agents, and then fermenting the mixture for three to five days. The nutritional value of the feedstock varies depending on the progress of the fermentation, so we adjust the moisture content and other parameters daily to maintain the feedstock’s condition. Seasonal changes in temperature and humidity also require careful management. It all began when we started adding bread crusts to the feed to make use of food waste (such as expired or leftover food) from supermarkets and convenience stores. Later on, we began fermenting the feedstock with the idea of raising healthier pigs. We produce the feedstock using equipment on the farm premises.”
Producing fermented feedstock at the Arita Farm
Fermented feedstock, naturally, requires time and money, which is why few farms produce their own feedstock from scratch. At the Arita Farm, however, the owner has extensive knowledge of fermentation and personally adjusts the mixture while producing the fermented feedstock.
“Pigs raised on fermented feed are really healthy and have the resistance to get better on their own if they do get sick. This may be off topic, but our pigs’ manure doesn’t smell particularly bad. I think it’s because the fermentation keeps their intestines clean.”
While the concept of eating fermented foods for gut health is gaining traction these days, it’s surprising that the Arita Farm has been practicing this on pigs for over 20 years. Furthermore, pork from pigs healthily raised on fermented feedstock is rich in glutamic acid and inosinic acid, which are umami components, as well as in unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, which have high antioxidant benefits. Koibuta Pork is “distinctive for its sweet, light-tasting fat, with plenty of umami,” according to Kano.
Manure from Koibuta Pork pigs is used as compost in vegetable fields near the Koisuru-Buta Laboratory. Thus, the manure from healthily raised pigs is transformed into high-quality fertilizer, which in turn produces delicious crops.
“The pig manure is fermented on the farm to make fertilizer, which is then spread on rice paddies and vegetable plots. As I mentioned earlier, the pig manure doesn’t have a bad smell, and the same holds for the fertilizer. Good feedstock produces good manure, which in turn becomes good fertilizer. You could call it Koisuru Fertilizer. (laughs) I think all these things are benefits of using fermented feedstock.”
What started as an ecological move — to use food waste as feed for pigs — created an additional benefit of compost created from the manure of the pigs that consumed the food waste. This has fostered an eco-friendly cycle. Fermentation plays a significant role in this virtuous circle.
“Fermentation is trendy at the moment. But in truth, it has a long history and it won’t end as just a fleeting fad. We intend to continue as we are doing now, using fermented feedstock to raise delicious pork. Stress is said to affect your stomach and intestinal activity, and it’s a fact that stress on pigs changes the taste of their pork. This is why we put so much importance on raising pigs in a stress-free environment. We will continue to strive always to produce delicious, healthy pork.”
The restaurant at the Koisuru-Buta Laboratory is an invigorating space with a panoramic view of the surrounding forest
The restaurant at the Koisuru-Buta Laboratory offers classic set meals featuring Koibuta Pork, such as shabu-shabu hotpots and grilled salt-and-pepper pork loin. You can also enjoy their monthly special set meal. All the restaurant’s vegetables are sourced from neighboring farms, so you know what you are eating.
The shabu-shabu hotpot set meal featuring Koibuta Pork is a popular menu selection. The meal uses local vegetables as well as locally grown Takomai rice. Koisuru-Buta Laboratory’s original citrus ponzu sauce, another popular item, is available for purchase.
The Laboratory’s sales outlet sells Koibuta ham, sausages, and other processed foods as well as fresh meat. It also offers an exclusive assortment of local Chiba food products, such as peanuts, sweet potatoes, and rice. The eye-catching displays of such a wide variety of products will surely tempt you into buying souvenirs.
Koibuta Pork takes into consideration the health of its pigs and incorporates fermented feedstock into their diets in order to deliver delicious pork products. Fermentation has positive benefits for animals as well as humans. The power of fermentation continues to prove just how formidable it is in the most surprising places.
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