While demonstrating their individual specializations, the Rice Divisions, Food Materials Division, and Soybeans & Food Product Development Division are also seamlessly integrated.
We will ensure the safety of the food you eat now and create the future by combining our strengths with Mitsui & Co. group’s capabilities.
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BUSINESS UNIT
Demonstrating expertise while valuing the trust we have built up
Our Company is composed of the Rice Divisions, which handles rice, Food Materials Division, which handles peanuts and various types of beans and nuts; the Soybeans & Food Product Development Division(consisting of Soybeans Team and Food Product Development Dept.), which handles soybeans, the main ingredient in tofu, deep-fried tofu, miso, soy sauce, natto, soy milk, plant based food,etc.,as well as new protein products . While strengthening the trust it has built up with domestic and overseas customers over many years, we assume a role of securing the stable supply of quality products to Japanese customers through various activities, including contract cultivation with overseas producers and conclusion of exclusive contracts with top suppliers. By visiting local production sites overseas, we work together with producers and suppliers to manage quality and improve productivity. Furthermore, the company’s strength also lies in its staff members who possess specialized knowledge. They have a discerning eye for grouping products by usage based on diverse production regions and characteristics by product and variety, and they have the ability to make proposals that take into account ingredients and nutritional value, demonstrating true professionalism.
Team of specialists that has established an integrated system covering everything from rice production areas to consumption.
The Rice Division offers total coordination for rice distribution from providing advice on rice cultivation to conducting quality management and sales of brown rice, as well as handling quality management, planning, proposals, and sales of polished rice.
The Rice Division makes proposals in relation to materials for bento boxes and rice balls sold at convenience stores and exerts its MD function for volume sellers like supermarkets, drug stores, and home centers, while handling rice products for manufacturers of processed foods and brewers, as well as exports and government-controlled rice for animal feed. We are taking on the challenges of improving production yields and quality in collaboration with local rice producers, proposing menus to respond to diversifying consumer needs, and developing our own brands by utilizing agricultural ICT.
This division has four strengths.
1. Capability to make proposals related to rice produced in Japan and imported rice, depending on the need.
2. Capability to meet a broad range of demand, such as for high-priced and lowpriced products.
3. Capability to propose optimal logistics schemes based on collaboration with rice mills in the various areas, rather than owning rice mills.
4. Capability to manage quality in cooperation with the Research & Development, Quality Control Center.
In recent years, overseas demand for Japanese rice has grown because of its safety and superior taste, and we are currently promoting exports to overseas countries and regions, including Hong Kong.Uncovering emerging needs and developing new markets Actively proposing the best usage
Although people use the term rice as if it were all the same, different types have different characteristics, such as in terms of their hardness, stickiness, and optimum cooking style. One challenge in expanding the business is to work with the Research & Development, Quality Control Center to analyze rice data and propose best usage for each brand based on numerical figures obtained through the said analysis. Moreover, in order to ensure stable income for rice production areas by improving yields and quality, and to meet the diversifying needs of consumers, we are also taking on the challenge of making use of ICT and developing a new brand of rice. For example, by using drones to accurately monitor rice growth levels, it has become possible to determine the appropriate amount of additional fertilizer needed. Furthermore, we are actively undertaking CSR activities from the perspective of “rice” in order to realize a sustainable society, including participation in the Stork Natural Rice Promotion Council, which is promoted through a public-private partnership.
Challenge and Action
Planning and Developing with our Customers Our Target the World Markets ― While there is much concern for shortage of food on a global scale, sustainable food completely utilizing protein material or other raw material, in place of meat or fish, is attracting attention. Our Food Product Development Dept., in cooperation with our other divisions, and based on world market trends provided by Mitsui & Co.etc., aim to expand in domestic as well as overseas markets by developing various protein products based on rice, soybeans, kidney beans etc., and new processed food products using modernly arranged traditional Japanese high protein food.
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CORPORATE UNIT
Our desire to bring smiles and satisfaction to consumers’ tables go beyond the borders. Our dynamic trading activities are supported by the various corporate staff departments responsible for administration, legal affairs under our CAO division,and accounting, risk management, and business process monitoring under our CFO division. Based on the principles of “customer first” and “frontline focus,” we have vigorously engaged with imports, exports, and trilateral trade for more than half a century. These departments play an integral role in these endeavors, albeit from behind the scenes.
