Ichibiki, a brewing and food manufacturer founded in 1772 (the first year of the An’ei era), appointed Takuya Nakamura as its president on June 20 this year. Having joined the company in 1998, Nakamura has spent his entire career in production. He became a director in June 2020 and a managing executive officer in June 2023. Under his leadership, the company is promoting faster decision-making through top-down management and reforming its structure to integrate production, development, and sales, aiming to drive internal awareness and behavioral change.
The Chubu region, home to a unique seasoning culture centered on mame (beans), miso and tamari soy sauce, has nurtured Ichibiki as a leading company in this field. How will it preserve Japan’s food traditions, revitalize demand for mame, miso and tamari, and strengthen its presence moving forward?
“In my inaugural address as president, I told all employees, ‘Let’s return to our roots as a manufacturer and pursue deliciousness once again,’” Nakamura said. “Until now, we’ve thrived on mass production, mass consumption, and volume sales in the retail sector. But times have changed—especially with post-COVID inflation, that model no longer works. We will continue to refine our value-oriented product development for today’s market, but what I want to focus on is craftsmanship—taking time and care. That’s something we can do. Ichibiki holds the largest market share in Japan for mame, miso and tamari. You can’t be number one without superior technology and quality.” His remarks underline the company’s positioning and goals for the future.
“I consider Ichibiki a traditional, local brewing company—and that’s perfectly fine. If we can solidify our presence in the Chubu region, a path to national recognition will naturally follow. As Japan’s No.1 mame, miso and tamari manufacturer, if we create high-quality products that can compete nationwide, there will be demand regardless of regional distinctions.”
Leading this initiative are the company’s two flagship products: “Additive-Free Domestic Soy Sauce” and “Select Domestic Nama Akadashi (Unpasteurized Red Miso).” Over the past five years, sales have increased by 164% and 172%, respectively. The “Additive-Free Domestic Soy Sauce” won the top “Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award” at the 2024 National Soy Sauce Quality Competition. “Our goal is to make these two products available in stores across every region in Japan.”
In its mid- to long-term strategy, Ichibiki is also placing greater emphasis on commercial-use products and exports.
“Currently, household use accounts for 80% of our sales and commercial use 20%. This ratio has remained unchanged even as revenue fluctuates. But with Japan’s population decline inevitable, the household market will shrink. We must strategically expand commercial sales. Since setting this policy, we have gained ¥1.6 billion in new business over two years, with the share of commercial sales rising from 21–22% to 26%. We aim to raise that to 30% within two to three years and 40% within 10 years.”
As for overseas expansion, Ichibiki’s exports—once centered on tamari soy sauce for the EU—have recently expanded into the U.S., Australia, and Southeast Asia through active participation in trade shows and direct top-level sales efforts resulting in new business and sales since around last year. “Overseas sales in 2024 reached about ¥400 million, a 119% increase year-on-year. We are steadily seeing results and aim to achieve ¥1 billion within five years,” Nakamura said.
