Kurosengoku soybeans take flight to America! Online business negotiations at Seka Shoku "Food Business Meeting Connecting the World and Japan with Shinkin"

Friday, November 5, 2021

On Monday, October 4th, an online food business matching event for developing overseas sales channels, "Food Business Matching Event Connecting the World and Japan with Shinkin (Seka Shoku)," hosted by Shinkin Central Bank, was held at the Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association (Chairman: Yukio Takada) office in Hokuryu Town, Hokkaido.

It is said that 243 client companies from 93 Shinkin banks participated, the largest number ever.Reference: Nikkin）

Seka Foods Food Overseas Sales Channel Development Business Meeting

This business matching event was organized by Shinkin Central Bank (head office: Tokyo, Chairman: Hiroyuki Shibata), a cooperative financial institution whose members are Shinkin banks across the country, as a support project for developing overseas sales channels, and the first event was held in 2017.

This is an online business meeting that connects food manufacturers that Shinkin Banks do business with and domestic trading companies with overseas sales channels.

This business meeting was made possible through the application of the Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association through the mediation of Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank (head office: Fukagawa City, Chairman: Hirokami Mitsuyoshi).

Online meetings via ZOOM

The business meeting was held using the online conferencing tool ZOOM, and the online meeting lasted approximately 30 minutes.

participants

Participants in the online event were Mr. Ichikawa of Shinkin Central Bank, Mr. Masahiro Hirayama of Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank, Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association (Chairman Yukio Takada) as a supplier (a food manufacturer that does business with Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank), and Zips Inc. (Head office: Tokyo, Representative Yoshihiko Kato) as a buyer (a domestic trading company with sales channels overseas).

Yukio Takada, Chairman of Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association

Yoshihiko Kato, Representative of Zips Corporation

Gypse Corporation is a company that operates food import, restaurant, and e-commerce businesses. Its main export market is the United States, and the products it hopes to handle at this business meeting are food in general, with a particular focus on Japanese seasonings and ingredients.

Mr. Ichikawa, Shinkin Central Bank

Masahiro Hirayama, Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank

Business meeting starts at 11:00

1. Buyer:Yoshihiko Kato, CEO of Zips Inc., explains the company profile and business details
2. supplier:Product explanation by Yukio Takada, Chairman of the Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association

Yoshihiko Kato, Representative of Zips Corporation

"Our company is primarily a trading company established in 2000. We mainly export food products, import food products from South America and other countries, sell them within Japan, and operate two izakaya restaurants in Tokyo (Yoyogi and Jimbocho). For the past few years, we have been expanding our exports, primarily of Japanese food products, to the United States, and we would like to make a proposal regarding that business.

1. Explanation of export sales through Amazon
2. Explanation of proposed trading method plan
3. A talk about the high demand for health-conscious Japanese foods such as "kinako" and "soybeans" overseas

"Your company is the most knowledgeable about Kurosengoku soybeans, and it's important that you communicate your passion for the product through the internet. By using Amazon, we have an additional sales channel, and we can take the first step in exporting to the huge American market," said Kato.

Yukio Takada, Chairman of Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association

"Kurosengoku soybeans are a species native to Hokkaido, and in ancient times their leaves and stems were used as a nutritious crop for green manure in field crops in the Tokachi region and as feed for military horses, but the kernels of the Kurosengoku soybean were not used for food.

Then, with the modernization of agricultural machinery and the widespread use of chemical fertilizers, military horses fell out of use, and Kurosengoku soybeans proved difficult to cultivate, so cultivation ceased around 1970.

However, it has been revived in Hokkaido and is now known as the legendary Kurosengoku soybean.

Kurosengoku soybeans are unique to Hokkaido. They are also grown in other prefectures, but unlike the Kurosengoku soybeans grown in Hokkaido, the soybeans in those other prefectures have thick skins and are difficult to form perfectly round.

Our association deals exclusively in Kurosengoku soybeans, a variety unique to Hokkaido. We produce around 250 tons per year. Half of that, around 100 tons, is used as an ingredient for natto. The remaining 100 tons are sold as various processed products made from Kurosengoku soybeans.

Kurosengoku Kinako is additive-free and is made using a special machine (a mortar-shaped stone mill) to preserve the flavor of the kinako.

The beans are roasted at a low temperature by passing water through them and keeping the temperature below 18 degrees, preserving the original color and aroma of the beans.

Furthermore, we pack them in thick aluminum bags to protect them from sunlight and prevent changes in color and flavor," says Chairman Takada.

Yoshihiko Kato, Representative of Zips Corporation

"The fact that it's a native species and a product unique to Hokkaido is a big selling point in the United States. Hokkaido has a lot of interest overseas, and Hokkaido products are popular and sell really well.

"We hope you will consider our proposal so that Hokkaido's excellent Kurosengoku soybeans can be brought to the American market," said Kato.

President Kato visits the Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association office

On Friday, October 29th, after the online business meeting, Yoshihiko Kato, president of Zips Inc., flew from Tokyo via New Chitose Airport and drove in a rental car to visit the Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association office in Hokuryu Town. Takamori Okada of Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank also attended.

The negotiations progressed significantly, with detailed explanations of the current US trade situation and future export procedures.

Shinkin Central Bank and Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank acted as a bridge to hold online business meetings.
With boundless love, gratitude and prayers for the great Kurosengoku soybeans that are spreading out into the world thanks to the passionate passion of buyers and suppliers...

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Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association

Kurosengoku soybeans are characterized by their sweet, rich flavor and green flesh despite their black skin. They are also a nutritionally balanced, small-grained superfood that contains anthocyanins, isoflavones, and more!
▶ Kurosengoku Business Cooperative Association Direct Online Shop >>

Zips Corporation

We are a company that operates food import, restaurant and e-commerce businesses. We value encounters and connections between people, and we always hope that these connections will help people grow and become happier.
▶ For more information on Gypse Incorporation, click here >>

Shinkin Central Bank

Shinkin Central Bank (abbreviated as Shinkin Chukin) is a cooperative financial institution whose members are shinkin banks across the country, and was founded in 1950 as the central financial institution for shinkin banks.
▶ For more information about Shinkin Central Bank, click here >>

Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank

Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank was established in 1950 as Kita Sorachi Shinkin Kumiai (Credit Union), and was reorganized into a Shinkin Bank in 1951 following the enactment of the Shinkin Bank Law, and continues to exist to this day.
▶ For more information about Kita Sorachi Shinkin Bank, click here >>

Nikkin | October 8, 2021 Issue, Page 8 Shinkin Central Bank Develops Overseas Sales Channels for Food Industry, 243 Companies Participate in Business Meeting, the Largest Number | Nikkin, a Financial Information Organization Aiming to Produce a Report that Directly Reflects the Realities of the Market

Shinkin Central Bank is focusing on online business meetings for the food industry as a measure to support the development of overseas sales channels. From October 4th to 8th, the largest-ever…

◇ Photography and editing: Noboru Terauchi Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi