The Final Line of Defense for Quality Is People: How a Factory Manager Builds a Workplace That Helps Deliver Great Taste

On this day, we toured the production line for "Soft-Boiled Egg." The huge boiling vats and pressure vessels used for seasoning immediately catch the eye. However, Onami says that the first and most important step in maintaining the delicious taste of egg products is managing the raw eggs before they are boiled.

After undergoing machine inspections for cracks and blood spots at a processing facility on the farm, the eggs are sent to the Shirahane Factory to be processed into egg products. The first step at the Shirahane Factory is a careful visual inspection by hand, known as egg inspection.

"The ease with which a boiled egg can be peeled and its texture are affected by the condition of the raw egg and its storage environment. That’s why, before boiling, we check each egg individually and use our eyes to make sure there is no dirt, cracking, roughness, or other issues with the shell, or other issues. There are things that cannot always be removed through machine inspection alone, so the human eye is essential."

For example, eggs with a rough shell surface may be more difficult to peel after processing, and the egg white may not set properly.

"However, it’s difficult to determine what is acceptable and what is not when it comes to roughness or dirt on the shell, making this a challenging inspection."

Because egg inspection has a direct impact on quality and safety, it is also the first thing employees learn during training. So, how do they develop the "human eye" that cannot be replaced by machine inspections alone?

"When new employees join the company, experienced employees work alongside them and teach them the criteria for making judgments until they become familiar with the process. We also use photos and videos of actual eggs, so they can visually learn the difference between a high-quality egg and one that does not meet our standards."

It is also important to ensure that there are no differences in judgment from one inspector to another. By visually sharing examples of what is acceptable and what is not, the factory ensures that everyone can make decisions based on the same standards.

"To deliver products that are safe, reliable, and delicious, I believe it is essential for each and every employee to have a strong awareness of quality. That’s why we place a strong emphasis on ensuring that our training reaches everyone."

At the Shirahane Factory, issues arising on the production floor and product quality evaluations are shared at company-wide meetings and other gatherings. In addition, employees are brought together once a week to communicate important issues, and the information is also posted throughout the factory to ensure that everyone has access to the information they need.

"Whenever something is important, we make sure to communicate it repeatedly. The Shirahane Factory is also home to employees from other countries. Even when language and cultural backgrounds differ, we place great importance on bridging the gap between those who understand and those who do not, using interpreters when necessary, so that everyone can understand our quality standards and work accordingly."

Rather than sharing instructions just once, the factory continuously reinforces them to create an environment where every employee approaches quality with the same mindset. These daily efforts are what support the quality of the entire factory.

"We have accumulated many years of expertise in making boiled eggs, so when employees notice that something might go wrong, they proactively share ideas on the production floor, saying, ‘Let’s try this!’ That kind of initiative is a great help."

When managing raw eggs before boiling, the factory carefully adjusts the air conditioning according to factors such as temperature and humidity, and sometimes uses dehumidifiers as well.

"Although it rarely happens, if a batch of boiled eggs does not meet our standards, we trace the entire production process back to identify the cause. If necessary, we expand our sampling size and re-test, assessing the situation step-by-step to take the proper action."

The knowledge gained from these experiences is shared on the production floor and applied to the next production run. Onami says that behind these decisions and improvements on the production floor is a workplace where employees feel comfortable communicating with and supporting one another.

"When something is wrong, I think a good company is one where people are willing to speak up right away and say, ‘That’s not right.’ And, of course, we want to be able to say, ‘The products made at our factory are safe. Please enjoy them with peace of mind.’ I believe we can say that with confidence because the factory itself is built on the support of every employee."

Safe, reliable, and delicious products are not maintained by established standards and equipment alone. Employees carefully assess the condition of the raw eggs, share the same standards, think about what is needed based on the circumstances each day, and continually make improvements by communicating with and supporting one another. It is these individual efforts, day after day, that support the quality of the products.

Onami says he wants to "bring out the words ‘delicious’ from all kinds of people." Behind those words is his trust in each person working on the production floor and his commitment to delivering better products to customers.

This text has been translated using an automatic translation tool.