Gigi

Gigi Inc. is a food-tech company founded in Fukuoka, Japan, on September 13, 2018. The company's vision is centered around the concept of 'Pay it forward', creating a sustainable social value where acts of kindness and appreciation are circulated. Gigi operates several services based on its core GOCHI platform, which facilitates the gifting of meals.

The company was established by a team of professionals from various industries: Ryosuke Imai, a music producer; Masahiro Okabe, a business consultant with experience at Accenture; Takashi Sugiyama, a consultant specializing in local government IT strategy; and Kento Furukawa, a digital marketing expert. Imai, the Representative Director, is a notable music composer and producer known for works like Ayumi Hamasaki's "Hero". Furukawa was recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia for his contributions to the company.

Gigi's business model is designed to be beneficial for users, restaurants, and the community, notably by not charging service fees to the participating restaurants. Key services include:

- **Biz-meshi**: A corporate welfare service that allows companies to use local restaurants as their employee cafeteria, promoting community engagement and supporting local economies.

- **Gochi-meshi**: A digital gifting service enabling users to send meal tickets from specific restaurants to others as a gesture of gratitude or support.

- **Saki-meshi**: A service that allows customers to pay for their future meals in advance, providing immediate financial support to their favorite restaurants. This initiative has won several awards, including a Good Design Best 100 award in 2020.

- **Kodomo Gochi-meshi**: A program that transforms restaurants into cafeterias for children, addressing social issues.

The company has achieved significant traction, with its platforms being used over 2.2 million times. It has also successfully raised approximately 400 million yen in funding to expand its services.

Keywords: food-tech, meal gifting, corporate cafeteria, employee benefits, restaurant support, digital meal ticket, community engagement, pay it forward, social gifting, Biz-meshi, Gochi-meshi, Saki-meshi, food service platform, corporate welfare, local economy, restaurant financing, digital vouchers, food and beverage tech, social contribution, Ryosuke Imai