On December 19 last year, Nippn held a luncheon meeting at Tsunamachi Mitsui Club in Tokyo, inviting industry specialty newspapers. On the day, President Toshiya Maezuru, Executive Managing Director Tomio Kimura, Managing Director Hiroaki Kawasaki, and other executives in charge of each business attended, and the meeting opened under the direction of Hideaki Kataoka, General Manager of the Public Relations Department.
President Maezuru explained the outline of the second-quarter results for this fiscal year, full-year performance, strategies for achieving medium-term targets, and sustainability initiatives. Regarding full-year performance, he said, “While demand continues to remain firm, we expect increases in various costs across each business, as well as higher depreciation burdens associated with the start of operations at the new factory and other factors, but we are forecasting record-high operating profit.” He then explained the Chita Factory and the Utah Flour Mills factory, which are being developed as part of efforts to establish a stable supply system for flour-related products.
Regarding marketing strategy, he said with determination that the know-how transferred from Katana Inc., with which collaboration has ended, will be rolled out across the company: “We will continue to strengthen the master brand strategy implemented for Oh! My Premium, while also developing new master brands.”
As for the strategies and progress toward achieving medium-term targets in the milling and food businesses, Senior Managing Executive Officer and Head of the Flour Milling Business Division Takahiro Sato, along with Managing Director Hiroaki Kawasaki, provided explanations. Division Head Sato said, “Although a decline in revenue is expected due to price revisions for business-use flour, sales remain firm. We will expand sales of products whose value is understood and appreciated, such as value-added brands,” and also referred to the pet food business, where sales are performing well.
Managing Director Kawasaki said of the food business (business-use and household-use) and the ready-made meals and deli business, “The practical process does not change between business-use and household-use. We want to further enhance our brand image and communicate product value.”
The frozen food business, listed as a priority initiative, was explained by Executive Officer and Deputy Head of the Household Food Business Division Koji Shinoyama, while the overseas business was explained by Senior Managing Executive Officer and Head of the Overseas Business Division Hiroyuki Hidaka.
For the frozen food business, the company said that, while aiming toward the commencement of operations at the new Hatanaka Foods factory, which will become a new production base for household frozen foods in March 2027, it will “establish a supply system, continue to promote the Oh! My Premium master brand strategy in the household segment, and horizontally deploy the marketing know-how accumulated in the household segment to the business-use segment as well.” It aims to achieve sales of 65 billion yen in fiscal 2026 and 90 billion yen in fiscal 2030.
For the overseas business, the company said, “The newly established Utah Flour Mills factory, together with synergies with existing bases in the United States, will lead to further development of the overseas business centered on the U.S.” In the Asian market, the new Vietnam premix factory, scheduled to begin operations in 2027, will strengthen supply in Vietnam and the ASEAN region to expand sales, and “we will devote ourselves daily to achieving the medium-term targets of 40 billion yen in fiscal 2026 and 60 billion yen in fiscal 2030.”
After the luncheon, Executive Managing Director Kimura gave closing remarks, saying, “There is a story that flour changed the Japanese table. The demand for flour expanded greatly due to the war. I would like to celebrate the fact that this food culture, nurtured in Japan, exists today thanks to the efforts of industry players such as raw material manufacturers and wholesalers. From here on, this is an excellent opportunity to share this food culture with the world. We will work hard,” and closed the meeting.
