-Please tell us about the solutions offered by the Wismettac Group.

Fukui: Since our founding in 1912, our company has a history of over 100 years, and one of our core businesses is our Asian food global business. We are engaged in the wholesale business of Japanese food and other Asian food and ingredients, mainly in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, and the export business to various parts of the world. We are proud to be contributing to the global spread of Asian food culture. Since we are a food trading company with origins as a trading company, we take a different approach to markets around the world than manufacturer-affiliated trading companies. We also have strengths in third-country trade, sourcing products from all over the world and selling them overseas, and we meet a wide range of customer needs. In addition, we have been expanding our business based on our bases in North America and China for a long time, but since 2011 we have begun to expand our overseas bases to other regions. By 2022, we have a total of 44 bases, including capital alliances and acquisitions with customers, and establishing new overseas local subsidiaries from scratch.

Watanabe: Our Agribusiness imports fresh produce and frozen processed produce from all over the world and sells them to domestic wholesale markets, food manufacturers, mass retailers, and the restaurant industry. During the period of high economic growth, we became the sole import agent for Sunkist Growers, and even today, we boast a top share in the import of citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges. With regard to frozen processed produce, we have strengthened our proposals not only for raw materials but also for finished products, and are developing products in collaboration with the retail and restaurant industries. In addition, as one of our future growth strategies, we have recently begun developing production areas, and are focusing on new initiatives such as flexibly developing new suppliers in order to ensure a stable supply of ingredients both domestically and overseas even if the demand for certain agricultural products suddenly increases. In order to protect the food infrastructure, we collect information and negotiate to start transactions smoothly while taking into consideration the laws and regulations of the producing countries and Japan.

The Tamazu Amenity & Retail Business was started as a new business in 2000.
Although BtoB is the basis, we are also working on BtoBtoC and BtoC in order to develop better products. Specifically, we are developing two businesses: the P-Cube business, which is centered on the import and sale of unique overseas brand foods and the planning and sale of seasonal and event products, and the Natumedica business, which plans and sells medical supplements. We have transformed from a simple food import trading company into a business that provides solutions to our customers' problems, and we continue to grow.

-With a history spanning more than 100 years, the Wismettac Group has a wealth of business assets, including a global network and knowledge. In what ways does the group utilize these strengths?

Fukui: First of all, our bases in each country also serve as our information network, so we have the advantage of being able to quickly obtain information on market trends, food regulations, and legal changes. For example, allergies have become a major issue around the world, and laws and regulations are being updated daily accordingly. We work with food safety departments that manage food rules in each country, and by handling safe and secure food that meets the safety standards of each country, we have gained trust, which is a major strength of ours.

Watanabe: The quality of produce varies depending on the weather and conditions of the year. For example, even if the orange season starts late and the size is small, the Wismettac Group can predict this based on its knowledge and take optimal action. Our assets are of great help in fulfilling our mission of providing a stable supply and protecting the food infrastructure under any circumstances.

It can be said that the Tamazu Amenity & Retail Business is constantly building up new assets. Every year, we collaborate with retailers to plan and develop seasonal and event products, add the essence of overseas suppliers to in-store displays and sales methods, and advance development with overseas suppliers based on on-site knowledge through trial and error. By repeating these processes, we are accumulating a variety of know-how that can be utilized in other businesses and new businesses.