“ALL NATURAL SUSHI SEAWEED” is printed in white letters across the front, with the first generation AFC logo in the center and an image of a plate of assorted sushi on the bottom right corner. NET WEIGHT 0.49 OZ. (14g) 5 SHEETS is printed at the bottom, along with the phrases “No Preservatives,” “No Artificial Colors,” and “No Artificial Flavors”. The very bottom reads “AFC CORP”. The backside includes directions on how to hand roll sushi and cook sushi rice, as well as the nutrition facts.
Seaweed, “Nori” in Japanese, is one of the main ingredients in maki sushi (sushi rolls). The highest quality of seaweed is black, whereas more affordable options are green. Seaweed comes in a variety of shapes and forms, and can be used to garnish rice and noodles among other foods.
The jacket was worn by James Kyaw a sushi chef for Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation (AFC). The design is based on the Japanese happi coat, a straight sleeve coat. It is white with a navy trim and ties in the front. The AFC logo, “Southern Tsunami,” is embroidered on the left breast panel.
A jar of sushi pickled ginger “gari,” (term for ginger when associated with sushi) with the AFC Corp. brand label, provided an ample supply for an individual or family to keep on-hand at home to supplement their sushi take-out.
A mound of lightly colored pink or yellow pickled ginger, along with a small spoonful of wasabi, is typically presented with sushi. Eating pickled ginger in between different types of sushi helps to cleanse an individual’s palate for the next sushi selection. The Japanese term “gari” mimics the sound that is produced when pickled ginger is being consumed.
A first generation Wasabi Salad Dressing from the AFC Corporation with a first generation AFC logo with two pieces of nigiri sushi printed in the middle. It has a green screw-on top, with a printed plastic that wraps around the body. In the center are the words "Wasabi salad Dressing", and NET 10.6 FL OZ (280ml) is written below. The background includes an image of two wasabi plants, and to the left of the front cover is a paragraph that describes the ingredients, suggestions, and a barcode. The other side of the packaging lists the product’s Nutritional Facts.
AFC extended their product line to include sushi related products to diversify the consumer’s sushi eating experience, and popularize ingredients used in traditional Japanese foods. The Wasabi Salad Dressing is available for purchase at AFC’s supermarket locations, on their online website, and is included in their “Ultimate Sushi Kit”. This dressing is made from grated wasabi and adds a Japanese style to any salad.
Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation (AFC), known as a distributor of pre-packaged sushi in supermarkets, expanded into other products related to the sushi eating experience. Sushi bars in Japan often serve green tea to accompany their sushi, and AFC’s box of green tea reveals their effort in replicating that authentic experience.
This box of individually wrapped tea is pale green that fades to white, with the original AFC logo printed below the word “NATURAL”, indicating that this item is natural without preservatives. The top of the box reads, “AFC Green Tea is made from the finest quality tea and packed in individual aluminum foil pouches to prevent the loss of its elegant flavor and taste”. There is also a red stripe across the sushi that reads "individually packed air-tight to preserve aroma and taste" in white lettering. The images of the cup of tea and sushi platter, consisting of traditional nigiri and non-traditional cut rolls, suggest that the product is to accompany a sushi meal. The bottom of the front display reads 16 tea bags and underneath it says Net WT. is 1.2 oz. (34g). The bottom of the package has both the barcode and instructions. This box of green tea can be bought at AFC sushi bars, their website www.afcsushi.com, or found included in AFC’s Ultimate Sushi Kit set.
A plastic miso paste bottle from the first generation AFC line.
The bottle has a green plastic top, with a printed plastic label wrapped around the body. The label reads “NATURAL MISO PASTE” with the original AFC logo printed in the center and an image of a bowl of miso soup in the background. The word ‘Natural’ implies that this paste is made from all natural ingredients, without preservatives, additives and MSG. Underneath, “No dashi needed” is written in black to inform the consumer that no added stock is necessary when using this product. The barcode is placed on the left, as well as the ingredients and a two-step instructions list. The other side lists the nutrition facts and the distributor.
Miso paste is dissolved in hot water and served with other garnishes to produce miso soup, which is a common soup in Japanese cuisine. It is also a popular dish at sushi bars to accompany sushi, and help cleanse the palate in between different flavors.
The plastic bottle has a green screw-on lid, with a green paper label wrapped around its body. You can see the first generation AFC logo towards the bottom of the label, and NET Wt. 9.5 oz. (230mL). To the left, the barcode, its distribution, and suggestions of use are listed. To the right is the Nutrition Facts with the ingredients (soy sauce, sugar, starch, caramel, amino acids, and alcohol) listed below.
AFC extended their product line to include sushi related products to diversify the consumer’s sushi eating experience, and popularize ingredients used in traditional Japanese foods. Eel sauce is typically used over grilled eel in Japan, though it can also be used over grilled meat and vegetables as suggested on the packaging. Eel sauce is also a popular sauce used to drizzle over sushi.
The jacket was worn by James Kyaw a sushi chef for Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation (AFC). It is a white short-sleeve double breasted jacket with the AFC logo embroidered on the right front and right sleeve.
This is a white sheet of 10 AFC’s first generation logo stickers. The first generation AFC logo consists of the letters “AFC” in green and two pieces of sushi in black, all contained in a red outlined oval.
These stickers are used to seal the prepackaged sushi, and mark them as AFC products.
A first generation Tamari Soy Sauce bottle from the AFC Corporation.
The bottle has a green lid, and is covered in a printed label that has a green background. The word "Premium" is printed in white lettering at the top of the label, and reads "Naturally Brewed", "Reduced Sodium*", "Tamari Soy Sauce", "Sushi/Sashimi Quality", and "Natural" in green, red, purple and black lettering. Underneath is the first generation AFC logo which consists of an image of two pieces of sushi. At the very bottom it reads NET 5 FL. OZ (148 mL). To the left of the front cover, there is a barcode. The right of the cover lists the Nutrition Facts, ingredients, and its distributor.
Soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans, and is an essential ingredient for many sauces, soups, and broths in Japanese cuisine, as well as a dipping sauce for sushi. Though similar in consistency and flavor, tamari has a higher concentration of soybeans than the traditional soy sauce, with little wheat content. Thus, tamari is less salty (25% less sodium), thicker and richer than the traditional soy sauce. The smoothness allows for this sauce to be used as a marinade for barbecues or seasoning for stir fry.
The box is green, with the original AFC logo at the top, “Prepared Genuine Wasabi in Tube” written right below, and a bold “Grated Sushi Wasabi” printed in the center over an image of a wasabi root. Underneath is an image of a few nigiri sushi, and NET WT. 45g 1.59oz written in green. The left side of the box lists the ingredients and Nutrition facts along with the barcode and the distributor name. The backside of the box has the same AFC Logo, product name, and wasabi plant image as the front side, but the image of the nigiri sushi is replaced by an image of sushi rolls. The right side includes the directions for use. The tube encased in the box packaging is a clear plastic tube with a green lid. The AFC logo is printed at the top, as well as “Prepared Genuine Wasabi in Tube Grated Sushi Wasabi” written underneath.
Wasabi is a plant root of the Brassicaceae family. It is grated and used as a sushi condiment to enhance flavor. It has a potent flavor and therefore only a small amount is necessary to bring out the flavor of the fish. Customers who purchase this tube of wasabi will have an ample amount to season both their take-out sushi orders and homemade sushi.
This silver badge belonged to Saori Minota, a member of the Special Projects Department at the AFC Corp. headquarters. On the left side of her name is the second generation logo, “Southern Tsunami”, which is the trademark registered to AFC Corporation in 2003. Below her name reads “special project department”, and underneath that, “The Premier Sushi Company”, indicating the premium quality of their food.
AFC employees were required to wear name tags while on duty. The Southern Tsunami logo reveals that this badge was used sometime after 2003 and before 2011, when the trademark was deemphasized. The badge was a means to identify the employee and the department they worked under, as well as a means to advertise their business.
A first generation container of sushi rice from the AFC Corporation.
It has a wide green screw-on lid and a rectangular body that is partially covered by a printed label. The front face of the label has the first generation AFC logo which says “Since 1986” below. Underneath, “Premium” is written in magenta lettering in the center, and “SUSHI RICE is printed in green lettering on a black horizontal strip. NET WT 1.85 lbs (839 g) is printed at the bottom in black. The right face of the label is the “Rice Cooking Instructions” which includes washing instructions and cooking instructions in four steps, accompanied by instructional images. The back face of the label displays the “Sushi Rice Season Instructions” in four steps, accompanied by instructional photos to the right. The left face of the label has the Nutrition Facts, barcode, and a space in the bottom left corner that reads “Distributed by AFC Corp.”
AFC extended their product line to include sushi related products to diversify the consumer’s sushi eating experience, and popularize ingredients used in traditional Japanese foods. As sushi rice is an important component in sushi making, AFC distributed this product for customers interested in making sushi or other types of Japanese food at home. Sushi rice tends to be stickier in texture which gives the best results in forming sushi.
This is an AFC employee badge with the second generation logo, “Southern Tsunami”. Southern Tsunami is a trademark registered to Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation in 2003. The logo consists of a blue wave with “Southern Tsunami” printed in orange and green. The logo is encased in a clear plastic container, with an empty space below for the employee to place their own name tag. On the back of the badge, there is a metal clip and a yellow sticker. On the yellow sticker, it reads "Achievement Badge Company. 1518 W. 7th St. Los Angeles 90017".
AFC employees were required to wear name tags while on duty. The Southern Tsunami logo reveals that this badge was used sometime after 2003 and before 2011, when the trademark was deemphasized. The badge was a means to identify the employee and the department they worked under, as well as a means to advertise their business.
2006 Sushi kit produced by the Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation of California.
The lid advertises the kit as having "everything you need to start making sushi," and includes images of the ingredients contained within the kit. AFC markets the sushi kits as gift sets and promotes the kit as desirable for parties. The kit has a picture of sushi in a circular container at the far left corner. The Southern Tsunami logo is in the right hand corner. There is a picture of a white man rolling a sushi log with different ingredients on both sides of him. There is also a picture of all the ingredients in the center. It has a "How to Sushi" booklet inside of it with 4 pieces of nigiri, 2 California rolls, and 2 other pieces of sushi on its cover.
In 1986, AFC Corporation was born with a mission to market fresh packaged sushi to supermarkets in America, a concept revolutionary at the time. In addition to the ingredients in the 2001 edition, the 2006 edition includes two types of miso soup, soba tea, green tea, two pairs of chopsticks and a rice spatula. The variety of sushi on the image has also expanded to include items like uni (sea urchin) and ikura (salmon roe) placed in a traditional, reflecting a sense of more familiarity and popularization of different types of sushi in America, and a shift towards traditional types and presentation of sushi. The added products of miso soup and condiments serve to diversify the meals that could be created with this kit, and reveals AFC’s attempt in enhancing the consumer’s sushi experience.
The color photograph from 1991 shows the supermarket display counter for the sushi products of the Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation. Above the counter is a red banner with a bold “SUSHI” printed in the center. The pre-packaged products are displayed in an open refrigerated space. Underneath the “special new items” section on the left part of the display are several pre-packaged rolls. To the right are other pre-packaged sushi products, holding a variety of rolls and a few nigiri. Containers of wasabi and gari (ginger) are lined up behind the pre-packaged sushi products. The clear glass coolers directly above hold a variety of fresh raw fish. The signs placed on the counter illustrate the variety of sushi that can be prepared behind the counter for orders.
In the photo, the employee is wearing a red and white AFC uniform which consists of a white and red collared top, red and white cap, and a red bib-style apron. Though the refrigerated area holds plenty of pre-packaged sushi that are available for immediate purchase, the sushi chef is there to satisfy special orders that are not available in the pre-packaged selection and guarantees that they are freshly made. The sushi chef stands behind the bar and prepares the sushi in a space that is visible to the curious customers. If a certain pre-packaged product is running low, the sushi chef assures that more are made. With a systematic management and training process, AFC is able to maintain consistency in their products regardless of store location and employee. The sushi bar is typically managed by one or two employees.
The blue binder contains the standard sanitation log used by the Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation, a company that distributes sushi products to supermarkets across the United States. The manual provides guides to the proper procedures for handling equipment, sampling food, cleaning and sanitizing, storing food, etc. These procedures are illustrated with flow charts, images, and written instructions. The idea is to ensure that the distributed products are safe, well-kept, clean, and consistent in quality.
The binder cover has a gold AFC logo and the company address written below in white. The full title of the log is "Standard Sanitation Operation Procedures and Methods Manual." The binder includes six tabs assorted by color and title: SSOP, AFC Sushi Rice Recipes & pH Procedures, Rice HACCP, Letters of Guarantee, Servsafe Permits & Inspection Reports, and Appendix.
The grey binder contains the steam table log for the Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation, a company that manufactures sushi products for supermarkets across the United States. The content is sorted by four tabs: Introduction, Cleaning Calibration & Temp., Cooking, and Cooling. The blank log pages are for the employee to fill out as he or she completes the daily tasks of cleaning equipment and calibrating the thermometer that measures food temperature.
The idea behind this binder is to maintain a level of cleanliness of equipment, and provides the employees with technical instructions on calibrating the thermometer to ensure quality control over the distributed products. The steam table log, along with the sanitation log, daily log and delivery log, equip employees with the information and training required to conduct their duties.
These wooden chopsticks packaged in a green paper slip-cover are the third generation chopsticks for the Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation. The new logo on the third generation packaging is a white oval containing a printed “AFC Franchise Corp.” in the center, and a blue wave on the left. Like the second generation chopsticks package, a large white italicized “Sushi” is printed in the center of the paper slip-cover.
The corporation’s decision to manufacture disposable chopsticks is intended to provide a more authentic sushi eating experience. Chopsticks are versatile utensils but require skill, and are particularly useful in picking up fine garnishes. These types of disposable chopsticks are often widely distributed and used for packaged lunch at supermarkets in Japan, holding not only a convenience value but also a cultural one. The lack of instructions or directional images on these chopsticks assumes the consumer to have enough knowledge of its use.
This blue Advanced Fresh Concepts Corporation chef coat was worn at a Tysons, Virginia, Harris Teeter supermarket in 2009. It is a short Japanese kimono style with a white and blue striped collar that extends to the front of the uniform. On the ends of each sleeve there is a blue and white striped border. The sleeves are wide and seem to flare out modestly, hitting midway between the elbow and the wrist. The blue coat is done in the short kimono style. The bottom of the coat reaches around the mid-thigh area, and is designed for a loose fit. The right panel is folded beneath the left, which is secured at the right waist area by a string.
In 2008 AFC designed a uniform coat to align with Harris Teeters desires to distinguish itself from other supermarkets. The color choice was determined by the color scheme of the supermarket where it was worn, thus reflecting the general ambiance of the store. The blue, short kimono-style chef coat with blue and white striped trim was worn with a blue and white striped hat. In later years the store adopted the original AFC white coat and hat.