Company Introduction

Watami is a company that operates numerous stores and locations across the country, primarily in the restaurant and home delivery businesses. In recent years, the company has continued to expand its business, including by acquiring the Japanese operations of the sandwich chain Subway.

In particular, the company has held the top sales share* in meal delivery services for the elderly for 15 consecutive years, supporting society through daily meals. *No. 1 sales share in the "home delivery market for meals for the sick and elderly" (2010-2024) Source: "Restaurant Industry Marketing Handbook 2011-2025" (Fuji Keizai Co., Ltd. survey)

In addition to agriculture (primary industry), manufacturing (secondary industry), and service/sales (tertiary industry), Watami is promoting a circular sixth-industry model that utilizes natural energy by working on initiatives to reduce environmental impact and renewable energy projects. We are focusing on creating a system that circulates everything from production to supply and even waste recycling. We are also actively involved in social contribution activities, such as operating several public interest incorporated foundations.

Issues before introducing generative AI

"Improving productivity" has long been an important management theme, as the key to maintaining and improving profit margins has been how to streamline the headquarters structure in line with expanding sales and support growth while remaining agile.

In particular, for Watami, which handles everything from agriculture to sales and has a complex supply chain in-house, utilizing generative AI to streamline the flow of vast amounts of information and optimize operations was an absolutely essential step.

The first thing they did was to thoroughly inventory their operations. They carefully examined the work that had expanded and reduced it by about 30% overall. They then set a clear policy of streamlining the remaining work using digital transformation, generative AI, RPA, and other methods, with the aim of reducing it by a further 20%.

However, many people said they didn't know what generative AI could do specifically, and it remained in a "shadow IT" state in some departments, where unofficial AI was used by individuals. Standardizing utilization skills across the company was an issue.

Effects after generative AI introduction training

The biggest outcome of this generative AI training was that it created a concrete roadmap for company-wide deployment. It went beyond simply acquiring knowledge and gained management's approval to introduce an official generative AI platform and implement a company-wide training curriculum.

The effects of the test implementation carried out in advance are also becoming apparent. Through trials by members who have undergone training, we have confirmed concrete improvements in efficiency in daily work. More than just numerical reductions, the system has fostered a common understanding within the company that "using AI correctly can improve the quality of work and create spare capacity," which will be a major asset in promoting digital transformation in the future.

Future outlook

Going forward, rather than simply introducing generative AI as a tool, we will strengthen operational rules and training systems to ensure its use throughout the company. In particular, we aim to improve the current situation where tools are dispersed and information is scattered, and to incorporate AI into business processes within an integrated digital environment.

Specifically, we will define a tiered AI utilization level and design a training program for all employees to acquire basic skills. For example, we aim to train all employees according to their individual proficiency levels, from the level where they can automate tasks such as taking meeting minutes and revising emails, to the level where they can create their own work efficiency tools using no-code tools.

Watami's next step in DX is to establish generative AI as a powerful partner in daily operations, rather than something special.