eminess Inc. Treats supporting women’s ever-changing minds and bodies, affected by hormonal balance
2023.05.13
This article is originally copyrighted by Life-Tech KOBE
SDGs Challenge – Since 2021, we support business development and overseas expansion of startups that take on the challenges of solving global-scale SDGs issues to create systems and products that create global social change pivoting from Hyogo Prefecture and Kobe City. The SDGs The “SDGs CHALLENGE” is a co-creation program that aims to solve global SDG issues. We will introduce the startups selected for this program one by one in the Stories category of this website.
<Interviewee Profile>
eminess Corporation
CEO: Saho Komatsu<Biography>
After working for brand consulting firms in Japan and Singapore, Ms. Komatsu moved to Boston, U.S.A. as an independent “food marketer” specializing in the food industry. While living in Boston, she became fascinated with the concepts of veganism and wellness and became a certified IIN Health Coach by the American Institute of Alternative Medicine. After returning to Japan, she established eminess Inc. in July 2021 with the hope of “creating a world of wellness where women are full of smiles, starting with food.
<Service Description>
Based on the concept of “regulating female hormone disorders through food,” “MOON TREATS” delivers gluten-free and plant-based sweets filled with nutrients essential for women. The hair test kit is used to determine what nutrients are lacking in one’s hair, and the sweets containing the deficient nutrients are then delivered to the user.
PMS can be treated with the nutrients we take, and I want people to know that
-Please tell us how and why you started your business.
Ms. Komatsu (Komatsu): Many women face psychological and physical discomfort (PMS) that occurs three days to a week before menstruation, such as irritability, mood swings, rough skin, and bloating due to female hormones. Which was not an issue of mine, so when I learnt about other women tackling these issues. I also came across a study that stated the relationship between food and PMS which made me realize that I did not have PMS or such problems because I was not lacking the necessary nutrients. So I wanted other ladies to know that overcoming these issues is possible, by eliminating the lack of insufficient food and taking the necessary nutrients. However, many women suffer from PMS without knowing that their diet (nutrient intake) is related to PMS. Therefore, I started my own business to help women who are suffering from PMS to understand the importance of nutrient intake and to support women’s health.
In addition, I used to work for a consulting firm, where I worked in a wide variety of areas but I realized that I enjoy food-related projects the most! Which led me to become an independent freelance consultant specializing in the food sector. When I studied abroad in Boston, a city known for its abundant healthcare startups, I was fascinated by the idea of “veganism” and “wellness” and became certified IIN Health Coach by the American Association for Alternative Medicine. All in all, being a verified health coach and my interest in food was part of the reason I created this company.
-Please share the passion and the story behind “Moon Treats”
Komatsu: As a sweet tooth myself, I am particular about making sweets that are not only healthy but also tasty. To develop our sweets, we use the finest ingredients and partner with contest-winning pâtissiers who share our passion for “MOON TREATS”. Since I have been involved in the food industry for a long time, I also want to energize the industry. I plan to contribute to reducing food loss by developing sweets that utilize discarded ingredients.
Empowering women through sweets
-Please tell us why you decided to participate in the SDGs Challenge.
Komatsu: We had been developing our services with plans to expand overseas, so the offer of SDGs Challenge to support our overseas expansion was attractive to us. Also, Kobe is a city that focuses on food and entrepreneurship support, so we applied because we thought it was the best program for us.
-So how was it?
Komatsu: It was great that we were supported to exhibit at a food exhibition in Singapore and were able to see the local reactions. Singapore has a higher level of health consciousness than Japan, as evidenced by the imposition of a sugar tax, etc. It was a good learning experience for us that our health-conscious sweets sweets were well received. On the other hand, we also received feedback that the short shelf life of our products is a bottleneck and that it is difficult to use them in cafes and other places.
On the other hand, we also received feedback that the short shelf life of our products is a bottleneck and makes them difficult to use in cafes and other places.
In a separate program from the SDGs Challenge, I visited San Francisco the other day and felt the importance of appealing to the value of the product, rather than competing on price. In Japan, it is often necessary to compete on price, but in San Francisco, the cost of living is high, to begin with. Thus, I felt the possibility of developing services from a perspective other than price competition.
-What kind of value do you hope to provide to society in the future?
Komatsu: We would like to make many people aware that the problems caused by female hormones are related to eating habits, and we would like to promote a society in which women can live healthier and more active lives by using sweets as a motivation. We hope that not only women but also men will learn about the relationship between dietary habits and health. Then they can use MOON TREATS as a way to show care, “My partner seems to be having a hard time today, so let’s buy her some treats” and take MOON TREATS home.