Donated Fruit Keeps Sapporo Maruyama Zoo Animals Fed as Costs Climb

Rising prices pinch zoo budgets as donations keep animals fed

Rising crop prices have reached Japan’s zoos, where feeding costs are climbing and procurement has become tougher to manage. In Sapporo, a practical solution is already in place. Since July, Sapporo Maruyama Zoo has received steady deliveries of bananas, apples, mandarins and sweet potatoes from two partners, ANA Foods, a Tokyo based food trader, and Sunoupuru Sapporo, a local fruit wholesaler. The program redirects fruit that is safe to eat but unsuitable for retail sale. It is easing pressure on the zoo’s budget while turning potential waste into nutrition for elephants, monkeys and brown bears.

The timing matters. Poor weather this year led to unstable harvests and higher prices across many agricultural products. Fruit for household use has risen by about 20 percent compared with typical levels, while fruit sourced as animal feed is up around 10 percent. Feed accounts for just under 10 percent of Maruyama Zoo’s overall budget, which means price spikes quickly strain day to day operations. The zoo has negotiated with suppliers and searched for cheaper options, yet the gap left by cost inflation requires new support.

Co op Sapporo, which already assists the zoo’s polar bear program, helped connect the dots. After the zoo asked for advice, the co op reached out to business partners. ANA Foods now supplies bananas that arrive monthly from Vietnam, and Sunoupuru Sapporo provides apples grown in Aomori Prefecture, mandarins from Shizuoka Prefecture and sweet potatoes from Oita Prefecture. Bananas are a staple treat for elephants and primates, and the zoo goes through about 250 kilograms per month. All of those bananas now arrive through the donation program. The zoo also reports that roughly two thirds of the mandarins fed to animals come from donated stock. The result is a consistent pipeline of fruit that helps keep animals on routine diets while lowering waste.

Who is donating and how the system works

The donation network relies on a simple idea. Produce that does not fit retail rules can still be perfectly good food. During import inspections some fruit is removed from packaging, which keeps it off store shelves. Size and cosmetic standards can also send fruit back to producers. Instead of discarding that food, ANA Foods and Sunoupuru Sapporo set it aside for the zoo. Shipments arrive in batches and are sorted, stored, washed and prepared by zoo staff according to each species’ diet plan.

Monthly volumes at a glance

• Bananas: 250 kilograms per month from ANA Foods, covering the zoo’s full banana need
• Apples: about 150 kilograms per month from Sunoupuru Sapporo, mainly from Aomori Prefecture
• Mandarins: about 200 kilograms per month from Sunoupuru Sapporo, mainly from Mikkabi in Shizuoka Prefecture
• Sweet potatoes: supplied from Oita Prefecture by Sunoupuru Sapporo, with quantities adjusted as needed

The fruit goes primarily to elephants, monkeys and brown bears, with keepers adjusting portions based on each animal’s health, age and activity. Apples and mandarins help diversify vitamins and fiber. Bananas add energy for large herbivores and active primates. The hospital team and keepers coordinate to keep sugar and calories in check.

Akio Sonoda, the manager of ANA Foods’ Sapporo branch, described the donated fruit as safe and wholesome. He stressed that it falls outside retail standards but is appropriate for animal feed and human consumption alike.

Akio Sonoda, ANA Foods Sapporo branch manager: “These are foods that are perfectly safe for people to eat, they are just not suitable for sale as products.”

Sunoupuru Sapporo’s president, Kazutoshi Ogara, said the company intends to keep supplying the zoo and make this a lasting contribution to the city.

Kazutoshi Ogara, president of Sunoupuru Sapporo: “We want to keep supporting the zoo for a long time.”

From unsellable produce to animal feed, cutting waste

Fruit often fails retail standards for reasons that have little to do with taste or safety. Packaging can be opened during inspection, or individual fruit can be smaller or larger than store specifications. Aesthetic norms, such as uniform color or minor blemishes, also lead to returns. Japan has made steady efforts to reduce food waste in recent years, and the practice of putting safe, non standard produce to good use aligns with the widely shared mottainai mindset, the idea that waste should be avoided out of respect for resources.

In this case, fruit that would have been discarded is rerouted to animals that thrive on varied diets. The donations reduce disposal costs for businesses and lower feed expenditures for the zoo. They also help keep supply more stable at a time when market prices are volatile. On site, the zoo’s routine includes washing and trimming fruit, checking ripeness and condition, and incorporating items into species specific menus. Keepers track how animals respond and fine tune portions to maintain health and body condition.

Weather and costs, why prices climbed this year

The current price environment is rooted in the weather. Unstable conditions this year, including heavy rain and heat waves in various regions, disrupted crop yields and quality. When crops are stressed in the field, the share that meets retail standards falls and supply tightens. Imported items can swing in price when shipping costs rise or when currencies move, which affects fruit such as bananas sourced from Southeast Asia. When markets tighten, zoos that plan long in advance face higher and less predictable bills.

Feed is central to animal well being and represents just under a tenth of Maruyama Zoo’s budget. That share may look small, yet sudden jumps in fruit, vegetables and other dietary items can ripple through daily operations. Keepers cannot cut calories for elephants or bears, and nutrition plans must be followed consistently. The challenge is to balance nutrition needs with a budget that also covers care, veterinary supplies, utilities and facility maintenance.

Maruyama Zoo’s director, Aya Shirouzu, emphasized that the volume of food cannot be reduced and thanked partners for keeping animals well supplied.

Aya Shirouzu, director of Sapporo Maruyama Zoo: “No matter how high prices go, we cannot reduce the amount of feed. The animals eat a lot, so this support is a big help.”

On September 4, Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto presented certificates of appreciation to the partners behind the donation program. He also pointed to the zoo’s role in public education about environmental change and daily life.

Katsuhiro Akimoto, mayor of Sapporo: “This is a tremendous help. The zoo can also serve as a place to learn about the effects of climate change. I hope many citizens will become aware of this effort.”

How the animals benefit and how diets are balanced

Elephants and monkeys are eager for bananas, which provide quick energy. Apples and mandarins add vitamin C and fiber, and the variety supports appetite and enrichment. Brown bears, which are opportunistic eaters, enjoy seasonal fruit as part of a broader regimen that includes other foods appropriate for their species. Keepers sometimes use pieces of fruit as rewards during training sessions that help with cooperative care, such as presenting a paw or opening the mouth for inspection.

Balanced diets remain the foundation of the program. Zoo nutritionists decide how much fruit fits into each animal’s plan based on weight, activity and health needs. Donated items are washed, cut and weighed before feeding. If a batch is very ripe, it may be fed more quickly or frozen for short term use. If sugar levels would otherwise be too high for a particular animal, keepers reduce portions or offset with lower calorie foods. The donation program provides variety and consistency at the same time, which helps maintain routines for sensitive species.

Local partnerships and a circular model

Co op Sapporo’s role shows how existing community ties can strengthen animal care. The co op already supports the zoo’s polar bear program, and its outreach helped establish this fruit donation network. Business partners receive recognition for waste reduction and community service, the zoo secures reliable supplies, and the city gains an example of practical sustainability that is easy to understand.

Other contributors in Hokkaido have tested related ideas. Nomura Farm Hokkaido, run by Nomura Holdings, has donated non standard sweet potatoes to the zoo and then used compost made from zoo manure on its fields. That circular approach, in which farm surplus becomes feed and animal waste returns as fertilizer, reduces waste while improving soil. It also gives students and visitors a complete story to follow from farm to animal care to agriculture again.

A growing network in Hokkaido

A broader network could deliver even sturdier results. When local farms, wholesalers, food processors and logistics companies coordinate, the region can match surplus produce with animal nutrition needs across seasons. Businesses spend less on disposal, and zoos gain access to a wider mix of items to balance diets. Teachers and families can see sustainability at work, which makes classroom learning tangible.

What could come next

The partners behind the current donations say they want to continue, and the city has highlighted the value of the effort. Expanding the model to include vegetables and other produce that occasionally misses retail standards would further stabilize supply. Any growth will depend on reliable logistics, clear food safety protocols and close communication between keepers and donors. With those basics in place, similar programs could support animal care in other cities where weather and market swings make planning difficult.

For Sapporo residents, the program is visible proof that community cooperation works. Visitors see healthy animals and learn how small changes, such as saving edible food that would have been thrown away, can serve a public good. The fruit that does not fit a store display is making a clear difference inside the enclosures, and the recognition from City Hall signals broad support to keep it going.

Key Points

• Sapporo Maruyama Zoo is receiving monthly donations of fruit from ANA Foods and Sunoupuru Sapporo to offset rising feed costs
• All bananas fed at the zoo, about 250 kilograms per month, now come from donations, and about two thirds of mandarins are donated
• Poor weather led to unstable harvests and higher prices, with household fruit up about 20 percent and animal feed fruit up around 10 percent
• Feed costs make up just under 10 percent of the zoo’s budget, so price increases strain operations
• Co op Sapporo connected the zoo with business partners to redirect safe but non standard fruit that cannot be sold at retail
• Company leaders say the produce is safe to eat, and they intend to keep supporting the zoo
• Sapporo’s mayor issued certificates of appreciation on September 4 and said the zoo can help citizens learn about climate change
• Other regional efforts, such as a circular model linking farm donations and zoo compost, point to wider community benefits