MM21 launches a new circular economy initiative using leftover popcorn

The Minato Mirai district is taking another step forward as a model for sustainable urban development with the launch of a new circular economy initiative: brewing craft beer with unsold but still edible movie theater popcorn.

Designated by the national government as a Decarbonization Leading Area (DLA, 脱炭素先行地域), Minato Mirai has been actively advancing efforts such as reducing CO₂ emissions from electricity use. At the same time, the district faces high levels of resource consumption and a corresponding concentration of waste. To address this, the city has positioned resource circulation as a key pillar of its sustainability strategy and has been engaged in ongoing dialogue with local businesses to explore practical approaches to reducing food waste and reintegrating it into the local economy.

A proposal from the Yokohama SDGs Design Center sparked the idea of repurposing popcorn, a stable, consistent single raw material, opening the door to a creative and visible circular economy solution.

The result of this collaboration is HOPCORN LAGER, a craft beer produced by incorporating popcorn into the brewing process. Instead of being thrown away, popcorn collected from Yokohama Burg 13, a movie theater in the Colette Mare shopping center, is added to the malt during fermentation. By doing so, food waste is transformed into a value-added product while maintaining a stable and repeatable recycling flow.

The project is planned and commercialized by Beer the First Co., Ltd., a local company that has taken the lead in translating this concept into a market-ready product, embedding circular economy principles into a familiar and enjoyable consumer experience.

HOPCORN LAGER made its debut at Live! YOKOHAMA in Minato Mirai on April 4 and 5, where Beer the First Co., Ltd. hosted a sales booth at Granmall Park. Following this pre-release, the beer will be available at local supermarkets starting in late April.

As further initiatives emerge, Minato Mirai hopes to remain at the forefront of integrated decarbonization and resource circulation strategies.