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Nippon Suisan Restructures Organization to Reinforce Seafood Business

January 28, 2010

Nippon Suisan is slated to conduct organizational restructuring with the focus on reinforcing its fisheries business as of March 1. More concretely, in order to strengthen “sales power from customer’s point of view,” separation of marketing and procurement functions will be executed and marketing will be altered to customer relations from its previous responsibility for fish. Moreover, the company’s strengths, marine business and food business will further evolve for cooperative operations, proceeding with creations and suggestions for the food scene.


Under “Fisheries Business Operating Officer,” “Fisheries Business Operating Subofficer (marketing)” and “Fisheries Business Operating Subofficer (procurement)” will be newly set up to support tasks of “Fisheries Business Operating Officer.” Marketing functions of the “Fisheries Business Dept. 1” and “Fisheries Business Dept. 2” will be transferred to the new “Fisheries Business Marketing Department.” The “Fisheries Business Marketing Department” will be in charge of sales to seafood wholesalers, mass retailers, and fish stores in the Tokyo metropolitan and Kanto-Shinestu areas, Sendai, Nagoya, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka.


The procurement function will be integrated into the “Fisheries Business Dept. 1 (crab, salmon, and fish roe),” “Fisheries Business Dept. 2 (shrimp, frozen fish, squid, octopus, shellfish, and surimi),” and new “Fisheries Business Dept. 3 (frozen southern fish).” The “Fisheries Business Dept. 3” will be also responsible for seafood exports to neighboring countries in addition to the task of procurement. The “Marine Foodstuffs Business Department” will be also launched to further promote seafood consumption.


Seiji Takahashi, Operating Officer/Aquaculture Business Promotion Office Director, will take charge of the procurement function of the Fisheries Business Operating Subofficer. Likewise, Yuji Kobayashi, Fisheries Business Dept. 1 Director, will be in charge of marketing.


The original article was published on January 28, 2010 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.


Hakata Marukita’s Business Transferred to Nissui Group

January 28, 2010

A Karashi mentaiko maker in Fukuoka City, Hakata Marukita, which is currently under court-guided rehabilitation, will be transferred to Hakata Marukita Suisan (Fukuoka City; President Nobuo Honda), a Nippon Suisan’s 100% subsidiary, as of February 1. An application for business transfer was approved at the Fukuoka district court on Jan. 20.


Hakata Marukia Suisan is slated to acquire lands and buildings of Hakata Marukita’s three plants, main plant, Chikkou Plant, and Koga Plant, as well as its operations, including a brand “Hakata Ago-otoshi,” for roughly \500 million. In principle, all the employees will be accepted, as well.


Nissui Expands Cod Roe Operations


In addition, as far as cod roe operations are concerned, Nippon Suisan also decided to accept an allocation of new shares to a third party (260 shares for about \700,000) of Tokyo Kitaichi (Saitama Pref.; President Shigekazu Watanabe) and to make the company Nissui’s equity method affiliate by late February 2010. Nissui has been in a business relationship involving roe supply with Tokyo Kitaichi since 1990. The said decision was made for financing the alteration and/or extension of Tokyo Kitaichi Hokkaido Plant, scheduled to begin in April.


Nissui Group, which finds its strength in accessing a raw material of kneaded fish and fish ham sausage products, namely pollack, has been taking on the establishment of an integrated white fish business system from resources to final products.


On top of this strongpoint of the group, Hakata Marukita’s cod roe operations and Tokyo Kitaitchi’s product line-ups, processing technology, and brand value will be added. This will enable a synergy effect of processing functions in China and at Hachioji General Plant, resulting in a fundamental shift of cod roe operations from business focused on raw roe to processing business. From this point on, the group will develop overseas markets for products that utilize newly acquired functions and aim for the expansion of cod roe operations and profit optimization.


[Hakata Marukita Suisan Company]
Representative: Nobuo Honda
Est.: Dec. 7, 2009
Capital: \10 million
Shareholder: Nippon Suisan 100%


[Tokyo Kitaichi Company]
Representative: Shigekazu Watanabe
Est.: June 1982
Capital: \90.226 million (after increased capitalization)
Shareholder: Shigekazu Watanabe 51.52%; Akemi Watanabe 9.09%; Nippon Suisan 39.99%


The original article was published on January 28, 2010 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.


Kyokuyo President Fukui Says “Great Job on Year-End Sales Glitz”

January 28, 2010

Kyokuyo President Kiyokazu Fukui commented on business performance up to the third quarter, including the trend of the year-end sales battle, at a press meeting on spring collection on Jan. 28.


“Both Marine Products Purchasing and Processed Food Divisions were forced with tough fights up until mid December; however, referring only to the year-end sales glitz, each division fought a good fight and performed well mainly with low-priced products. Conversely, we were afraid such high-priced foodstuffs as king crab might go out of stock; our projection unfortunately was proven right. We were left with something to reflect on, like we could have worked a bit harder. After the dawn of the New Year, we are feeling the need to keep pace with demand stimulation of overall marine products. Despite the consumer trend of low prices, we dared to push a high grade crab-flavored kamaboko “Ocean King no Kiwami” as the number one item of our new spring products. Our company will work in an all-out effort to increase sales.


“We will announce the 3Q results on Jan. 29; there will be no jaw-dropping news. They say a period of January through March is a downtime, but it is a period of entrance towards spring demand. Bonito prices are on the rise and we are anticipating that a joint venture company in Thailand, KUE, will be able to expand its sushi-related operations (sushi toppings and frozen sushi). With deflation and stronger yen in mind, we will aim for business development with quick reaction and positivity. As the first year of our three-year midterm business plan “Kyokuyo Group Challenge 2012,” we wish to contribute to upward results, even a little bit. As far as the new spring products go, we have strong commitment to each one of them, developed with customers’ needs in mind. We would like to provide safety assured products surpassing our catch phrase “Tasty Kyokuyo always right next to you.”


Managing Executive Director Kubo Says “Putting Every Energy Into Ocean King”


Kyokuyo Managing Executive Director Kotaro Kubo spoke of Food Business:


“The business environment surrounding the food industry exhibits perpetuating reactions to plunges in retail prices and an absolutely necessary need of measures against deflation, in responding to consumer preference of lower prices resulting from the increasing consumer awareness of self-protection. Kyokuyo Group’s food business operations aim to provide suggestions fulfilling clients’ satisfactions in terms of price and quality, resultantly leading to expanded sales.


“Food Business’ performance results for the third quarter on a sales basis indicate that frozen seafood slightly increased; cooked frozen foods faced a tough time; and room temperature foods favorably displayed a two-digit increase. We continue to aim for a share expansion with reinforced competitiveness, differentiated products, and product development meeting clients’ needs.


“What we are especially focusing on in our new product line-up is “Ocean King no Kiwami” and “Ocean King no Kiwami for Tempura” in an “Ocean King” series. They are the products embracing an image of king crab and use high quality surimi. We managed to materialize succulent crab meat by lining fiber diagonally.”


The original article was published on January 28, 2010 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.



Income Indemnity for Costal Fishermen Become Effective in 2010

January 27, 2010

Hirotaka Akamatsu, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, touched on a subject of an income indemnity policy in a lecture held at Sasebo City, Nagasaki Pref. on Jan 24. The Minister said, “The income indemnity policy for costal fishermen will go into effect, a year after the agricultural sector.”


Taking into account the situation of costal fisheries, it is expected that the coverage will be extended to deep-sea fisheries.


The original article was published on January 27, 2010 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.


Kyokuyo’s New Product “Ocean King no Kiwame” Hits Market

January 27, 2010

Kyokuyo announced 23 new products for spring on Jan 26. In the category of bonito/tuna processed foods, there are five products, i.e. sliced red meat of bigeye and yellowfin for sushi toppings, (target sales of \200M). Frozen seafood has four products, including spear squid (half-cut, slices, noodle type); squid used is boat frozen squid caught near Indonesia, with a sales goal of \300 million. In the category of frozen prepared foods, there are ten products that contain crab-flavored kamaboko “Ocean King no Kiwami” (target sales of \600M). Room temperature foods have four products that include “Nishin-Sanma Konbu-Maki” (herring-saury wrapped in kelp) with a planned sales of \400 million. The new products are to be released on Feb. 1, except for some products.


“Ocean King no Kiwami” is a proudly updated, close-to-perfection version of “Ocean King,” which has been a long selling product, popular for its rich flavor and taste since its release in 1982. Using high-end surimi as a raw material, the company succeeded in increasing its succulence and fiber-like texture. A tray pack with five pieces and one for “tempura” will be released at the same time.


Processed products of bonito and tuna were developed with consumer convenience in mind. For sliced red meat of bigeye and yellowfin, freshly on-boat frozen materials are used. “Seasoned Negi-Toro” (seasoned fatty tuna with scallion), seasoned with soy sauce and then frozen, was developed for rice ball products at convenience stores. It can be used right away after defrosting. “Maguro Amani Flake K” (tuna cooked in sweet sauce) and “Katsuo Amani Flake K,” both of which use domestic raw materials, were created for rice dishes.


“Sake Hogushi-mi” (shredded salmon) in frozen seafood products uses chum salmon, which is steamed, shredded, and then grilled. In addition to its use for lunch programs and to-go bento boxes, there is a special characteristic that finely shredded salmon is chewable for those with a lower masticator ability. There are two types with or without seasonings.


Room temperature foods, which have been recording two-digit sales increases in this fiscal term so far, introduce “Sake no Nakabone Mizuni” (salmon’s center bone cooked in water), “Nishin Konbu-maki,” ”Sanma Konbu-maki,” and professional-use fish sausage. “Sake no Nakabone Mizuni” has a new label design. Environmentally friendly packaging materials are used. “Nishin Konbu-maki” and ”Sanma Konbu-maki” are labor-intensive recipes when cooked at home, and this time the shape of a can was changed from sharp edges to round edges.


The original article was published on January 27, 2010 and was translated by Kiyo Hayasaka.


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